What a Relief

Is our Treatment Justified

Let’s take a moment to look at the other thought spectrum.  Is Americas’ treatment of Muslim Americans deserved and justified.  Some sides advocate the discriminatory treatment of Muslim Americans while others strongly wish they were treated equally and fairly.  People feel that their assumptions about Muslim Americans are well deserved after the attack on the twin towers.  Knowing that a few members of a culture committed a major attack is all the ammunition they need to brand every member of the society a terrorist.  These people act as such because they fear another attack or hold a vendetta towards Muslims for the attacks.  Everyone reacts differently to situations and everyone’s experiences on that day are unique; some people lost loved ones while other peoples’ view on reality was shattered before their eyes.  These people are not wrong to fear or act differently but they also have not realized that they are condemning an entire culture because of a select few.  If these people were to apply the old adage, walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, their opinions and treatment of Muslim Americans may change.  I don’t think that people are able to realize that they are grouping different types of people, extremist and non-extremists, together as one, and as a result they don’t notice or care about the damage that is done to the innocent.  Once the general assumption that all Muslims are a threat is in your mind, actions and treatment towards all Muslims Americans change; resulting in offensive and hurtful treatment.  I personally don’t believe that fear, extremists’ actions, or anything can justify the discriminatory treatment of an entire culture, but others may feel as though our treatment is only a natural response to the events so it is justifiable.  What do you think?

What is needed

Muslim Americans have been singled out of our society because of the general misconceptions of Islam and the public’s misconception of the culture.  We associate Muslims with terrorists and Islam with radicalisms and because of this our society has a rift in its feelings towards Muslim Americans.  This schism of thoughts consist of one side discrediting the reputation and name of Muslim Americans, and the other side defending their rights and trying to correct the mistreatment of their culture.  This article, 11 things you should know about Islam, essentially summarizes my thoughts on what is needed to bring an end to polarized sides on this issue.  This article talks about how key political figures such as Sarah Palin, and Newt Gringrich, who have incredible political influence, are painting a negative image of Muslim Americans.  This is an immeasurable problem since many Americans may adopt their philosophies just because of the politicians’ political stature.  The media in this way helps facilitate the problems that Muslim Americans face.  My solution to the problem is education.  I believe that the only way to bring an end to the polarization of the sides is for the general public to educate themselves about Islam and Muslim culture.   The public cannot rely on media bias to formulate an opinion of this subject.  By self-education, people will learn for themselves what is fact or fiction and be able to make their own decisions about the culture. 

Islam in a Brighter Light

Contrary to the negative labels that accompanies the Islamic religion; it is actually a peaceful religion that has many holy and sacred customs.  I posted this video to show the distinct difference there is between radical Islam, the version portrayed by the general media, and the actual religion of Islam.  Muslim people are always tagged along with radical Islam and that could be due to ignorance of the religion.  Hopefully now that you have a positive image of the religion it is possible to relinquish some of the fears and tension you may have towards Muslim Americans.

Muslim America

 September 11^th is a day that lingers in everyone’s mind for different reasons.  It is inevitable that America would fear terrorism after the tragic events that took place.  It is even inevitable that America would fear the Muslim culture and turn the Muslim people into a scapegoat for the events.  Since fear breeds desperation, America was looking for someone to be held accountable and in this case Muslim Americans and their culture fit the bill.  Looking back at history we see that this situation has happened once before during the Second World War era.  We viewed all Japanese Americans as potential threats to our society and as a result they were treated unjustly.  Supposedly changes were supposed to ensure that discrimination of this type never occurred again; however, it is apparent that some level of discrimination remains.  Because of our societies condemning of Muslim culture and faith many people have forgotten that Muslim Americans existed before September 11, 2001.  It is as if Muslim Americans became a new breed of citizen, a citizen to be ostracized  after September 11^th, and as a result of this condemnation the general public has formed strong opinions about Muslim Americans and their culture.  Some Americans realize the tribulations that face Muslim Americans today while others are still hopeful that one day our country will be purged of the culture.   

