tagged w/ Muslim Americans
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by Catherine A. Traywick, Media Consortium blogger
Nearly a decade ago, America’s War on Terror began as a manhunt for Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But over the next nine years, that anti-terrorism effort evolved into a multi-faceted crusade: birthing a new national security agency, blossoming into two bloody wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, institutionalizing the racial profiling and surveillance of Muslim Americans and even redefining unauthorized Latin American immigration as—of all things—a national security issue. Now, in the wake of Osama Bin Laden’s death, which elements of that crusade will persist or expand and which—if any—will dissolve?
Muslim Americans celebrate bin Laden’s death…
Following the announcement of bin Laden’s death last Sunday, Americans feverishly rejoiced at the news that a mission actually was accomplished in the War on Terror. Profoundly, the celebrants included scores of individuals who had unwittingly become targets of that crusade—Pakistani immigrants and American Muslims.
Mohsin Zaheer of Feet in Two Worlds reports that Islamic groups in the United States wasted no time applauding President Barack Obama for Bin Laden’s death, taking the opportunity to distance themselves and Islam from the legacy of the slain terrorist. And while many Americans forget that the 9/11 terror attacks killed nationals from 70 different countries, Zaheer notes that the many immigrants who lost loved ones that day took some comfort in knowing that justice has been done.
But Muslims in the U.S. also had another cause for celebration. Bin Laden’s death coincided with the termination of a grossly discriminatory federal program that has targeted, tracked and deported thousands of immigrants from predominately Muslim countries since 2002. ColorLines.com’s Channing Kennedy describes the program (called NSEERS or the National Security Entry/Exit Registration System) as “one of the most explicitly racist, underreported initiatives in post-9/11 America” which “functioned like Arizona’s SB 1070, with working-class Muslims as the target.” The Department of Homeland Security has been vague about its reasons for ending the program, but the decision amounts to a victory for immigrant rights groups that have been protesting the effort since its launch nine years ago.
…but still face an uncertain fate
That said, the fate of Muslims in America is far from rosy. As Seth Freed Wessler notes at ColorLines.com, the Department of Homeland Security continues to target, detain and deport Muslims “in equally insidious, but less formal ways” than the NSEERS program.
Pointing to investigations by “Democracy Now!” and the Washington Monthly, Wessler explains that the Department of Justice “has repeatedly used secret informant-instigators to manufacture terrorist plots” and advocated religious intolerance, racial profiling and harassment in its search for homegrown terrorists. Through these means, the quest for security has degenerated into the systemic persecution of American Muslims and countless other immigrants deemed threats to national security becaue their race, religion or nationality. And that didn’t die with bin Laden.
As recently as last March, in fact, Republican Rep. Peter T. King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, held a hearing on the radicalization of Muslim Americans—during which numerous witnesses repeatedly reiterated the dire threat posed by radical Muslims in the U.S. At the time, Behrouz Saba of New America Media noted that the hearing lacked any discussion of U.S. military presence in the Middle East and its impact on radicalization. Rather than critically examine the many ways in which U.S. foreign policy and military conflict breeds the monster it aims to destroy, the hearing instead served to demonize a growing, well-educated and largely law-abiding population of the United States.
The Latin American link
But the War on Terror has deeply impacted other marginalized communities as well. Even the circumstances of bin Laden’s death bears an alleged connection to the frought issue of Latin American immigration to the U.S.—an issue that has, itself, undergone massive scrutiny and regulation following 9/11.
ThinkProgress reports that one of the Navy Seals involved in Bin Laden’s extermination is, purportedly, the son of Mexican migrants. While the veracity of that claim has been contested by some, Colorlines.com’s Jamilah King argues that the rumor nevertheless “raises serious questions around the military’s recruitment of Latino youth, the staggering numbers of Latino war causalities, and the Obama administration’s often contradictory messages on immigration reform.” She continues:
Casualties among Latino soldiers in Iraq rank highest compared to other groups of soldiers of color. Yet while the military actively courts Latino youth and immigrants with one hand, it’s aggressively deporting them and their families with the other.
It’s worth noting that, within the government, the most vocal proponents of the DREAM Act supported the legislation because they expected it to dramatically increase Latino enrollment in the military. While the DREAM Act ultimately died in the Senate, proponents of its military provision are perpetuating a troubling and persistent dichotomy that is only reinforced in the wake of bin Laden’s demise: immigrants are welcome on our battlefields, but not in our neighborhoods.
It’s comforting, albeit naïve, to believe that Osama bin Laden’s death will cap a decade of military conflict and draw a torturously long anti-terrorism crusade to a close. More likely, our multiple wars will persist longer than they should, and our domestic security apparatus will continue targeting the most vulnerable members of our society under the misguided notion that such enforcement strengthens rather than divides us.
