After the recent events around the world, such as the numerous terrorist attacks and threatening natural disasters, individuals are left to cling to their religious beliefs for comfort and encouragement to press on. Some of these events have encouraged division between cultures, since many of the terrorist attacks are done in the name of their god. After the 2001 attack on the twin towers in New York, and the Pentagon, many people were leery of individuals who valued their Muslim beliefs. In fact, many Muslim worshippers were criticized and accused of having terrorist ties, when, in fact, the people who were actually responsible for the attack were extremists and radicals who took their religious beliefs and mixed them with their own demented thoughts. The truth of the matter is the act carried out that day does not effectively represent the beliefs of the common Muslim person. The rebuilding efforts are in full force today, with many people who have moved on and welcomed the start of their new life. It seems fitting that, in light of our…
The author of a Why I Am a Muslim: An American Odyssey discusses their viewpoint as an American Muslim female in the article. Asma Gull Hasan is an American born child of Pakistani immigrants who grew up in California and was attending liberal college courses during the Oklahoma City bombing, she uses these experiences in the article. Hasan opens the article with a hypothetical question, encouraging readers to think of the stereotypes placed on Muslims. The author points out the racial diversity of Muslims in America with useful statistics. The author shows an understanding of Muslims are capable of terrorism, however points out that the religion in based on peace and not war. The author expresses their opinion on the next step to progress in America, open conversations and education. Also discussed is media bias and the understandable affect it has on American’s perceptions of the religious group.…
"Muslims in America, Post 9/11." Muslims in America, Post 9/11. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/09/muslims.aspx>…
that no one individual can be the basis of the religion, the toughest fact for a Muslim and the religion itself is the reluctant behavior society has shown since September 11, 2001. In September of 2001, Muslim men allegedly attacked the World Trade Center by hijacking a plane and crashing it into each tower and destroying anything in and around it. This led to a natural judgment of the Muslim population, sometimes leading to Islamaphobia. “The term Islamaphobia is usually defined as fear of Muslims or of the Islamic religion” (Jung 114). People feared that all Muslims were the same and any Muslim could become that hijacker and destroy their lives. If those same people were to know the Islamic personality, Islamaphobia would not exist. In his speech, Wisam begins by addressing Islam as a religion.…
After the bombing of the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001, I think that the lives of Islamic Americans has been very tough. They got stereotyped as to pledging the same religion that Al-Qaeda use to justify/rationalize their crimes. That’s an unfortunate fact. Every time I see an Islamic women walking down the street wearing a hijab or culture clothing, I see that they always get funny looks or people just assumed they are terrorist. They have been singled out by airport security officers and that people had acted suspicious of them or called them offensive names. On that day, people grew hatred in their hearts against Muslims because they see them in the same way they saw the terrorists who committed that evil. Muslims have been ridiculed, told to "go back home" (even Muslims whose home is right here), been spat on, abused, beaten, murdered, and raped because they were associated with the terrorists simply because we they Muslim (even Sikhs who were mistaken for being Muslims were mistreated and murdered).…
In order to get most Americans to think a certain way after a drastic event like 9/11, the media spreads propaganda, information that is biased or misleading used to promote or publicize a particular cause or point of view. After the shocking event of September 11, propaganda was used to promote the concept of all Muslims being terrorists and violent. 29% of Americans believe that law enforcement agents should go undercover to keep tabs on Muslim activities and fund raising by joining their civic and volunteer organizations (“Statistics”). The idea of Muslims being terrorists fuels the belief that the government has the right to watch them in order to discovers who is a terrorist and who isn’t. This theory is promoted by the news media because Americans have the easiest access to news outlets and in order to gain more views, which would lead to more profit, the news…
Advanced knowledge of this group addresses the assumptions and concerns that not all Arab/Muslim Americans thought or felt that the attacks on American were right or justified and many may feel they receive a bad reputation because of a small few, but they all receive the back lash of those events.…
Obviously, not all of the changes that resulted from the September 11th tragedy were beneficial to the nation, especially the Anti-Islam Sentiment that was developed (Jamil). America’s 2.6 million Muslims have constantly found themselves facing resentment and…
