Prejudice towards Muslims since War on Terror - Research Paper Example

Prejudice towards Muslims since War on Terror Abstract Terrorists according to psychology are people who suffer from psychopathological and individuality disorder. These people are out of certainty and therefore cannot be relied on. They kill and organize attacks and celebrate at their success, they lack normal human feelings. However, any man can turn to terrorism under unavoidable situation. For example the armed forces attack and kill enemies during an inter-state attack. Ever since 9/11, proposals have emerged for the U.S defense army to make use of violence and affliction so as to gather information from those who are thought to have taken part in terrorism. However terrorism comes about in most cases as a revenge of a something that happened earlier but this does not bring in any relationship between religion and sadism. Since then, Muslims have been considered as a threat to the security of the nation. Attacks have made the nation believe that Muslims share their religion with the terrorists or extremists who manage worldwide terrorism (Nelson, 1996). Because of the recent conflicts between Muslim groups and the United States, Muslims living in America encounter isolation and danger because of their Muslim faith. Politicians, journalists, Christian evangelists and religious fanatics label Muslims as extremists. The extremist activities of Muslim terrorist have made Muslims wear a scarlet letter that made them labeled as extremists (Nelson, 1996). Introduction Even since 9/11, Muslims in America have faced negative reprisals from various sectors of the society in the form of hate speech, violence, attacks, defamatory speech and various other forms of discrimination and harassment (Cuddy, 2007). There has been a substantial rise in law enforcement discrimination against Muslims who live in America. However the circumstances and environment has differed for the Muslims who are residents of the U.S, the foreign Muslims living in the U.S and the foreign Muslims who search entry into the U.S. Non-citizen Muslims have encountered the greatest discrimination, followed by the foreign Muslims who lived in America and less discrimination was experienced by the resident American Muslims. Post 9/11 challenges are innumerable for American Muslims (Cuddy, 2007). Though several years have passed since the terrorist attacks, discrimination still occurs, and Muslim community is yet to come out of that trauma. Surely this has been the psychological consequence of the government’s discriminatory actions against the Muslim Community in the United States. The sensational coverage of the media also gave birth to a psychological setting that aroused anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiments (Nelson, 1996). Strong right-wing campaigns that spread anti-Muslim feelings have also made huge impact on the society that is so used to the discrimination songs of hatred and prejudice. Muslims in America are constantly afraid that war on terror would generate policies that would perpetuate hate crimes and discrimination. After the 9/11 attacks American Muslims, Arabs and other Muslim communities from South Asia and other areas encountered different forms of backlash violence. What they face includes attacks on worship places, shootings, hate speech, beatings, murder and various other forms of threat. People resort to such violence because they feel that all Muslims share the religion and national background of the terrorists who performed the 9/11 attacks. People thus began viewing Muslims through an eye of hate. Politicians, religious groups, evangelists and several other groups are responsible for popularizing these anti-Muslim feelings. Literature Review Towards the end of the year 2002, FBI came out with a report that says that vengeance acts against Muslims have terribly risen throughout American after the September 11 attacks. Muslims and Muslim immigrants from the Middle East are the victims (Jamal, 2003). According to FBI, attacks against Muslims have been the most uncommon hate crimes against religious sects before the 9/11 attacks. The attacks against Muslims were just 28 against 2000. Muslims suffered meager number of threats in the United States before the terrorist attacks. However, to the shock of everybody, the number rose to 480 against 2000; an increase of 1,600 %. The increase was just because of the heinous incidents that happened on September 11. Muslims and other people of the Middle Eastern areas began facing assaults, attacks, intimidation, segregation, oppression and various other issues. There were even cases of manslaughter, violent attacks and arson fires (Nelson, 1996). As per the 2007 annual report of Council on American-Islamic Relation there was a big rise in the anti-Muslim discrimination incidents since the terrorist attacks of September 11(Nelson, 1996). There were thousands of reports of anti-Muslim violence, harassment and discrimination in the year following the attack (Cuddy, 2007). Even the American Muslim citizens have been subjected to this bitter experience. A USA Today Gallop poll reported in 2006 that more than 40 percent of Americans feel some kind of prejudice against Muslims. Nearly 40 percent of the people opined that Muslims (even if they are American Muslims) should carry a special ID to prevent terrorist attacks in the nation (Brewer and Paul, 2003). Twenty-two percent of the people said that they refuse getting Muslims as neighbors. A poll by ABC News and Washington Post gave the result that one fourth of the Americans admit that they harbor some form of prejudice towards Muslims. After the 9/11 incident almost 50% of the Americans maintain a negative view towards Islam. A seven percent increase since the 9/11 terrorist attack. After the terrorist attack, more and more Americans believe that Islam promotes violence and terrorism (Brewer and Paul, 2003). This made them discriminate Muslims in all spheres of life. In the first few weeks after the terrorist attacks, nearly 700 violence attacks that target Arab Americans, other Arabs and Muslims have happened. Almost 165 incidents of violence and attacks happened in the period January to October, a significant increase after the terrorist attack. Muslims have been subjected to discriminatory and illegal removal from aircrafts. They were expelled from aircraft after