Philosophy instructor Mark McIntire is delving into the private minds of various influential professionals in the Santa Barbara area on his radio show, “The Mark McIntire Show” on AM 1290.

McIntire takes the opportunity to explain pressing issues, while allowing the public to play the proverbial fly on the wall.

Dr. Manou M. Eskandari-Qajar, political science chair and director of Middle East studies, spoke with McIntire on the “Mind of the Muslim,” on Sept. 29.

“Islam is now equivalent to communism, and it shouldn’t be,” Eskandari said.

Furthermore, Eskandari claims the detrimental effects of misunderstanding what it actually means to be Muslim are of huge importance in today’s society.

McIntire also takes advantage of his broadcast to supplement his own enlightenment.

“The older we get,” McIntire said, “the more we realize that the things we thought we knew, we don’t really know.”

Eskandari’s goal is to re-define the word ‘Muslim’ in the public’s minds.

“When one understands something, one isn’t apprehensive of it,” he said.

Islam is the fastest growing religion in America. In the U.S., more than 80 percent of the over 1,200 Mosques have been built in the last 12 years.

After 9/11, there was international concern that there would be American backlash against Islamic residents, due to generalization of the religion.

“Most Muslims are outside of the Middle East. For some people, Muslim and Arab are the same – they’re not,” Eskandari said. “We shouldn’t say ‘Islam’ because Islam is many things. It’s like saying ‘American’ – it is too general to inform of the details.”

Eskandari was born 1956 in Vienna, Austria, and spent most of the first 20 years of his life in Austria and Iran.

While working on his dissertation on the politics of oil in Iran, he was accepted to Cambridge University to continue studies in international law.

However, he ended up receiving a full ride to UCSB where he eventually focused on political theory and shifted his career path from diplomat to teacher.

Since 1992, he has been teaching at City College, to which he also brought the prestigious honor society Phi Theta Kappa.

Outside Eskandari’s campus office hangs a collage displaying political buttons, newspaper clippings and posted quotes.

Among the 9/11 remembrance button and the “Vote for Change – Obama ’08” sticker, there is one quote that speaks to Eskandari’s cause especially: “Bigots are not born; they are TAUGHT to hate.”

Eskandari encourages people to differentiate between the extremists and the typical follower.

“I wanted people to understand there are violent people in the world – they will justify their violence with all kinds of statements,” Eskandari said.

“Anyone can say whatever they want – that does not make it so. Muslims are now the group du jour that should be discriminated. It won’t be the last group.”

Other guest speakers previously on the show are Philosophy Professor Joe White, Superintendent–President Dr. Andreea Serban and Board of Trustees member Desmond O’Neill.