Obama and McCain Forget There Was No “Spirit of National Unity” for Muslim-Americans

Last night (Tuesday, October 7^th), during the second Presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, I couldn’t help but notice how robotic both candidates sounded in their responses. Not only were their answers almost exactly identical to the previous debate, but the town hall setting also seemed to be very ineffective since only a handful of people were granted the opportunity to ask questions. But what is so “town hall” about a debate where audience members – American voters, rather – are not allowed to have follow-up questions? Is it wrong for me to think that a town hall meeting should be conversational rather than restrictive?

When Obama spoke about the spirit of “National unity” that existed in the days after September 11^th, I found myself, as a Muslim-American, excluded from the debate. As I have written previously, the annual increase of hate crimes and discriminatory acts towards Muslims after the attacks has had a major impact on the Muslim-American community. Negative and stereotypical media depictions of Muslims and Islam also have contributed to the immense stigma that millions of Muslim-Americans endure, but if these issues are not brought into the spotlight, we can only expect society to neglect them. I felt excluded from the debate because kids in my neighborhood taunted me after 9/11 with remarks like, “get away from me, you [expletive] ‘Afghanistanian.’” Instead of perceiving me as a fellow American and human being, some students in my high school called me “Osama bin Laden” and even threatened to fight me in the men’s locker room. Instead of listening to our imams and community leaders condemn terrorism and violence, angry and ignorant bigots vandalized my local Mosque. Instead of promoting Islamic awareness and enlightening citizens about the teachings of Islam, much of the mainstream media chose to point fingers at Islam and accuse it of being an “inherently violent religion.” My family and I did not hang an American flag outside of our house or stamp an American flag sticker on our cars because we felt the “spirit of National unity;” we did it because we were afraid of being physically assaulted, harassed, and discriminated against.

It’s very easy for someone to argue and say, “You should have an American flag up anyway, you’re an American,” but the problem with this statement is that it’s oblivious to so many complex dimensions of the Muslim-American experience. Perhaps many of us have felt like outsiders ever since September 11^th, and perhaps many of us have been so bothered by the media, that we question what it means to be “American.” I know I have asked myself that question many times, in the same way I ask myself what it means to be “Muslim.” Last summer, when a customer called me a “terrorist” just because I wasn’t moving fast enough for her at the check-out counter, I felt completely hated and unwanted simply because of my religious background and skin color. When I learned that I was being terminated for arguing with her and verbally defending myself, I felt completely insignificant and powerless. Even the police reported that they found “no evidence” that this was a “biased incident.” What kind of “National unity” are Americans supposed to feel when citizens cannot even stand up for their human rights and when authorities do not even admit there is a problem?

Another thing that is worth noting is how Obama said, “You know, a lot of you remember the tragedy of 9/11 and where you were on that day and, you know, how all of the country was ready to come together and make enormous changes to make us not only safer, but to make us a better country and a more unified country.”  I remember thinking, “What ‘enormous changes’ is he talking about?  The Patriot Act?”  Has the Patriot Act really made us a better country or has it plagued our society with fear and suspicion of our fellow citizens?  Contrary to unity, the “enormous changes” made by the Bush Administration has divided the country in a way that will never be forgetten.

One may ask if the Muslim vote really matters in this election. Will acknowledging the thoughts, opinions, and experiences of Muslim-Americans benefit either candidate? Dr. Zahid Bukhari, director of Project MAPS (Muslims in the American Public Square), undoubtedly believes so. “With Muslims as one of the fastest-growing segments of the population, politicians ignore them at their own peril,” he said. “This a small group that has a strong desire to be involved, and, our survey shows, has strong opinions about the direction of the nation and what it means to be an American and a Muslim in America.”

The survey he is referring to illustrates that eight of every nine Muslim-Americans (87%) support a U.S. policy backing a Palestinian state, while a reduction of U.S. support for Israel is supported by 80%. Three quarters (76%) of Muslim-Americans reported that they will choose change in American’s Middle-East policy as the proper way to fight terrorism. Nine of every ten (90%) Muslim-Americans say Muslims should participate in interfaith activities and events, while eight of every nine (87%) agree Muslims should support worthy non-Muslim political candidates.

If Obama and McCain are really interested in more positive relations with the Muslim world, then wouldn’t it be the most sensible thing to reach out to Muslim organizations and communities right here in the United States? As Dr. Bukhari’s poll shows, the issue of foreign policy in the Muslim world is a very important issue for Muslim-Americans. Most Muslim-Americans support Barack Obama mainly because of his foreign policy – he even stated last night that the U.S. should not only speak with allies, but with “enemies” as well. Rather than fearing Muslim-Americans or questioning their citizenship (see Glenn Beck outrageously asking Muslim congressperson, Keith Ellison, if he works for the “enemy”), both candidates should take this opportunity to help increase awareness about Islam in America. Many people either forget or don’t know that many of the greatest contributions in the world were achieved by extraordinary Muslim scientists, mathematicians, physicians, astronomers, thinkers, and artist. More people aren’t even aware that 20% of the African slaves brought to America were originally Muslim, so imagine how much this information would help change the way Muslims are perceived in America.

Unlike McCain, Obama has stated, “We are no longer a Christian nation… We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, and a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.” Many Americans, including myself, agree that this is the kind of National unity and coexistence we need to see in the United States. Obama should not be afraid to reiterate this in the next debate or later on in his campaign. With such an important and much-needed message, how can we afford to ignore it?

~ Jehanzeb

Muslim Children Gassed at Dayton Mosque After Obsession DVD Hits Ohio

This is a really unsettling incident that happened recently in Ohio.  It represents the strong anti-Islamic sentiment (Islamophobia) that exists in the United States, and one needs to question whether or not the “Obsession” DVD influenced this hate crime.  Below is an article written by Chris Rodda which was originally featured at The Huffington Post.

You Cannot Believe Without Questioning

Hi everyone!  This is Jehanzeb, the new Administrator  for “Islam on My Side.”  I’m excited about this opportunity to share more about the Muslim-American experience and to collaborate with fellow bloggers.  The following is an article that discusses issues concerning  Muslim-Americans in the upcoming U.S. election. The article was original posted on my personal blog.  Please feel free to share your thoughts!

There is no doubt that Barack Obama dominated the first Presidential debate against John McCain. Obama was confident in his responses and he completely hammered McCain with a solid plan for improving the U.S. economy, while McCain looked tense and countered with unsubstantial responses. Most notably, perhaps, was how McCain didn’t make eye contact with Obama once, which I interpret as being incredibly disrespectful and immature. As other political commentators and analysts have pointed out, McCain’s debating style personalizes the differences between both candidates. In other words, by not making eye contact or addressing Obama directly, McCain reaffirms his self-perceived dominance over Obama, but he also alludes to Obama being his “opponent” (or even “enemy” according to the Bush Doctrine’s your-either-with-me-or-against-me sermon). Obama, on the other hand, looked at McCain directly and even addressed him by his first name, “John.” Obama even looked into the camera to address the viewers, which I believe earned him a significant boost in the debate.But there are issues to discuss and question, especially for the Muslim community. There can be no argument that Muslim-Americans have been stigmatized ever since September 11th, but even more so after the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. When both candidates talk about the “spirit of national unity” after September 11th, this may be true for most Americans, but it is certainly not true for the Muslim community. There have been over 3,000 reported incidents regarding discriminatory acts, hate crimes, and prejudice towards Muslim-Americans, and neither of the candidates have spoken about it. Obama seemed to allude to it during the debate when he mentioned the world’s perception of American has changed significantly as a result of the wars, but he didn’t mention the repercussions Muslim-Americans have experienced and still endure.