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?
This is such a complex topic because people can’t help the way they feel. But it's very important that we help them see the light so that innocent people aren't treated unjustly. I definitely agree with you that the solution to this problem is to help people understand that the group of people that hijacked planes and flew them into the World Trade Center and people who practice the Muslim faith are two completely different groups! This statement: “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” is very representative of the American population. Ignorance is what is driving the hatred and I honestly don’t think the people that think all Muslims are terrorists even care to learn about that culture. If they had any compassion they would see that Muslims around the country are being persecuted because of the horrific actions of a SELECT and VERY SMALL group in that religion. If we really think about it, our treatment of Muslims parallels what Hitler did to Jewish people. He decided to hate the race as a WHOLE and persecuted all Jews regardless of their personality and actions. Do we really want another holocaust?
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ReplyDeleteI agree with the message of your post. Yes, the stances that the US government has taken over the past decade have severely crippled the image of Islamic society in the eyes of the American public, also creating an atmosphere of inequality, hostility, and discrimination. The generalization of Islam as a extremist religion also is uncalled for.
ReplyDeleteHowever, you have to also recognize that some of the principles of the contemporary interpretation of Islam, such as the standard acceptance of women as inferior to men, violate established human rights in the West and in much of East Asia. Should we as a nation discriminate against an entire culture with behavior and laws that create unequal status? No; but, there should be laws in place to prevent such discrimination. Not everyone in Islam interprets their faith in such a manner (regarding women), saying so would be a generalization. But there is definitely a strong presence in Islam that forces the issue into outside speculation (those of us who are not Muslim).
I couldn't agree more that people associate the entire religion as the people that attacked the U.S. on 9/11. I know and im sure that everyone else has heard of situations when someone has accused muslims as being terrorists and this is completely wrong. People are naturally going to look out for themselves and people that they associate themself with and that is why this happens. Like Lacey Laplant said, ignorance is what is driving people to feel this way. It is hard for someone to over come the the initial shock of what happened. After the 9/11 attacks, the government took action to make sure this didn't happen again. In this process, the government singled out the people in our country that was closest to the attackers, the muslims. Random searches of muslims in air ports and hundreds of reports on the news about these things fueled the populations ideas that muslims were related. Once this happened and people got that idea in their head, it is hard for them to think otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with many of your views as well as the views of others that have commented on this blog in that it is extremely ignorant and short sided to condemn an entire population or group of people based on the actions of a few of the members in the group. To do so is the same as the predominately European stereotype that all Americans are lazy and fat.
ReplyDeleteHowever, a perspective that I would like to bring to this topic is one that I thought of as I read this blog. I am glad you acknowledged the pain and hurt that many families and friends feel (and felt) as a result of the 9/11 attacks. It is so hard to defend the ideals of not generalizing negative feelings towards a larger body of people merely because it is so easy to hate on a group of people. Although this is sad, it is also true that people often have a natural tendency to overgeneralize.
Great post, I am glad you mentioned both viewpoints to this issue.