This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about immigration by members of The Media Consortium. It is free to reprint. Visit the Diaspora for a complete list of articles on immigration issues, or follow us on Twitter. And for the best progressive reporting on critical economy, environment, and health care issues, check out The Audit, The Mulch, and The Pulse. This is a project of The Media Consortium, a network of leading independent media outlets.by Catherine A. Traywick, Media Consortium blogger
Nearly a decade ago,... more
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Incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Rep. Peter King (R-NY) is already causing quite a commotion with his plans to hold congressional hearings on what he calls the "radicalization of the American Muslim community." According to King, "mainstream" Muslims are being silenced by their leaders and it's up to Congress to uncover why.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/12/20/peter-king-muslim-hearings/Incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Rep. Peter King (R-NY) is... more
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On Saturday morning, the ninth anniversary of September 11th, Muslim Americans from across Metro Detroit gathered at Clark Park in Detroit. They were there to participate in “A-Ok Detroit: A weekend of restoration and remembrance”, a day of service in commemoration of 9/11 that was organized by state and local non-profit groups.
“Eid Mubarak. [Blessed Holiday.]” They greeted one another with hugs and kisses on the cheek. The night before, they had just celebrated the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid with friends and family, officially breaking 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting.
This year, Eid overlapped with the anniversary of 9/11, making the day particularly significant for Muslim Americans.
Representative Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim woman to win a seat in the Michigan legislature, said that both 9/11 and Eid emphasize personal reflection, and that doing community service is a great way to pay respects to both occasions.
But this year, Eid and September 11th also come at a time when the American media is heavily focusing on “Islamophobia”, and when discussions of the proposed Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero have sparked hateful rhetoric. According to a recent poll conducted by the Washington Post, approximately half of all Americans hold an unfavorable view toward Islam.
This surprises Christina Rountree, a Muslim American who joined a crew of volunteers who helped clean up Piquette Square, Michigan’s largest shelter for homeless veterans. “I’m frustrated,” Rountree said referring to the recent negative publicity Muslims have received, “but I’m not angry.”
She says anger can get tiring. As a young African American woman, and flight attendant, Rountree has been a target of discrimination not only for her religious faith.
Rountree says her personal philosophy is to “just do it”—to spend less time talking about the problems, and more time doing something about it. It’s this type of attitude that brought her out on a Saturday morning to help clean-up her city.
Volunteering beside Rountree was Imam Aly Lela of the Islamic Association of Greater Detroit (IAGD). “[Volunteering] is how [members of IAGD] chose to celebrate Eid, and commemorate September 11th,” he said, “9/11 happened to all of us as Americans. Instead of using this day to point fingers, we need to be more united.”
Sarah Youssef, a Muslim American who also came out to participate in “A-ok Detroit”, recalls where she was on 9/11. “When the plane hit the first tower, I was in high school in a classroom without a television.” While walking to her next class, still unaware of the terrorist attack, Youssef saw her friend get shoved against a locker and called “a fucking terrorist” by another student. She didn’t understand why until she arrived to her next class, where her teacher had the television on.
On that day, Youssef, along with many of her Muslim classmates, were pulled out of school early by their parents because of concerns for their safety. This confused and angered her. “I felt like I had nothing to hide. I did nothing wrong. I am an American. I was born and raised here. This is my country too.”
Since 9/11, Muslim Americans have experienced increased discrimination and profiling by the media and the public. But for so many Muslim Americans, life simply goes on.
Rountree makes a conscientious effort not to live her life on the defensive. Following 9/11, a friend asked her whether she is going to lead her life just talking about what Islam isn’t, or whether she is going to lead her life living out what Islam is. “That question really impacted me,” Rountree said.
Muslim American Zenobia Lee also volunteered at “A-ok Detroit”. When asked why, she said, “Because I care about my community.” It’s not because it’s Ramadan or the anniversary of September 11th, Lee says, service work is an essential part of her Islamic faith and lifestyle.
Muslim Americans who did community service on the 9th anniversary of 9/11 didn’t do so to make a political statement. It was not a publicity stunt to get positive attention at a time when the media is so focused on the issue of Islamophobia. They participated in acts of service because that’s what they did before 9/11, and that’s what they will continue to do as concerned citizens.