46% of Americans believe that Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence among its believers (More Than Prayers Needed To Combat Hate). Through books, magazines, newspapers, television, movies, video games, music, the Internet, the U.S. government has destroyed the good name of a group of people and portrayed them as dangers to society post 9/11. Hollywood has completely ridiculed the stature of innocent Muslims everywhere in America because of 9/11, a disaster carried and supported by only an extremely small percentage of Muslims. But all Muslims must suffer the consequences of the bombing of the World Trade Twin Towers. The media of the United States’ government has been discriminatory…
“All men are created equal and are endowed by their creator the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. In these United States of America, men and women should not be judged by the religion they practice but by the content of their character. Unfortunately, in the post 9/11 era, American Muslims have been denied access to this “promised land”-- subjected to derision in these “Glorious” United States of America. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, perspectives on Islam have undergone dramatic changes, with 43% of all Americans harboring prejudiced feelings toward Islam. From this, the general perception on Islam has turned to unfounded validation of stereotyping and racial profiling (Gallup,1).…
In conclusion, 9/11 has spurred changes that will have lasting impacts in everyone. Not only do many families mourn the death or their loved ones today, but Muslim Americans also suffer stereotyping, and are often misjudged. The safety measures taken in facilities have also changed, as money is spent on safety equipment, rather than investing in research which could save more lives. It’s no suprise that 9/11 has…
On September 11, 2001, the citizens of the United States witnessed a horrific attack on two symbolic buildings in New York City. These tragic events have galvanized the creation and implementation of a myriad of prejudicial and unconstitutional policies designed to provide the illusion of national security while simultaneous creating more instability and animosity between the West and the Middle East. In the wake of 9/11, a multitude of Americans have been overtaken by hysteria and fear. These emotional responses have been generated and intensified by the virtually unanimous Islamophobic propaganda that has been perpetuated by the main stream media. As a result of the media’s anti-Islam campaign, Americans have been persuaded to distrust Muslims, instinctively categorize Muslims as terrorist or potential terrorist, as well as sacrifice essential civil liberties. Scapegoating theorist may argue that this portrayal of Arabs and Muslims is one of the ways the U.S. government is attempting to blame this group of individuals for the economic and societal woes that plague 21st-century-America. In addition, many would argue that decades of excessive Western consumption, along with globalization have contributed to a complicated, unjust, and turbulent geopolitical and economic climate, which has created a Western need for Middle Eastern dominance. Regardless of their true motives, we can clearly witness the media’s hostile categorization of Arabs and Muslims as predominately terroristic or potentially terroristic.…
Muslim Americans have faced a variety of different discrimination in their history with the main form of discrimination lying within the connection between Islam and terrorism. Due to the fact that there are many different cultures who fall into the Muslim group, there are some cultures who experience more discrimination than others. For example, “Arab South Asian Muslims have experienced bigotry because they are Muslim but also because of their perceived connection with whichever country the United States has been either at war or has had less than amicable relations” (Lum, 2011, p. 371). The historical discrimination of Muslim Americans can be found in three different phases: 1) the founding of World War II; 2) post-World War II; 3) post- September 11, 2001.…
It is no secret that life for Muslims, not just in America but globally, has gotten more difficult than it already was pre-September 11th. Naber's Arab Americans and U.S Racial Formations as well as Hamid's Reluctant Fundamentalist exemplify the issues dealing with Muslim diasporic life in America. Post September 11th, Muslims and anyone deemed that looks like a Muslim(meaning anyone who has brown skin, a beard, and facial features that the Nazi's deemed Jewish) have had to deal racial profiling, racial stereotypes, hate crimes and other forms of racism.…
Ever since the September 11 attack people interpret Islam as an extremist religion. This was all due to the fact that an Islamic terrorist group was behind this. The Muslim community in the western world have been living in a struggle ever since. For example, some countries have gone as far as to re-examining the foundation of the Islamic sharia law. Ziaudin Sardar is a British Muslim writer that traveled to reveal the story of radical change and intense soul searching in five Muslim countries: Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia. He presents a documentary “Battle for Islam”, in which he reveals that the heads of government are seeking for ways to change the image of Islam and ease Islam from the political ideology that has been introduced to the world after September 11. Sardar also examines the changes that are going to lead millions of Muslims to a future where they can co-exist peacefully with non-Islamic countries.…