Posted by curtisjs on Monday, May 30, 2016 in Blog posts.

Jack Curtis

While touring the catacombs in Siracusa, our tour guide mentioned that the bones of an important religious icon were moved from the site in Siracusa when the Arabs invaded Sicily for their protection and preservation.  In class, we learned that the Arabs brought a very innovative and prosperous era to Sicily.  In fact, Benjamin relayed that the Sicilians were actually sad to see the Arabs leave.  Our tour guide said that the Arabs fought and bickered amongst themselves.  He also mentioned that the pope asked the Normans to invade Sicily (which is true); however, he stated that the Normans were needed to come and restore order to Sicily.  This implies that Sicily was in a state of help and need of rescue, but nothing could be further from the truth.  The Arabs brought many new foods to Sicily: sugar, carob, citrus, almonds, rice, saffron, pistachios, couscous, eggplants, cucumbers, and melons.  They also brought Persian rugs, cotton, silk, irrigation systems, and vast advances in the hard sciences such as geometry, arithmetic, and astronomy.  As evidenced by all that they brought to Sicily, the Arabs reigned in a time of many societal and cultural advancements.  While the Arabs brought prosperous times to Sicily, modern Sicily does not appear to recognize the beneficial influence from the Arabs.

When googling “mosques in Sicily,” the second hit is titled “Disgusting!  Sicily approves construction of a mega-mosque.”  There is currently a negative sentiment towards Muslims in Sicily due to a large influx of illegal immigrants into Sicily.  Sicily’s proximity to Africa and the Middle East combined with its difficulty of defending its borders (because it is an island) allow for easy access for illegal immigrants.  While a majority of these immigrants are trying to provide their families with better lives than they had, it seems to only take a few illegal immigrants who perform illicit activity to fuel the anti-immigration and anti-Muslim sentiment.  In an article from 2014 on Sicilian illegal immigrants, it was stated that over 170,000 immigrants illegally entered Sicily, and this number is increasing every year.  This same article mentioned that an illegal African immigrant murdered an elderly couple in their own home, further magnifying the anti-immigrant sentiment.

While there appears to more of a blatant anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment in Sicily, the same issues can be found in the United States, which has an extended history of immigrants.  Since 9/11, there has been an increasing anti-Islam sentiment budding in the United States, and the recent ISIS attacks have only added fuel to these simmering feelings.  One of our leading presidential candidates has openly expressed anti-Muslim sentiments.  The report of the Siracusa tour guide (which contradicted Benjamin) and the growing anti-Islam sentiment in the United States and Sicily all highlight that public opinion is often formed outside of historical events and cultural roots.  In conclusion, these events and trends demonstrate the intrinsic value of historical examination, such as the case with Siracusa, to broaden individuals’ perspectives.