American Muslims Are At The Crossroads: Addressing Islamophobic Hate In America
15 September 2017
By Zaheer Uddin
Indeed, the American Muslims are at the crossroads. American Muslims are
feeling anxiety and uncertainty because of the Islamophobic and hate incidents
nationwide. But silence and inaction is not the answer or solution. Rather
Muslims do have to play a key role, and it is on them to help lead their
country out of this dangerous situation as moral leaders, not victims.
Muslim Americans must find the courage to stand up for universal values of
fairness and freedom during this difficult time. This is best done by working,
not talking, but working together across cultures, color and creed, to build
the kind of country we all want to live in.
American Muslims and Muslim organizations have helped fight discrimination,
respond to media bias, and demand action from government officials, but for
too long this tireless work has been limited to dealing with the consequences
of hate. Managing to sustain is not the same as proactively targeting
Islamophobia at its roots. America's Islamophobia network is an over $80
million industry and if there is a hope of defeating it, together we must move
beyond mere survival into long-term sustainability through proactive planning.
It is time to confront the problem at its cause. As American Muslims we have
to start and lead a movement to stop crimes of hatred before they occur, but
once again we cannot do it alone. We need a reserve of resources so that we
can be effective when and how we need to be in order to nip Islamophobia in
the bud before it takes more victims.
While American Muslims certainly aren't obligated to condemn terror and
violence through in which they have no part, many do largely as a defense
mechanism and to guard against potential blowback from bigots who won't be
sophisticated enough to draw such distinctions.
It is time that American Muslims work hand in hand with other people of
conscience to fight against Islamophobia. While it affects Muslims most
directly, it is a threat to every American. Fear makes us more accepting of
authoritarianism, conformity and prejudice, the most corrosive elements to a
free society. Islamophobia is also linked to Anti-Semitism, and anti-black
racism, as this election has illustrated. So everyone is threatened when
bigotry is normalized. For this reason, it is not on American Muslims alone to
combat Islamophobia, it is on every American who cares about freedom.
In Conclusion
The face of America is changing. Islamophobia, stereotypes and hate against
Islam and Muslims are here and real. Hate used to be on the fringes of
society. Now, Islamophobia is part of the mainstream. This escalation of
anti-Muslim bigotry and Islamophobia has truly gotten out of control.
Thankfully, some interfaith leaders and politicians, even in the GOP are
speaking out. But, we need many more voices. This is not the America that we
know and love, that received the Pilgrims and found a place for the Quakers,
that built its cities through immigrant sweat and tears. We must not turn our
backs on this legacy. This is a critical moment in our history as a nation.
This Islamophobia and hate towards Islam and Muslim is there because we have
not effectively challenged them. In order to effectively challenge them we
have to understand that combating Islamophobia is a much larger systemic
challenge that requires a strategic and critical approach. Most importantly,
we need a media institution to magnify Muslim voices loud and clear.
Interfaith groups are our first line of defense when an Islamophobic tragedy
takes place at the local, national or international level. We need to build
the bridges.
Keep in mind, Islam is not only about the past; it is also the way forward to
a meaningful life in the 21st Century.
We can and must push back on the Islamophobic backlash. We can and must engage
in challenging Islamophobia as an integral part of our efforts for justice in
our country. We believe that the positive values we live by are worth more
when we pass them on. We can do this, and we must do it today.
Hope and optimism is the way of a Muslim. Stand up for the rights and dignity
of not just American Muslims but of all Americans.
While American Muslims certainly aren't obligated to condemn terror and
violence through in which they have no part, many do largely as a defense
mechanism and to guard against potential blowback from bigots who won't be
sophisticated enough to draw such distinctions.
It is time that American Muslims work hand in hand with other people of
conscience to fight against Islamophobia. While it affects Muslims most
directly, it is a threat to every American. Fear makes us more accepting of
authoritarianism, conformity and prejudice, the most corrosive elements to a
free society. Islamophobia is also linked to Anti-Semitism, and anti-black
racism, as this election has illustrated. So everyone is threatened when
bigotry is normalized. For this reason, it is not on American Muslims alone to
combat Islamophobia, it is on every American who cares about freedom.
What are you waiting for? Here are some action items.
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