…As the war in Iraq continues and as a man with a “funny name” (his words) runs for president of the United States, there’s an undercurrent — fast becoming a riptide — of negative feelings toward Muslims, based mainly on old stereotypes and renewed prejudices…
…Only one-fourth of Muslim Americans said they had been victims of discrimination in the United States, “while 73 percent say they have never experienced discrimination while living in this country,” according to survey results.
The 73 percent have experienced it; they’re just numb to the discrimination. When news media says something negative about a Muslim, and it happens to be a lie, do these American Muslims believe they are not included in this smear? When the Patriot Act has changed and virtually all Democrats and Independents, as well as the Republicans who openly or quietly harbor the idealism of the U.S. Constitution, have been adversely affected by wiretapping, airport screenings, profiling, lost a job due to their name (without realizing the reason for the loss), has a wife or is a woman who took off her hijab because she thought it would be safer. How about being silenced about the war on terror in general; being prevented from saying anything good about Iraq, Afghanistan, Muslims, Arabs or even pro-religious matters. How many have gone to fewer Islamic functions after 9/11? How many have relatives who have been affected by immigration matters? How many were ever given a reason for matters in this country adversely changing – and accept the sacrifice ”because of 9/11?” How many have given their children less Islamically sounding and more Western sounding names? How many have cut off a friend simply because of his views that there is no evidence that Osama bin Laden did the World Trade Center attacks? How many were afraid to say that the Iraq War was based on lies and has been proven to be about oil? How many have removed their kids from Islamic schools to have them more assimilated with American children and fear being ostracized? How many have a relative they are afraid to bring to this country? How many are lying just to ensure that the poll taker was not a spy? That may leave a handful of the 73% who say they weren’t discriminated against.
Stumble It!
