Midterm project: Breaking the Stereotype

The September 11, 2001 attacks created problems for more than just the United States: Muslim-American citizens became one of the most discriminated groups in the country. But with time has come a slow following of acceptance for the Islamic culture.

                Over the past 10 to 20 years, attacks and threats to the United States led by organized Middle-Eastern terrorist groups have led to widespread discrimination and stereotyping of Muslim-Americans. However, 56 percent of American Muslims polled said they were satisfied with the direction the country was headed, according to a 2011 Pew Research Study.

                “I think that Americans have started to understand that not all Muslims are bad. There is good and bad in every religious sect, not just Islam,” junior Amru Abualneel said.

                Although discrimination against Muslim-Americans has continued to be prevalent years after the September 11 attacks, the blatant hatred towards the religion and its following has seemed to begin to subside.

                Unlike many other American born Muslims, Abualneel and his family have not encountered the unfair instances of discrimination as many others have.

                “I’ve known Amru for a while, and for as long as I have known him I can’t think of a time where anybody has looked at him differently or been rude to him just because of his race,” University of Texas junior Jay Mariscal said.

                As wide-spread hatred and discriminatory actions have begun to diminish, Muslims have established a more secure and equal place in both American society, and amongst their religious community.

                Places of Islamic worship have climbed to 74 percent in the last decade and 91 percent of these mosque leaders said they believe Muslims should further their involvement in United States politics, according to “The American Mosque 2011” survey conducted by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies and other Islamic civic and religious groups.

                “I think that even if Amru were ever falsely stereotyped, he would probably turn the other cheek. He’s not exactly 100 percent devout like other Muslim Americans I know, but he knows what he believes and is proud of his faith,” sophomore Rachel Krummanacher said.

                Although Muslim-American discrimination has not completely ceased, many Islamic followers like Abualneel have recognized its slow disappearance upon entering another decade, giving hope to breaking stereotypes in the future.