It seems that American
society has always had a boogieman figure, a fanged monster looming on the
horizon that the whole of the United States can hate collectively. In the
pre-World War II years it was the Germans and the Japanese; then, during the
cold war, it was the Communists. However, since the collapse of the Soviet
Union, Arab Muslims have increasingly come to replace the Red Scare as
America's new fanged monster. While the September 11th attacks in 2001 were an
important contributor to this point of view, the 80s and 90s were decades in
which Arabs and Muslims were increasingly portrayed in a negative light in
movies, television, and in the media. Today, the situation has worsened to a
degree that most Americans consider Muslims as an enemy, a threat that is
completely alien to the American way of life.
Ignorance is probably the
main cause of this distorted view of Islam andMuslims. The only exposure most Americans have had to Muslims
comes from the acts of Muslim extremists. However, there are more than one
billion Muslims in the world, of which these Muslim heretics form a tiny part.
The vast majority of Muslims are appalled by the actions of terrorists and
oppressive so-called Muslim governments. Judging Muslims by the actions of
these heretics is equivalent to judging all Christians by members of heinous
organizations like the Westboro Baptist Church, or by right-wing extremist terrorist
acts like the mass murder of children and teenagers in Norway.
In the view of many
Americans, Muslim immigrants in the United States are there to spread Islam
around the world and attempt to enforce Shariah law on the general population.
However, like most other immigrants, Muslims travel to the United States to
create a new life for themselves and their loved ones and to live in dignity
and freedom. The ridiculous idea of enforcing Shariah law on the general
population is based on a nebulous understanding of Shariah, which has quickly
become a sort of catchphrase for right-wing politicians. A code word that
allows them to justify bigotry, prejudice, and racism. Most Muslim immigrants
pay taxes, are productive members of society, and live quiet, productive lives
among their families and friends (both Muslim and non-Muslim.)
The Qur'an strictly
prohibits attempting to coerce other people into following Islam. It also
condemns all forceful action that is not in self-defense. Shariah law is also a
code of ethics and guidelines that is based on the Qur'an, intended for
Muslims. It is completely incompatible with Islam to attempt to enforce Shariah
law on a non-Muslim population. Fighting against this unfair portrayal of Islam
in American society will be difficult. The best tool that Muslims have to fight
the ignorance and bigotry at the base of this phenomenon is knowledge and
information. Most Americans fear and hate Muslims because they have never met
one.
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