Analyzing the plight of Muslim Americans, many of these citizens have faced difficult situations.  The common misconception that the public has formed from September 11^th is that Islam fosters and supports violence and aggression towards other cultures or infidels.  The public has created their own personal views of Islam and as a result the public has more hostility and resistance towards the religion.  This can undoubtedly be accredited to media bias that leaves out essential parts of events to try to influence your perception of the topic.  The consequences of this media bias effect the Muslim American population in multiple aspects of their life, but none for the better.  This New York Times report depicts the rising discrimination that Muslim Americans are facing in the work place.  This discrimination is not limited to the work place.  The discrimination that Muslims face can be seen in multiple aspects of life.         Essentially it is a multi tiered problem that Muslim Americans face in their daily lives.  ABC News reporter Bianna Golodryga went undercover to show the bias that Muslim Americans are subjected to.  Her experience showed an increase in discrimination in rural areas as opposed to more populated metropolises.  She also noted increased hostility in airports and in the full interview, Muslim American women testify to receiving differential treatment in airports as well.  The problems Muslim Americans encounter are a constant aspect of their life in America.  Muslim Americans obviously are not oblivious to the discrimination and are starting to counter the extremism, hate and violence that is seen in our society.  Some Muslim American organizations have attempted to change the direction Muslim youths are headed by offering alternative conflict resolution and leadership skills.  They are educating the child in hopes that they will hopes that they will one day bring about change for a better future.

Referencing the other thought spectrum there are people that feel as though the treatment given to Muslim Americans is deserved or understandable.  The other side opposes Muslim American beliefs or lifestyles and wishes to have no association with the culture.  There are people whose beliefs are so bias towards Muslim Americans that they go to great  lengths to try to make their point clear.   This man’s beliefs against Muslim Americans brought him to critical point that could have had tragic consequences.  In referencing the ground zero mosque project, Newt Gingrich compared the construction of the site of worship to Nazi’s placing signs next to the holocaust museum.  His bias towards Muslim Americans prevents him from looking at the Mosque as a place of worship, but rather a symbol that will act as a constant reminder to America about September 11^th.  During the 2008 presidential elections the media spun president Obama’s religious affiliations in an attempt to use it against his campaign.  Rumors that should technically have no influence in a campaign were spread because of the public’s negative affiliation with Muslims.  The figures in the media knowingly have a huge impact on the average citizen who watches their shows.  Their testimonies and thoughts become intertwined within the beliefs of America and ultimately fuels the bias experienced by Muslim American.  These people are able to rally the masses and shape our public opinions

The public has also felt very strongly about the conversion of Muslim Americans to Christianity.  Public organizations such as the American Family Association, which is an EXTREMELY biased organization, have vocally stated that Muslim Americans should be deported and that immigration of Muslim people should cease.  These organizations show their disdain Muslim Americans by threatening and defaming Islam and Muslims and using incredulous statements to make their point heard.  This consequently can only breed more violent acts upon the Muslim community.  Contrary to the desires for Muslims to convert to Christianity, there has been an increase in Christian conversions to the Islamic faith since September 11^th.  This shows that not only are some Americans capable of separating Muslim Americans from the terrorist attacks, but also that they are able to understand the Islamic faith. 

The blog is meant to inform readers of the trials that face Muslim Americans and the bias that influence our thoughts to perceive Muslim Americans in this negative light.  When most of society judges others they do so silently; however something enables society to become more vocal when judging Muslim Americans.  Maybe it’s because our society feels supported by the media in our beliefs so we don’t worry about the culture we are discriminating against.  Or maybe it’s because not enough is known about the struggles that are faced by Muslim Americans.  Regardless of why, my goal is to heighten your awareness of Muslim Americans, their culture, and the problems they are faced with today.

What it's like

(the video trails off into another topic around 3:40) 

This video shows both sides of the situation that Muslim Americans are faced with.  On one side you have the discrimination of Muslim Americans.  As the women reported they received differential treatment in airports and were sometimes subjected to name calling from random citizens; however, this was more common in small communities and rural areas.  The other side that was shown was the tolerance that America has for Muslim Americans, which was more common in developed metropolitan cities.  This video is a good reminder that some Americans have moved past the events and are able to understand Muslim American culture and Islam.  It shows that some people are knowledgeable enough to separate the facts from the fiction about the Islamic religion.  It shows that some people are not condemning an entire culture for the actions of a few.  The video is also a sobering realization that some people still harbor fears.  It shows that there are still skeptics who judge Muslims and these people feel the need to ridicule them and separate them from the rest of society.  Still, it is great to know that some people have not written off Muslim Americans.

Is it ever just a joke?

Don't say that I didn't warn you:

If you are sitting next to someone who irritates you on a plane or train...

