What’s Islamophobia?
Islamophobia is a form of prejudice, hatred and intolerance directed towards Islam and Muslims. Like previous forms of group prejudice in America (racism against African Americans, anti-Semitism against Jewish Americans), it thrives on ignorance and fear of the unknown.
What does Islamophobia do?
1. It fosters fear of the American Muslim community, resulting in prolonged civil rights abuses, hate crimes and discrimination by non-Muslims.
2. It also fosters fear in the American Muslim community. This fear stifles integration, causing confusion in the minds of Muslims about the possibility and desirability of integration in American society. It feeds resentment and plays into the hands of isolationists within the community.
3. It creates a negative image of America in the Muslim world, making it more difficult for Muslims abroad to see the good that America does in the world.
How do Islamophobes smear Muslims?
1. Smear tactics often rely on tenuous logic : X knew Y. Y prayed in the same mosque as Z. In 1975, Z had some contact with T. T is an Extremist. Therefore, X is a terrorist sympathizer.
2. Islamophobes target mainstream Muslim organizations, mainstream leaders, and uniquely successful Muslim projects, in order to undermine the entire community.
3. Islamophobes find individual Muslims who have no standing in the Muslim community and promote them as alternate representatives of Muslims in America. These individuals are then funded and promoted in the media as experts.
4. Islamophobes create more hype by circular references to other Islamophobes and supporting each other’s “proof”. These are passed through blogs, web sites, media, etc.
Check out our Allegations section (also featured above and to the right) for the most common charges leveled against Muslim groups in America.
Why do Islamophobes smear Muslims?
Some Islamophobes mistakenly believe that Islam is a violent religion, and this motivates their criticism of Muslims in America. Our most persistent and vicious critics, however, simply do not want an organized Muslim presence in this country. They find the prospect of an integrated, empowered minority to be threatening to their vision of America as a white Christian nation. Some also worry that allowing a Muslim voice in foreign policy debates may erode America’s uncritical support of Israel. This is why Islamaphobes are often directly or indirectly funded by right-wing American Zionist organizations.
How do they get away with it?
To begin with, many Americans are genuinely unfamiliar with Islam and Muslims. Without having read any Islamic texts or met Muslims in real life, they are confronted with media images of terrorism and foreign words like jihad, hijab and Shari‘a. Islamophobes exploit this ignorance in order to smear mainstream Muslim leaders and amplify the “War on Terror”.
Moreover, the Muslim community is one of the youngest and most vulnerable minorities in America. Two thirds of American Muslims are first or second generation immigrants. African-American Muslims, who comprise the remaining third, have a long history of disenfranchisement in this country: in fact, they are doubly discriminated against as members of two minorities.
Many readers will remember the agony caused in the recent presidential election by the fear that Obama could be a hidden Muslim. It took Obama considerable effort to overcome this “accusation”. Mainstream American Muslims do not command the same resources to overcome the accusations of being “extremists” or “terrorist sympathizers”.
What’s our side of the story?
We Muslims in America are trying to live and represent our faith under challenging circumstances. We do not apologize for being Muslim or for being American. We shun militancy and extremism, and desire peace and justice at home and abroad. And we want to make a positive, enduring contribution to American life.
Of course, we haven’t always made that clear to our fellow Americans. Prior to 9/11, first and second generation American Muslim were often inwardly focused, isolated and uninterested in outreach. This was not because we had something to hide. Rather, we were still learning how to introduce our religion and diverse cultures into the mix of American society. Some of us viewed Islam as only a private matter to be lived at home or in the mosque.
Since 9/11, however, mainstream Muslim organizations have been much more proactive in getting our message out (unfortunately, so have been our critics). It should be clear to anyone who’s listening that Muslims in America desire to be integrated in larger society and to make positive contributions to our country. That is why we need Muslim religious, charitable and civic organizations to thrive. Some people may not want us to have a seat at the table. But we also have many friends among other faith communities, civil rights groups and ordinary Americans who want to see us succeed and share the best of our tradition with our fellow citizens.
Although our country has had its share of dark moments, America prides itself on welcoming immigrants and people of different backgrounds. This is precisely what makes our country great.
What can we do? What can you do?
The best way to know about Muslims in America is to engage with us: inviting us to speak to you, asking us honest questions and working hand in hand with us for the greater good. That’s why we started this site.