Being Muslim in America

[Anonymous]

As an Italian American, the FBI doesn't wire tap Muslims or Mosques or go after known terrorists organizations and their relatives like they did to the Mafia. Anyone who had a last name ending in a vowel was subjected to scrutiny. And do you really believe that the average person who belongs to a mosque doesn't hear chatter? When was the last time a Muslim turned government informer or went to jail for refusing to testafy against a related known terrorist?

Muslims are handled with kidd gloves in the U.S.

[jsteele]

While thankfully a few posters here have not lost all sense of empathy, the majority of the posters here seem to think that Muslims don't really have it that bad and, to the extent they do, they deserve it. Furthermore, if they don't like it, they should leave. It's good to see that American values are alive and well among DCUM posters. You guys really make me proud to be an American.

Probably related, when I started a thread about an attempt to bomb innocent people simply because they were Muslim, it was hijacked by posters attacking Muslims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is so hard to be minority in a country. Being a Muslim minority on top it is excruciating for these Americans. I read this article and felt a tug in my heart. Can you imagine how hard it must be to fear the same things we fear when we hear about any mass violence and also worse if the perpetrator happens to be a Muslim. I am sorry what this presidential election has done to the country. Will the wound heal anytime soon? SAD!

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/17/politics/muslim-americans-2016/

CNN traveled last month to three growing Muslim communities -- in Minneapolis, Northern Virginia and Staten Island -- which represent the diversity and increasing political engagement of Muslims in the United States. The majority of people we spoke to said it is harder to be a Muslim American today than it was even after 9/11.

"I have never thought I would hear my young daughter say, 'Dad, people were asking me about my scarf in the school,' " said Hamse Warfa, a Somali refugee who immigrated to the US as a teenager and now lives in the Minneapolis suburbs. "After 9/11, there was no ring-leader, so to speak, who was championing, mainstreaming, hate."

XXX

At the ADAMS Center's Radiant Hearts Academy in Sterling, Virginia, where preschoolers to second graders are taught a curriculum centered on Islamic values, teachers and parents are grappling with how to explain the election to children.

"You can't really hide it, you know? If it's in the news and your parents are watching the news, it'll come up and the word 'Muslim' will come up," says Hurunnessa Fariad, the school's vice principal.

Originally from Uzbekistan, Fariad moved to the US when she was little and now has four daughters.
"You have to constantly tell your children, 'No, we're not going anywhere. We're here, you know, we haven't done anything wrong,'" she tells CNN. (Fariad doesn't want to share who she will vote for in November, only saying: "It's obvious.")

Sadia Naureen is a 16-year-old resident of Falls Church whose family is from Pakistan. Naureen says she has heard multiple stories about Muslims getting attacked and women choosing to take off their hijabs. She no longer feels safe walking alone.

Naureen blames Trump for making her fear for her safety.

"He should know that the stuff he's saying is really affecting people. It's not just words anymore to get votes -- it's going to change people's lives for the worse," Naureen tells CNN.

Then why come here? Seriously, I wouldn't live abroad in a country where I did not feel welcome (which are probably many countries around the world).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is so hard to be minority in a country. Being a Muslim minority on top it is excruciating for these Americans. I read this article and felt a tug in my heart. Can you imagine how hard it must be to fear the same things we fear when we hear about any mass violence and also worse if the perpetrator happens to be a Muslim. I am sorry what this presidential election has done to the country. Will the wound heal anytime soon? SAD!

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/17/politics/muslim-americans-2016/

CNN traveled last month to three growing Muslim communities -- in Minneapolis, Northern Virginia and Staten Island -- which represent the diversity and increasing political engagement of Muslims in the United States. The majority of people we spoke to said it is harder to be a Muslim American today than it was even after 9/11.

"I have never thought I would hear my young daughter say, 'Dad, people were asking me about my scarf in the school,' " said Hamse Warfa, a Somali refugee who immigrated to the US as a teenager and now lives in the Minneapolis suburbs. "After 9/11, there was no ring-leader, so to speak, who was championing, mainstreaming, hate."

XXX

At the ADAMS Center's Radiant Hearts Academy in Sterling, Virginia, where preschoolers to second graders are taught a curriculum centered on Islamic values, teachers and parents are grappling with how to explain the election to children.

