Growing up Muslim in Post 9/11 New York was an indictment in itself. I was in a tough spot: I identified as a patriotic American, yet somehow, I was expected to apologize for the sins of terrorists from far-away lands. Somehow, someway, I was deemed indirectly responsible for the atrocities committed under the misperception of Islam. I refer to it as the veil of ignorance: the same veil used to justify anti-Semitism, racism, and sexism. It is the same veil that allowed the world not to intervene while Jews were resigned to concentration camps. It is the same veil that warranted enslaving an entire race of people, first with shackles and then with Jim Crow laws. It is the same veil that prohibited women from voting until the last century, deeming them “too emotionally charged”.

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And in some weird, convoluted way, I partially understand where the animosity comes from. Similarly, animosity towards Muslims comes from the misrepresentation of Muslims caused by groups like ISIS, Al Qaeda, Al Shabab and Taliban, who are completely misinterpreting the text to satisfy their desires for violence. I’m sure you are familiar with these terrorist groups. You have probably seen and heard about the despicable and inhumane actions ISIS is and the terror group’s bizarre and simply incorrect justification in using religious texts for their heinous deeds.

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This resulted in a segment in the population very unfamiliar with true Islam and Muslims. Because Americans do not personally know a Muslim, this is the only image of Islam that is presented to them. From this spews intolerance, hatred, and even in some extreme cases, tangible acts of violence against the Muslim community.

 

It’s time for us to change this narrative. It’s time for us to get involved – at the grassroots level – towards social justice for Muslims by participating in the educational forms and the many organizations working on uniting the diverse communities. You can also work with your local representatives and make certain our voices are heard, by contributing to the political process.