1. Quietly and calmly open up your laptop case.
2. Remove your laptop.
3. Boot it.
4. Make sure the person who won’t leave you alone can see the screen.
5. Open your email client to this message.
6. Close your eyes and tilt your head up to the sky.
7. Then hit this link: http://www.thecleverest.com/countdown.swf

Whether or not you picked up on the general idea of the instructions or not, after viewing the timer it becomes obvious what the goal of the activity was.  It seems as if this is nothing more than a harmless joke that has no dire consequences (other than getting you arrested if you actually do it in a public place); however, this kind of activity is a serious problem that Muslim Americans face.  This website attempts to evoke a humorous response from you, playing off of the relationship we have with Muslim Americans and terrorism.  Some people can take this activity as a joke, but others will find this activity to be a harsh reminder of tragic events that will ultimately strengthen their disdain for Muslim people and Muslim culture.  People will associate death and destruction, terror and fear with this message and their response to Muslim Americans will be negative.  This sort of website only places fuel on the Muslim American fire that is defaming their culture and beliefs.   With websites like this in existence, it’s hard for people to sort out the fact from the fiction.  Comical websites like this only enable harmful stereotypes to flourish and ultimately leave a culture branded a pariah.

Not Allowed to be Shown *UPDATE

During Christmas it’s socially acceptable to see people supporting the holiday season by dressing up as Santa or decorating their property to resemble the Christmas theme.  It would be obvious even to foreigners that some special traditions are occurring.  However what is not so obvious are the powerful religious messages that Christmas and other holidays bring with them.  These religious messages have become as widely accepted and silently understood as life itself; however there are other religions that are socially acceptable to be practiced but not necessarily publicized.   In particular Islam falls into this category of…we’ll call them shadowed religions.

A close personal friend of mine is Islamic.  After fasting during the month of Ramadan he decided to go to his college classes dressed in traditional Arabic attire.  By the end of the day my friend could only tell me about the “dirty looks” he had received all day long.  Possibly the first thing going through your mind is what college did he go to? If you were to list the top 5 universities in North Carolina his college would easily make the cut.  Now you’re probably asking if it was really as bad as he said. To that thought I say imagine how people you know would react, the vast majority may have a negative reaction.  Now the question is why, why do people have the initial negative reaction; why are certain religions socially permitted to be publicized while others are sanctioned; why can’t people acknowledge and respect other ideologies; why is it so difficult to separate extremists from true believers.  In the case of my friend, he received dirty looks due to the social stigma that is associated with the attire he wore.  It’s sad that we look at clothing and formulate instant conclusions about people’s personalities, beliefs, values….and yet we are all guilty.  We see a certain style of dress and our minds race to stereotypes, and we draw our conclusions based off of these shallow assumptions.  That day my friend wasn’t seen as a great student or caring individual, no he was seen in a darker light.  That day people who saw his clothing probably assumed he was Muslim or Islamic, and immediately their minds scattered to the media or their memories, anything that they could associate with his clothing.  Undoubtedly their thoughts were negative as the scowl crossed their face.  If this were the reaction my friend received on an upstanding college campus, imagine the reaction of people in a more controversial location.  If you were looking at him, what would cross your mind?

The Sweet and the Sour

Let’s say you’re eating a bag of grapes.  You like sweet over sour grapes so with each reach in you hope to place a sweetened fruit into your mouth.  After minutes of eating sweet grapes you place a sour grape into your mouth and are shocked by the tart taste.  At this moment you have a few options; to throw the bag away, continue eating, or set the bag down for later.  Now apply this scenario to the average American and how they perceive Muslim Americans.  Most Americans have labeled Muslims or Islamic affiliated people terrorists because of September 11, and as a result, interactions between both cultures have changed.  The fear of Muslim culture has become so great that the religion of Islam has been misconstrued and twisted to appear as if it were a facilitator to terroristic beliefs.  The importance of this issue is dire as even today complications with Muslim Americans and Americans continue.  Most Americans have condemned an entire culture based on the actions of a few and as a result; cast them away like the bag of grapes.  The events that started the persecution of this culture occurred nearly ten years ago and yet the culture is still under scrutiny for what transpired.  Referencing the metaphor, I wonder how long it will take all of America to pick up the bag again, some I know have completely thrown the grapes away, but many have set the bag aside waiting try again.  If you were to place yourself into one of the three categories, which would you choose?