"You can't really hide it, you know? If it's in the news and your parents are watching the news, it'll come up and the word 'Muslim' will come up," says Hurunnessa Fariad, the school's vice principal.

Originally from Uzbekistan, Fariad moved to the US when she was little and now has four daughters.
"You have to constantly tell your children, 'No, we're not going anywhere. We're here, you know, we haven't done anything wrong,'" she tells CNN. (Fariad doesn't want to share who she will vote for in November, only saying: "It's obvious.")

Sadia Naureen is a 16-year-old resident of Falls Church whose family is from Pakistan. Naureen says she has heard multiple stories about Muslims getting attacked and women choosing to take off their hijabs. She no longer feels safe walking alone.

Naureen blames Trump for making her fear for her safety.

"He should know that the stuff he's saying is really affecting people. It's not just words anymore to get votes -- it's going to change people's lives for the worse," Naureen tells CNN.

Then why come here? Seriously, I wouldn't live abroad in a country where I did not feel welcome (which are probably many countries around the world).

Most Muslims were born here. Why do you think they are all foreign?

[Anonymous]

This past year has been tough. My step kids and my son, ages ranging from 8 up to 22, have all been harrassed pretty frequently. The worst was my step daughter's getting called ISIS bridge at a Fairfax County high school. My son is told he's a terrorist and he better not bomb up the whole place.

It seems as if not a week goes by that I don't hear about a violent attack on a Muslim, or someone perceived to be a Muslim. The woman set on fire, the Imam shot and killed walking down the street, the 82 year old Sikh man beaten because they thought he was a Muslim, a little six year old Muslim boy beaten severely on the bus. So many.

Anti-Muslim violence and harassment has tripled in the past year. No, it doesn't match crimes against LGBT folks, which I think just overtook hate crimes against Jews, but the significant increase in such a short amount of time is scary.

I have several Latina Muslim friends, too. From Texas. They feel the double whammy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This past year has been tough. My step kids and my son, ages ranging from 8 up to 22, have all been harrassed pretty frequently. The worst was my step daughter's getting called ISIS bridge at a Fairfax County high school. My son is told he's a terrorist and he better not bomb up the whole place.

It seems as if not a week goes by that I don't hear about a violent attack on a Muslim, or someone perceived to be a Muslim. The woman set on fire, the Imam shot and killed walking down the street, the 82 year old Sikh man beaten because they thought he was a Muslim, a little six year old Muslim boy beaten severely on the bus. So many.

Anti-Muslim violence and harassment has tripled in the past year. No, it doesn't match crimes against LGBT folks, which I think just overtook hate crimes against Jews, but the significant increase in such a short amount of time is scary.

I have several Latina Muslim friends, too. From Texas. They feel the double whammy.

*bride

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an Italian American, the FBI doesn't wire tap Muslims or Mosques or go after known terrorists organizations and their relatives like they did to the Mafia. Anyone who had a last name ending in a vowel was subjected to scrutiny. And do you really believe that the average person who belongs to a mosque doesn't hear chatter? When was the last time a Muslim turned government informer or went to jail for refusing to testafy against a related known terrorist?

Muslims are handled with kidd gloves in the U.S.

Yeah you know everything right? You know what happens in the government because you are government. Are you blaming bush or Obama? The NYC/NJ IED was reported to FBI by his own father.

[Anonymous]

Muslims are much more likely to turn in terrorists than anyone else. Look at the Syrian refugees who turned in the potential Syrian bomber in Germany recently. It's people in your community who will most likely turn you in. Doesn't matter what community that is. Muslims are no exception.


"A Duke University study found more terrorism suspects and perpetrators were brought to the attention of law enforcement by members of the Muslim-American community than were discovered through U.S. government investigations."
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/08/us/muslims-in-america-shattering-misperception/

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:While thankfully a few posters here have not lost all sense of empathy, the majority of the posters here seem to think that Muslims don't really have it that bad and, to the extent they do, they deserve it. Furthermore, if they don't like it, they should leave. It's good to see that American values are alive and well among DCUM posters. You guys really make me proud to be an American.

