I recently read an article from the Washington Post by Mohammad Elshinawy. The article was titled “I’m a Muslim, not a terrorist.” The article caught my attention because the threat of home grown terrorism is very real and alive in our country.
The article was basically about how he began lecturing at NYC mosques and that he had been under surveillance and how Muslims were discriminated against post 9/11. He spoke of feelings of isolation and fear. Because of this, he developed a distrust of his neighbors and his community. This constant anxiety even led to suspecting his own family and friends of being informants.
The story goes on but the message is clear. Post 9/11 has brought our country to an all-time low with regards to our safety and what mainstream America feels towards the unknown. YouGov/HuffPost’s latest research shows that most Americans have an unfavorable opinion of Islam. 58% of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of Islam, and just over a third (35%) say that they have a ‘very unfavorable’ opinion of the religion. It’s that combination of fear, confusion, naivety and lack of understanding that causes people to think and act either in a desperate and/or extreme way. Basically, people fear what they don’t know and understand.
I have learned of hundreds of accounts where people were/are being singled out and racially profiled based on the assumption that they may be a threat or know someone that is. This is horrible but I do see the necessity of it. Terrorists are using the Quran to recruit and “Jihad” as tools to wage fear. Mohammed said that “When Muslims are targeted because of our faith, it’s an assault on those values and the country (U.S.) I love.” These terrorists are using that faith as cover. Terrorists are using our own laws against us and they know our hands are tied, so they are taking advantage of it. I asked a Muslim American why their fellow Muslims don’t stand up and they said they didn’t know, but did add “it’s probably out of fear.”
A simple way to combat all of this anger, fear and hate is to face it. I encourage all Muslims to stand up and oppose these terrorists! Teach your young, your communities that Islam is a peaceful religion, a peaceful way to live life! Condone these acts of terror across the globe by going public! Work with local and federal law enforcement to end this madness. Send a message that the Nation of Islam is a peaceful one and WILL NOT TOLERATE any degree of terrorism. I bet we would see a drop in terrorists using mosques and their communities as cover.
If people are willing to unite and come together with their different faiths and beliefs, then a mutual understanding of one another will start to occur followed by a whole new level of understanding and respect.