The Problem Of Islamophobia In Today’S World
On January 27th, 2017 President Donald Trump, first signed the Muslim Ban in order to stop Muslim citizens from seven predominately Muslim countries from entering the United States, he justified his reasoning because of the terrorist attacks of September 11th which directly impacted thousands of people around the world. Each Muslim ban has had the same discriminatory intention of banning Muslims from the United States but unfortunately, our American society deems “the dislike and prejudice of Muslims or Islam” as Islamophobia which has become more distinguishably common and demonstrated through negative stereotypes or violence.
Since January, there have been three additional iterations of the Muslim issued by President Trump. But if a student is a one few of the Non-Christian students in their class, others who singled out and subjected the student of bullying by stating “You’re going to Hell if you don’t believe in Jesus,” is unfair and cruel but this happens to Muslims on the daily life. The attempt of this report will bring awareness to these efforts and the distressing impacts of the ban through discrimination of culture, race, religion or political opinions that will affect a population’s opinion. Second, awareness of the impact of Islamophobia on our modern-day practices. And finally, showcase the defamation of Muslims and Islam by Muslim extremist's terrorist attacks.
Why is Islamophobia still a problem today? For three years, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has challenged President Donald Trump’s abuse of power, people are counting on the ACLU to keep fighting for Muslim families but on June 26, the Supreme Court upheld Trump’s administration. The territorial attacks of 9/11 drastically changed the political opinion of Muslims, resulting in a dramatic change of in our nation’s attitude and concerns about society, vigilance and safety but According to the Open Society Foundation’s article titled “Islamophobia in Europe,” states that “Since then, terrorist acts such as the attacks by violent jihadists in London, Paris, Brussels, and Barcelona have increased fear and anxiety,” (Open Society Foundation 1).
The migration of Muslim minorities into major European countries has fueled the anxiety of Islamophobia, these attacks have been carried out by Muslim extremists as European countries have so far refused to take back hundreds of Muslims who originate from the European nations. Islamophobia in European countries, disregards Muslims who are sworn to the Quran, spiritually and religiously engaged in the house of worship (Mosque). Islamophobia has risen in the United States due to President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban titled the Executive Order 13769 on January 27th, 2017 the restriction of Muslims entering the United States demonstrated immediate impact on families According to the ArceCampains Taking on Anti-Muslim Corporations’ article tiled United States Islamophobia expresses the drastic impact of the total shutdown of Muslims from President Trump’s first signing, as “The Supreme Court’s endorsement of anti-Muslim bigotry had heartbreaking consequences for the thousands of families that were separated, denied lifesaving medical treatment, or sent to their deaths in countries they had fled because of persecution,”. Muslim or Islamic discrimination has been present around the world for a long history but now even United States’ corporations or the funding of Anti- Muslim politicians have become the center of attention for the hate crimes or violence caused by Islamophobia.
The peaceful coexistence of people or different cultures or religions is under threat in European nations. According to the Eastern Europe Global Area, there are few examples that show the extent of Islamophobia that disrupt the coexistence of people in European Nations such as “The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is against having people from different cultures in his country and obviously means Muslims. The Czech President Miloš Zeman is even clearer, saying that he does not want Muslims to migrate to his country. Poland only wants to accept Christian refugees into the country; in addition, there are reports of attacks on Islamic institutions,”. Qualitative survey attitudes towards Muslims and Islam is more widespread in Eastern European countries than the proportion of Muslims in Western European countries, significantly declined as of December 7th, 2017 for the number of visas granted to Muslim-countries (Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia).
Statistics demonstrate how President Donald Trump’s “Travel Ban” always being targeted against Muslims with the Quartz article titled Statistics show Donald Trump’s “travel ban” was always a Muslim ban by Vahid Niayesh stated how “This analysis shows that only 537 immigrant visas were issued in 2018 for the 12 months after the travel ban went into effect for individuals born in Iran. Compare that to 6,643 visas issued in the previous year. That is a 92% decrease in number of visas issued,” (Niayesh 1). The US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs data shows that there was a significant decrease in the number of immigrant visas issued to Muslim countries affected by the travel ban, The vast majority people from the seven restricted countries who applied for a visa after the implementation of the ban were rejected outright. However, US officials may grant a waiver to someone if there is evidence that the applicant is facing so much undue hardship that they need to be united with their loved ones in the US. Furthermore, a family member in the United States is dying and a person from a restricted nation wants to see them one last time, like the Yemeni mother who got a chance to see her baby boy just two days before he died.
A Muslim mom, Melissa Chance Yassini, recently wrote “Sad day in America when I have to comfort my 8-year-old child who heard that someone with yellow hair named Trump wanted to kick all Muslims out of America. She had began collecting all her favorite things in a bag in case the army came to remove us from our homes. She checked the locks on the door 3-4 times. This is terrorism. No child in America deserves to feel that way,” this scenario illustrates how Islamophobia in the United States is making American Muslims feel unsafe in the country, they call home. Islamophobia can have grave legal, physical health and mental health effects, persistent experiences with hate crimes and institutionalized oppression can result in anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. According to Aljazeera, Islamophobia is fed by Ignorance as “Fearing for our lives, we ran to our hotel. Religious riots had begun in the city; houses and cars were being torched,”. Our first steps include a greater awareness of self, and an understanding of how privilege and power play out to continue oppression of Muslims. From there, education and increased interaction amongst people from different faith and ethnic backgrounds can promote tolerance and respect. The next steps include joining the ING’s Educational Programs, such as the Islamic Speakers Bureau which will provides education for Muslim Americans and their faith. The core of ING’s outreach efforts is to promote interreligious understanding and mutual respect among people of all faiths (and none) by increasing religious literacy. According to the ING’s “Islamic Speaker Bureau (ISB) supplements education about Muslims and their faith in the content of social studies and cultural diversity programs,”. It is critical that American Muslims clarify common stereotypes, educate others about their faith, and define themselves, rather than allowing others to define them. According to the Islamic Speaker Bureau San Diego, “In partnership with our sister affiliates and other organizations, we at the Islamic Speakers Bureau of San Diego stand in solidarity against all acts of violence and terrorism. We offer our prayers and condolences to the victims of these crimes and their families. Acts of terrorism flagrantly violate the norms of civilized society and the core teachings of all major world religions. In the face of such atrocities, we pledge to redouble our efforts to build interreligious and intercultural understanding and harmony,” Islam is a religion of peace and mercy, Muslims are obligated to model their traits and characters for the good of their homeland and security.
According to Mother Jones’ article titled “The Chilling Rise of Islamophobia in Our Schools,” by Kristina Rizga states “Teachers here also work hard to add content in the standard curriculum that reflects the culture and heritage of their students, as 92 percent of the student body are students of color. This approach seems to be paying off. A district-wide 2013 student survey showed that a significantly higher percentage of 11th graders at the school, compared with their peers in other schools, reported that their school encouraged them to understand how others think and feel, and to identify and stop bullying,” but across the country neither of the programs are part of their credentials. Unfortunately, in American society our definition of Islamophobia of “the dislike and prejudice of Muslims or Islam” has become more distinguishably common and demonstrated through negative stereotypes or violence. Islamophobia is not only frustrating, but disappointing as we need leaders who will lead and make a clear barrier between Muslims which does not make America great. We cannot allow ourselves or others to be defined by hatred, which brings the worst in humanity. Similarly, to Mohamed Nur’s opinion on Fighting Islamophobia: a call for action in The BowDoin Orient, “Islam taught me to forgive those who hurt to me, Islam taught me to practice compassion in the face of cruelty and Islam taught me to love myself,”.
