Anti Muslim
According to most recent reports released in May 2005 entitled anti muslim hate crimes rose by more than 50 percent between 2003-2004;while 93 anti muslim hate crimes were recorded in 2003, 141 hate crimes were recorded in 2004. The study proceeds to cite 1,552 cases of anti muslim occurrences including violence, discrimination, and even harassment. Approximately 225 of these cases involved religious discrimination, such as a city's opposition to a mosque. 196 cases involved discrimination in the workplace and 190 cases cited verbal harassment. The report hypothesizes that the increase in anti-Muslim sentiment can be attributed to websites and radio programs whose content propagates feelings of hate.
State Demographics
According to the CAIR report, nearly 80% of anti-Muslim crime was committed in only 10 states. 20% of crimes were committed in California. Incidents occurring in California in 2004 included the assault of a Portuguese man in San Diego who was mistaken for being of Middle Eastern descent. A group of white men yelled racial slurs at him and told him to "go back to Iraq." On December 30, 2004, also in California, a Muslim woman wearing a hijab was pushing her baby in a stroller when a man in a truck almost ran them over near a gas station. When the woman cried, "You almost killed my baby!," the man responded, "It wouldn't have been a big loss.
Increase of Police Discrimination
One of the most salient increases from 2003 to 2004 is that of discrimination by police such as unwarranted arrests and searches which comprised a quarter of CAIR cases in 2004, whereas in 2003 comprised they only 7% of incidents. One example of unreasonable arrest occurred on June 10th, 2004 in Colorado where a Muslim family's house was raided by the IRS and armed FBI agents who drew their guns. The family was told that an IRS investigation was being conducted and the agents proceeded to ask them questions that randomly incorporated religion, suicide bombing, and personal opinions concerning war between the US and Iran.
Hate Crime on Campuses
Anti-Muslim hate crimes have been especially visible on the campuses of universities and colleges nationwide since 9/11. In the Spring of 2003, anti-Muslim rants were shouted towards student Christine Lo's dorm room at Yale. Lo had hung an upside-down American flag outside of her window to protest the war in Iraq. The ranting students also attempted to pry open her door with a plank of wood. Notes were left on Lo's door prompting Americans to kill muslims and releasing statements using threats that compromised Lo's intermediate family members simply because of race and religion.
With all of the information provided above that provides enough insight on how influencing and racially altering 9/11 was afterwards, what do you think? Would you agree or find yourself relating as to why these incidents happened? Or would you oppose them and keep an open mind despite the terrorist attacks? Do you think these incidents, racial slurs, and comments continue in today's modern society? Why or why not?
I find it so upsetting that this kind of thing has happened in the world and continues to happen to this day. People can never seem to grasp the idea that, scientifically, there is no such thing as race and yet we still continue to discriminate due to the color of someone's skin or their faith or their dress. Perhaps in the future people will be more understanding and accepting but, unfortunately, I can't see it happening any time soon if people continue to stay closed minded about others. :(
ReplyDeleteWhat the public doing isn't right, but at the same time they are human and humans tend to exaggerate and magnify their actions when they are in fear. I'm not trying to justify their actions, but we tend to act out on fear. History repeats itself over and over again. The same thing happened during the witch trials and the McCarthy era. It's our natural instinct to overreact during times of fear and anxiety and we need to find someone to blame for the terrible things going around.
ReplyDeleteThese incidents do continue in today's society. It's the same thing as before, we need to find someone to blame and we're overreacting due to our fear.