boarding. The perceived ethnicity of Muslims made them encounter such discriminations (Jamal, 2003). Almost 800 cases of employment discrimination have been reported against Arab Americans. There has been four-fold increase in such incidents after the 9/11 attacks. Muslims have faced several incidents of discriminatory service, segregations, denial of service, institutional segregation and housing discrimination after the September 11 attacks (Panagopoulos and Costas, 2006). Since the 9/11 incident, several incidents of discrimination, attacks and violence against Muslim women who wear Hijab, have been reported. The murder of Alia Ansari, the hijab-wearing Muslim woman is an example of this violence. Hijab-wearing Muslim women have been the major target of segregation, discrimination, hate crime and violence since the September 11 attacks. There also has been significant law enforcement discrimination against Muslims after the terrorist attack (Panagopoulos and Costas, 2006). Civil rights violation events increased at the governmental agencies. The main places of civil rights violation include workplaces, governmental offices, agencies, prisons, schools, worship places, and community organizations. Muslims, even American Muslims encounter severe discrimination. After the 9/11 incident there started happening a significant delay in the citizenship process for immigrants who Arab immigrants (Arab-sounding immigrants). Immigrant advocates say that hundreds of people with Arab sounding names are experiencing great delays in citizenship application processes. In spite of getting through all the citizenship tests, criteria and requirements, Iraqi immigrants and few other Muslim immigrants failed to become US citizens just because of the September 11 attacks (Panagopoulos and Costas, 2006). Muslims faced extreme discrimination and harassment in their work places after the September 11 incident. As per the reports of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of United States, incidents of discrimination against Muslims or those who are considered as Muslims (for example, South Asians) have doubled, from 1,100 to 2,168 after the day of the terrorist attack(Jamal, 2003). Muslims encountered discrimination in various ways like job termination, hate speech, name-calling, denial of facilities, denial of society responsibilities, denial of religious wear, denial of place for religious practices and accommodations (Davis, 2007). Muslims, Arab-American employees, South Asians and other Muslim groups testify the discrimination they suffer in the American land. A certain Discrimination Research Center gave the report that South Asians and Arab Americans face severe discrimination during employment hiring. Many of them say that they are even called ‘terrorist’ at their work places. Some testify that they were called Osama Bin Laden. They were insulted by telling that they are going to mosque for learning how to make a bomb (Panagopoulos and Costas, 2006). Government agencies and work places became the major discrimination places for Muslims. It was shocking for some of the American Muslims to find that their bank account was closed for no reason. Their Muslim faith made them deprive of their bank account. Several banks across the country closed the accounts of Muslim customers whose accounts are deemed as ‘high risk (Jamal, 2003). The confusing regulations associated with Patriot Act made the banks avoid these high risk customers. Banks refused to give the reason for the closure (Davis, 2007). They rather highlighted the rights of the bank to close any account without giving the reason for the account closure. After the terrorist attack, Muslims encountered problem with their legally transferring funds. Western Union decided to block the funds that are in the name Muhammad. They did even freeze the funds of a Muslim family just giving no reason for the act. Muslims have been subjected to religious and ethnic profiling after the notorious terrorist attack (Nelson, 1996). After the day of the attack immigrants from Muslim countries found that they are no longer in a free world. They are in a new suspicious America where they are segregated, discriminated and ill-treated. Muslim immigrants from Egypt, Pakistan and other nations suffered discrimination in the wake of September 11 attack (Panagopoulos and Costas, 2006). Worship places and businesses of Muslims were strictly monitored by federal agents. Thousands of Muslims immigrants have been deported. Few of them have been swept away, to be jailed overseas or simply deported. Even the Muslims who are born and brought up in America were also seen with a suspicious eye just because they share the faith of the Middle East or Southeast Asia (Nelson, 1996). Methodology Studies conducted among Muslims in America revealed the following facts 659 Muslims who reported segregation, hate speech and violence against them said that they have experienced 1,225 such incidents in the very next year of the terrorist attack Almost 40% of the discrimination incidents are bias-related harassment. Muslims experienced frequent harassment and violence after the terrorist attack (Jamal, 2003). A large number of harassment incidents are ethnic and religious insults. There have been quite a large number of physical assaults also Employment discrimination constituted 28% of the discrimination incidents. Muslims were often questioned for their background. Anti-Islam, Anti-South Asian and Anti-Arab feelings of American people made Muslims mistreated in work places, and often fired without reason. Muslims had innumerable employment complaints after the terrorist attack (Davis, 2007). Discrimination in educational institutions compromised 25% of the discrimination incidents. Muslims students have to face negative comments from classmates, teachers, clerks and other school staff regarding the background, attire and appearance (Jamal, 2003). Muslim students had difficulty on receiving proper services because of their religion Housing segregated constituted the 12% of discrimination incidents. Muslims could not get good houses and apartments; they were denied good housing facilities. Muslims encountered great employment discrimination after September 11. Majority of the incidents happened in Manhattan (Davis, 2007). Muslims failed to get proper legal help. They were afraid, not knowing whom to be contacted for reporting