Muslim-Americans Remember 9/11 and More

Today marks the 8th anniversary of the horrific attacks of September 11th, 2001.  As Americans reflect and mourn the loss of nearly 3,000 people, Muslim-Americans not only share their grief, but also express their own challenges amidst stereotyping, discrimination, racial profiling, and hate crimes.

As reported recently by Amy Sullivan in Time Magazine’s article, “Poll: Muslim Americans Still Struggle for Acceptance,” a new Pew Forum survey found that “nearly 40% of Americans still say they think Islam is more likely to encourage violence.”  CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) also recently expressed concern about the “spike in anti-Muslim incidents” during the month of Ramadan, including a man who opened fire on his Muslim neighbors.

Rather than detail other incidents that Muslim-Americans have experienced recently (as I did in my previous post), I think it’s really important to acknowledge how many Muslim-Americans have preserved their identities as both “Muslim” and “American” despite the Islamophobia they may have experienced.

Since 9/11, the Muslim lifestyle has been so incredibly politicized that is almost impossible for us to withdraw from politics and current events.  Even for Muslims who have no interest in politics, they are not immune to ignorant questions or bigoted remarks they may receive from others.  There are some members in my family, for instance, who would rather not talk about politics in public, but whenever they disclose their national origin or religious beliefs, they are asked about issues such as terrorism and, even worse, often expected to answer for it.

A common experience that frustrates many Muslim-Americans is when certain non-Muslims ask them, “Where are all the moderate Muslims?” or “Why don’t Muslims condemn terrorism?”  It’s a question that frustrates us because we know far too well that Muslims have been defining ourselves and speaking out against terrorism since before 9/11.  The problem is that (1) people are not listening, (2) mainstream media does a very poor job covering the majority of Muslims, (3) anti-Islamic propaganda films like “Obsession” drown out the efforts and voices of Muslims who are breaking stereotypes and misconceptions about Islam, and (4) not all of the “moderate Muslims” are superheroes.  Smile.

In other words, when you hear certain non-Muslims complain that “moderate Muslims” are “not speaking up,” it sounds as if they’re awaiting some kind of mythical, uber-westernized, secular Muslim leader to reveal a Superman costume beneath their clothes and miraculously destroy all of the “radical Muslim” groups on the planet.  The reality is that the majority of Muslim-Americans do not have any kind “special link” or “connection” with these militant groups, nor do they have much influence.  This is because most of the violence that ensues in the Muslim world has very little to do with religion, but rather with post-colonialist liberation ideologies.

This is not to say that Muslim-Americans shouldn’t speak out.  As I have mentioned above, we have been speaking out, and we continue to do so.  There are brilliant Muslim-American authors and writers like Sumbul Ali-Karamali, Reza Aslan, Eboo Patel, and Dalia Mogahed who not only dispel stereotypes, but also enlighten Muslims and non-Muslims alike about what Islam truly is, as opposed to what is filtered in the mainstream media.  Also worth mentioning are the countless Muslim bloggers who engage in intra-community and inter-community dialogue, as well as analyzing stereotypical representations of their community in all forms of media.  Muslim feminists, in particular, have excellent outlets such as Muslimah Media Watch and Altmuslimah.

Muslims speak out in classrooms, on college campuses, in Mosques, in workplaces, and even through art, such as poetry, spoken word, film, and literature.  Across the nation, Mosques and Islamic Centers collaborate with Christians and Jews for progressive inter-faith and inter-cultural programs and events.  This Ramadan, for example, I saw events on my Facebook page about Synagogues holding Iftar dinners for Muslims.  There have been fundraisers for all kinds of causes, including for the displaced Pakistanis in Swat Valley - a humanitarian crises that was largely caused by the Taliban invasion of that region.

In Sumbul Ali-Karamali’s book, “The Muslim Next Door,” she mentions how the media isolates the Muslim voice in favor of controversial images that only promote Islamophobia.  Images of Palestinians dancing in the streets after 9/11 was broadcast throughout the western mainstream media, but what the media didn’t show were the Palestinians who participated in candlelight vigils for the 9/11 victims.  There is also a debate on whether or not the video tape of Palestinians was just archived footage used for political purposes, so for all we know, the images were not responsibly used by certain media outlets.  The media also failed to mention that Muslim countries like Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, and Indonesia — along with Islamic religious leaders like the Saudi Mufti — condemned the 9/11 attacks.  Nothing was mentioned about the Fatwa that was issued against Osama bin Laden, stating that he could not call himself a Muslim.  Nothing was said about Iran holding candlelight vigils for 9/11 victims either.  Astonishingly, hardly anything is ever reported on the efforts of organizations like CAIR, which has been strongly condemning all acts of violence around the world, whether they’re committed by Muslims or non-Muslims.

For me, the victims of 9/11 were not only the 3,000 lost in the attacks, but also the Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and non-Muslim Arabs and Iranians who were murdered, beaten, discriminated against, illegally detained, and subjected to racial profiling, humiliation, and the vilification of their way of life in the aftermath.  When Islamophobes ask Muslims to apologize for 9/11, it is not only offensive and insulting, but also reveals intolerance and bigotry.  No one — Muslim or non-Muslim — should ever feel guilty about an atrocity that they had nothing to do with.  No one should apologize for a crime that they didn’t even commit.  No child should be afraid to go to school where other students wear shirts that say “Islam is of the Devil.” No child should have to ask their parents, “Why do they hate Muslims?”

There is no place for this kind of hate and intolerance.  There is no place for discrimination and prejudice.  It does not reflect the true character of Islam or America or the very nature of what it means to be a human being.  We have to step outside of ourselves, empathize with others, understand each other, and build strong bridges for our future.  We don’t want our children to be deal with stereotypes and hate crimes that we may have suffered, and we don’t want them to answer for atrocities that happened way before they are even born.

For me, to be a Muslim and American is to understand that there is always hope and progress.  From my personal experiences, I know that I have met and worked with a lot of wonderful people, from all walks of life, and it reminds me that there is a lot to be cherished. Muslim-Americans are integrated in American society, and as President Obama said while hosting an Iftar dinner at the White House, “Islam, as we know it, is part of America.”

We have been coexisting with our fellow human beings for centuries, and we will continue to do so.

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.