After a day of weeding outside Piquette Square, Imam Lela will return home to celebrate Eid with his wife and three daughters. He will return to Clark Park early the next morning for another day of community service.On Saturday morning, the ninth anniversary of September 11th, Muslim Americans from... more
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For U.S. Muslims, a 9/11 anniversary like no other
They're trying to counter furor over N.Y. Islamic center proposal
Mary Altaffer / AP
Demonstrators hold up signs during a news conference on the step of New York's City Hall on Wednesday
By RACHEL ZOLL
updated 9/4/2010 6:21:49 PM ET
NEW YORK — American Muslims are boosting security at mosques, seeking help from leaders of other faiths and airing ads underscoring their loyalty to the United States — all ahead of a 9/11 anniversary they fear could bring more trouble for their communities.
Their goal is not only to protect Muslims, but also to prevent them from retaliating if provoked. One Sept. 11 protest in New York against the proposed Islamic center near ground zero is expected to feature Geert Wilders, the aggressively anti-Islam Dutch lawmaker. The same day in Gainesville, Fla., the Dove World Outreach Center plans to burn copies of the Quran.
"We can expect crazy people out there will do things, but we don't want to create a hysteria," among Muslims, said Victor Begg of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan. "Americans, in general, they support pluralism. It's just that there's a lot of misinformation out there that has created confusion."
Story: Hoping to correct image, Muslims greet fairgoers
On Tuesday, the Islamic Society of North America will hold a summit of Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders in Washington "to address the growing tide of fear and intolerance" in the furor over the planned New York mosque.
Islamic centers in many cities are intensifying surveillance and keeping closer contact with law enforcement. Adding to Muslim concern is a fluke of the lunar calendar: Eid al-Fitr, a joyous holiday marking the end of Ramadan, will fall around Sept. 11 this year. Muslim leaders fear festivities could be misinterpreted as celebrating the 2001 terror strikes.
"We're telling everyone to keep their eyes open and report anything suspicious to authorities and call us," said Ramzy Kilic of the Tampa, Fla., chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations.
Other efforts around 9/11 aim to fight bigotry. Muslims will clean parks, feed the homeless, and give toys to sick children as part of Muslim Serve, a national campaign to demonstrate Islamic commitment to serving humanity.
Separately, groups are distributing ads to combat persistent suspicions about Islam. One spot, called "My Faith, My Voice," features American Muslims saying, "I don't want to take over this country."
Sept. 11 anniversaries have always been challenging for U.S. Muslims, who have been under scrutiny since the attacks. This year, the commemoration follows a stunning summer in which opposition to a planned Islamic community center near the World Trade Center site escalated into a national uproar over Islam, extremism and religious freedom.
Islamic centers as far away as Tennessee and California faced protests and vandalism. In western New York, police said a group of teenagers recently yelled obscenities, set off a car alarm and fired a shotgun during two nights of drive-by harassment at a small-town mosque near Lake Ontario.
Usama Shami, board chairman for the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, said a new mosque the congregation has been building for years drew little attention until recently, when some resistance emerged in the neighborhood and from some in city government. Recently, vandals broke into the new building, spilled paint on the floor and broke expensive windows.
Shami believes the ground zero dispute is partly to blame for the trouble, along with passions unleashed by Arizona's strict new law that would require police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally.
"All of these issues came at the same time," Shami said. "When things like that happen, I think they bring out the worst in some people."
On Sept. 11 in Chicago, Zeenat Rahman, a 34-year-old native of the city, will visit a local nursing home with Muslim and non-Muslim friends to spend time with residents and help serve a meal.
"This is when people are going to look at our community, and when they do, what are they going to see?" said Rahman, a policy director for the Interfaith Youth Core, which promotes pluralism. "Sometimes, saying 'Islam means peace,' feels a little defensive and apologetic, whereas service is really core to our faith."
Unity Productions Foundation, a Washington-area group that specializes in films about Islam and Muslim Americans, will hold an interfaith talk on Sept. 11 at the Washington Jewish Community Center.
Speakers include Monem Salam, the subject of a Unity Productions film titled, "On a Wing and a Prayer: An American Muslim Learns to Fly." Unity recently launched groundzerodialogue.org, where visitors can view films and use them for community discussion about Islam in the U.S.
Salam, 38, of Bellingham, Wash., usually spends the Eid weekend with his wife and three young children, but said he persuaded his wife he had to participate in the event.
"I have to leave them and go across the country to answer questions about Islam," said Salam, a portfolio manager who was 4 years old when his family left Pakistan for the U.S. "It's unfortunate. It's the time that we live in."
The Associated Press.For U.S. Muslims, a 9/11 anniversary like no other
They're trying to counter... more
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A new report by scholars at Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill says the number of radicalized Muslim-Americans is small.A new report by scholars at Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill says the number of... more
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A profile of Muslim Girl Magazine, a new publication that challenges American stereotypes about Muslims and empowers a community at large.A profile of Muslim Girl Magazine, a new publication that challenges American... more
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