Probably related, when I started a thread about an attempt to bomb innocent people simply because they were Muslim, it was hijacked by posters attacking Muslims.

Has anyone actually said that they deserve it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I have Muslim friends who don't tell their co-workers their religion because they're afraid of how they'll react.

Religion and politics are generally not good topics in the work place. As an atheist, I don't discuss my lack of religion even among close friends.

Yes, that makes sense but are you afraid to tell your co-workers that you're an atheist or are you just displaying good manners?

I am afraid of how they'll react, exactly like the PP said. I don't know how my boss privately views atheism. What if I get shitty assignments or get passed over for opportunities? What if it is just subtly reflected in my annual performance review? I'd rather not take that chance.

I totally understand that. But you shouldn't have to hide. It's one thing to not discuss religion out of good manners. It's another thing to feel you have to hide because of prejudice. Christians at the office talk about what they're going to do for Christmas. Muslims should be able to talk about the party they're going to for Eid.

[Anonymous]

At my son's school, the new student got into a car with a "Don't Tread on Me" license plate.

That ware Muslim, from Saudi Arabia.

I say 'welcome' without hesitation. They seem to get the concept of a free nation.

[Anonymous]

^^^ Sigh, that should read 'they are Muslim'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it their fear much stronger than the fear of living in the country of their origin. If it is, then maybe they should go to live to the country where they can freely practice their relegion. A lot of people move to different countries from their native land for religious reason. I have a lot of Muslim friends here and in a Middle East. I never heard that anyone feel threatened in US.

You and the OP both assume that Muslims are foreign. That they are not white. That they are immigrants. They are not Americans.

These assumptions are false and dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is so hard to be minority in a country. Being a Muslim minority on top it is excruciating for these Americans. I read this article and felt a tug in my heart. Can you imagine how hard it must be to fear the same things we fear when we hear about any mass violence and also worse if the perpetrator happens to be a Muslim. I am sorry what this presidential election has done to the country. Will the wound heal anytime soon? SAD!

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/17/politics/muslim-americans-2016/

CNN traveled last month to three growing Muslim communities -- in Minneapolis, Northern Virginia and Staten Island -- which represent the diversity and increasing political engagement of Muslims in the United States. The majority of people we spoke to said it is harder to be a Muslim American today than it was even after 9/11.

"I have never thought I would hear my young daughter say, 'Dad, people were asking me about my scarf in the school,' " said Hamse Warfa, a Somali refugee who immigrated to the US as a teenager and now lives in the Minneapolis suburbs. "After 9/11, there was no ring-leader, so to speak, who was championing, mainstreaming, hate."

XXX

At the ADAMS Center's Radiant Hearts Academy in Sterling, Virginia, where preschoolers to second graders are taught a curriculum centered on Islamic values, teachers and parents are grappling with how to explain the election to children.

"You can't really hide it, you know? If it's in the news and your parents are watching the news, it'll come up and the word 'Muslim' will come up," says Hurunnessa Fariad, the school's vice principal.

Originally from Uzbekistan, Fariad moved to the US when she was little and now has four daughters.
"You have to constantly tell your children, 'No, we're not going anywhere. We're here, you know, we haven't done anything wrong,'" she tells CNN. (Fariad doesn't want to share who she will vote for in November, only saying: "It's obvious.")

Sadia Naureen is a 16-year-old resident of Falls Church whose family is from Pakistan. Naureen says she has heard multiple stories about Muslims getting attacked and women choosing to take off their hijabs. She no longer feels safe walking alone.

Naureen blames Trump for making her fear for her safety.

"He should know that the stuff he's saying is really affecting people. It's not just words anymore to get votes -- it's going to change people's lives for the worse," Naureen tells CNN.

Then why come here? Seriously, I wouldn't live abroad in a country where I did not feel welcome (which are probably many countries around the world).

Most Muslims were born here. Why do you think they are all foreign?

Yes, there have been Muslims in the United States for generations. They are citizens. Why should they have to leave? This is their home.

[Anonymous]

It is not our fault that Muslim terrorists are killing people, nor is it the fault of Muslims not involved.

The left not acknowledging there is an issue with radical Muslim behavior is not helping.