Source/Credit: The Virginia Pilot | Op/Ed
By Qasim Rashid | September 19, 2010
Two of my colleagues recently engaged in a heated debate about 9/11. The Muslim recalled the “good old pre-9/11” days, when Muslims were viewed favorably in America. He contemplated how America turned on all Muslims right after 9/11 without giving Muslim Americans a chance. The non-Muslim said quite the opposite, that it was exclusively Muslims who never gave America a real chance, despite everything America has done for the Muslim world.
While both my colleagues may have been well-intentioned, they were preventing the facts from getting in the way of a good story. According to Pew Research, Islam had only a 45 percent approval rating in March 2001. In March 2002, just after the horrific terrorist attacks, that rating dropped to 38 percent. While that rating maintained around 40 percent through 2009, Pew reports that Islam’s rating last month was only 30 percent. Why would Islam’s approval rating plummet nine years after 9/11, when it was never that low before?
Non-Muslims in America offer valid arguments for their current concerns. Shocking events like the Fort Hood shooting, the failed Times Square bombing and the five Virginian Muslim youth convicted on terrorism charges seem to indicate that Islam and America are incompatible. On the flip side, Muslim Americans also offer valid reasons for their less-than-enthusiastic view of America. Pew reports that 41 percent of American-born Muslims claim they have been the victims of religious discrimination. Countless innocent Muslim civilians lost their lives in the Iraq war. The recent wave of anti-mosque propaganda has fueled the fire. At this junction, the future looks bleak. Nine years after 9/11, we profess to honor the thousands who gave and are giving their lives for our country, yet our divisiveness has increased. Both sides have valid concerns, but not enough members of either side are willing to separate the mistakes of a few for the sake of the many. For example, Major Nidal Hasan acted alone. Why should his actions speak louder than the thousands of Muslim Americans serving honorably in our military, many of whom have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan? Faisal Shahzad too acted alone. Why should his disloyalty speak louder than the 2.4 million loyal Muslim Americans? Even the five Virginians convicted on terrorism charges received no comfort from a Muslim American group.
If Muslim Americans feel discriminated against, it is nothing compared to what Prophet Muhammad endured. His example of winning the hearts of his countrymen with love should be their guide. While the Iraq war can never be undone, the fact that it is ending should be of comfort. Moreover, the vast majority of Americans loathe the Iraq war, with support consistently dipping below 30 percent.
Finally, Muslims must separate the individual desires of some who object to mosque construction from what our Constitution actually declares — that it prohibits any law that restricts the establishment of religion. Moreover, history demonstrates that a fusion of Islam and America is realistic. Consider the oldest Muslim American organization in our nation, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It has continually advocated loyalty to country, separation of mosque and state and a firm rejection of all forms of religious violence. Its campaign for peace has existed since its establishment here nearly a century ago. Among the community’s members are doctors, lawyers, actors, artists, teachers, cab drivers, pharmacists, engineers, business owners and athletes. For them, there is no conflict between Islam and America. The evidence is their 90-year peaceful existence. We, as Americans of all races and religions, decide if the nine-year anniversary of 9/11 will guide our nation to become a more unified force or continue in the paranoia of religious discrimination and government distrust. As a united America, we won our freedom, abolished slavery, championed women’s rights and outlawed segregation. Let us remember these facts of our history and overcome the current challenges. After all, it would be both un-American and un-Islamic to let a bad story get in the way of good facts.
Read original post here: Moving Toward Healing, Nine Years After 9/11
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