the injustice done to them. They could not seek help from any government agency or advocacy organization (Jamal, 2003). Discrimination against Muslims in America has tripled after the infamous terrorist attack of September 11 (Brewer and Paul, 2003).This can be clearly compared to the period before September 11 when the discrimination and prejudice towards the Muslims was very minimal and Muslims experienced peace. The situation changed when the Muslims became so strongly in spreading their message from the Koran of “slay enemies wherever you find them!” (4:89). They claim is why Muslim students who participated in the survey opined that they have experienced several incidents of institutional segregation and racial profiling in their schools and colleges (Abdus, 2008). Youngsters have largely been suspected and troubled in the cases of ethnic profiling. They have been stopped by police during driving and harassed for no reason. Muslims says that they are unnecessarily suspected of carrying weapons. Their luggage is repeatedly checks at all stations and often kept at hold suspecting that they carry bombs and weapons. The survey takers opined that the discrimination they encountered before the attack is different from that which they experience after the attack (Davis, 2007). They opine that they are specifically haunted for their religious cause and are segregated, mistreated and insulted just because they share the religion of the terrorists. After the September 11 attack, Muslims suffer extreme hate speech and are called ‘terrorists’ by people. Muslims have not encountered much segregation at financial institutions and government officers before the terrorist attack. The religious wear of Muslims has made them subjected to segregation after the notorious September 11(Abdus, 2008). American Muslims feel that they experienced the real segregation and profiling only after the terrorist attack. Muslims increasingly feel that freedom of speech is misused as hate speech against them has increased considerably. Conclusions The discrimination towards Muslims entered a new phase after September 11 attacks. The fear about the nations where the terrorist groups originated makes people develop an indifferent feeling towards cultural and religious symbols of the respective nations. This fear creates an environment of discrimination (Brewer and Paul, 2003). Recommendations The reports of discrimination against Muslims after the September 11 attacks made Commission on Human Rights give certain recommendations for upholding the rights of Muslims in America. They recommend a climate of respect and acceptance in all spheres of life (Asch and Solomon, 1946). Schools should ensure that there exists an atmosphere of human dignity, respect and tolerance in the curricular materials and the relationship between students. No one should be ill-treated on the basis of the faith they share. Employers and business enterprises must strictly impose anti-discriminatory practice and proper standards of conduct in the workplaces. Religious leaders from all groups should speak out against bigotry, violence and discrimination towards other faiths, ethnic communities or people (Asch and Solomon, 1946). Media and community organizations should spread positive information to people about the cultures, traditions, beliefs and practices of Muslims, especially South Asians and Arabs (Asch and Solomon ,1946).. People should be made to understand that discrimination based on an individual’s religious identity is against the law. Community integration activities and interfaith activities should be arranged to correlate members of different communities (Jamal,2003). Certain religious groups that are isolated from each other and isolated from the society can work together on different issues of common interest (Jamal, 2003). They can organize youth programs, street fairs, meetings, lighting for parks, children activities and other programs. They can also participate in other community-building projects. Muslims from South Asian and Arab communities should be encouraged to participate in political and civic activities (Davis, 2007). For example, they can involve in Community Police Precinct Councils, community gardens, Community Boards, College Leadership Teams etc. Media campaigns can be arranged to make people understand the problems associated with discriminatory behaviors shown towards Muslims and other segregated groups (Davis, 2007). People should be encouraged to respect the cultural and religious practices of other groups. For example, people wearing hijabs or turbans should never get discriminated for their religious attire (Davis, 2007).Public should be educated using campaigns and classes. They must be made to understand the illegality of hate speech, negative comments, segregation, profiling and other discriminatory activities. They must understand why it is not fair to ban religious activities and behavior (Abdus, 2008). Media should discourage discriminatory restrictions based on religion, ethnicity and national origin. Public must be aware of the procedures of filing complaints at Human Rights Commissions like NYC Commission on Human Rights. Muslims, South Asians and Arabs should be encouraged to join public service positions. They should be permitted to work as law enforcement officers, firefighters and government servants. If Muslims and South Asians work in such jobs would help them establish good connection with society and government (Abdus, 2008) References Abdus, S. G (2008). Islam and Muslims in the Post 9/11 America, Modesto, Ca Davis, et al (2007). Negative Liberty: Public Opinion and the Terrorist Attacks on America. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Jamal et al (2003). Race and Arab Americans Before and After 9/11. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. Asch and Solomon (1946). Forming Impressions of Personality: Journal of Abnormal Social Psychology Brewer and Paul (2003).The Shifting Foundations of Public Opinion about Gay Rights. Journal of Politics 65(4) Nelson et al (1996). Issue Frames and Group-Centrism in American Public Opinion. Journal of Politics 58(4) Cuddy et al (2007). “The BIAS Map: Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 92(4) Panagopoulos and Costas (2006). “The Polls—Trends: Arab and Muslim Americans and Islam in the Aftermath of 9/11.” Public Opinion Quarterly 70(4) Read More