Growing up Muslim in the United States, I see how real and scary Islamophobia really is. Although today we mostly see prejudice towards Muslims, just 10 years ago there was an outright witch hunt for them.
You always get uncomfortable stares from people who see Islam as a religion that teaches terrorism and intolerance. You hear backhanded remarks such as “Osama lover” or “towel head." If you don’t see Islamophobia in your day-to-day life, you’ll always see it when you are traveling; the extra precautions taken because you might be considered as a risk. The slightest misstep you take can be a sign of alarm. I once heard a traveler complain to a TSA officer that they weren’t checking a lady with a traditional head covering, called the hijab.
People seem to group Islam and terrorism together. Whenever terrorism is mentioned in a conversation, Islam is never too far behind. Every time I see a terrorist attack televised on the news, I know it only makes it harder for moderate Muslims who live in the United States. Muslims in the West get harassed and labeled as terrorists because of the actions of a small group of people.
For my friends who are from the Middle East, it is a different story. One of my friends who went to elementary school a few years after Sept. 11 was asked by her teacher why her religion advocated for terrorist actions and why it preaches death to non-Muslims. However, it didn’t stop there. As the school year continued, she would constantly be told to take off her “hat.” The situation got so bad, my friend decided to move schools.
In extreme cases, some Muslim Americans don't say that they practice Islam. I overheard my nurse at the hospital once telling my mom that she refused to wear a hijab because of fear of being assaulted. Hate crimes towards Muslims have significantly increased in the years after Sept. 11; some of her friends had been victims of these crimes, so she decided to not wear her hijab anymore.The Washington Post reported that hate crimes against the Muslim community are five times more common than before 9/11.
For children growing up in an environment like this, what message does that send? This atmosphere just facilitates hate and fear. Students who grow up under the notion that their identity is bad grow up with fear and self-hatred.
Personally, I was always reluctant to tell people that I am Muslim. When one of my friends found out I was Muslim, he said he thought that Muslims were terrorists and nothing like me. I went on to explain to him that that wasn’t the case and that we’re just regular people.
I go on to list off popular celebrities who are Muslims. Muhammad Ali, Ice Cube, Snoop Dog and Shaquille O'Neal just to name a few. Individuals who have all made a lasting impact in American pop culture. For the past decade, we had people like Osama bin Laden and members of ISIS as the face of modern day Islam. However, as more Muslims in the United States start moving up into higher positions, hopefully the social stigma and public perspective of Muslims will improve and people will learn to speak out against those harmful stereotypes.
