Muslim Americans Post 9/11

Ground Zero Mosque (Park51) debate

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmDip9BaFUU

Effect of 9/11 on US

• 2001-2002, FBI reported a 1,700 % (!) increase of hate crimes against Muslim Americans

• prejudice, racism and Islamophobia

“There are things that are said in the media about Arabs and Muslims that would never be tolerated or said about any other group."

Effect on Muslim Americans

• Anxiety, depression and even trauma• 82 % felt unsafe to extremely unsafe in the

United States after 9/11• But they've also found effective coping and

resilience, especially among the young.

The Struggles• 77% Muslims in US are citizens

• Face verbal attacks for their ethnic and religious persuasion.

• Daily activities disrupted.

• Muslim is regarded as anti-American; Struggle to find identity

“I was called al-Qaeda, terrorist and other horrible names in school”

“Twice, boys in my class pushed me around, saying ‘Isn’t this the Islamic way?’”

Female struggles• the perception and

understanding of Muslim women is often limited to the oppression of women in Islam

“‘Oh, you’re an Arab and Muslim, so where’s the harem and all the men?’”

Improvements?

• Mosque goers are primarily the younger Muslim Americans.

• Since 9/11, many have sought a greater understanding of their faith and culture.

• “I think we live in a much more accepting time than the immediate post 9-11 years, but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DalYj2xvZo