Pearl Harbor. What "enemy" nation would you associate this event with? Unfortunately, many of us would think of Japan. During this time period of the events of Pearl Harbor, Japanese people residing in this country were believed to be associated as bad people that were spying on the United States, and were therefore thrown into jails. Even though these were U.S. citizens, the Japanese were automatically tossed into the category of "against the United States" because their mother nation was the enemy against the United States. The same stereotype has been placed on Muslims here in the United States as well as in the Middle East. Things have not been turning out well for citizens here, because there have been hate crimes occurring all around the United States that are geared specifically towards Muslims.
In New York City, just a few blocks away from the site of Ground Zero, a Muslim cab driver was stabbed to death on the job by a person that shared in this hatred towards Muslims. There have been numerous reports on a national level by "FBI agents and civil rights division investigators also are looking into vandalism and other incidents at mosques or mosque construction sites in Arlington, Texas; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Madera, California,; and Waterport, N.Y." (New Haven Register E3). It seems that this hatred is spreading to all ends and angles of the United States in the North, South, East, and West. Threatening messages of lives were left at several mosques, and the list goes on about the occurring hate crimes. It appears to be the "season of hate" against Muslims, considering the anniversary of September 11th, 2001. As discussed in one of my previous blogs, A Flordia pastor caused a global uproar with his event of National Burn a Quran day on the 9/11 anniversary.
How do Muslims here in the United States feel about the hate crimes targeted towards them? "U.S. Muslims say their national organizations share the blame, for answering intricate questions about Islam with platitudes, and failing to fully examine the potential for extremism within their communitities" (Record Journal, Rachel Zoll). Muslims here as well as in the Middle East understand that ignorance may be what is causing this hate crime, but they don't appreciate the fact that they are being grouped as one unit in that all are terrorists. Muslims here all insist that "I'm American too",but many people questions their loyalty to this country. What is making this worse and escalating the hate crimes is the propoganda and intensified images of violence overseas in the name of Islam with the U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. In my opinion, this country is being very contradictory because while they are poking fun of a situation and its members, they are also hurting members of this country too. The media needs to understand that what they profess to the public can catch the attention of its audience and persuade people to act on behalf of their feelings, which can lead to these hate crimes. Public Relations in the Middle East are trying very hard to maintain and repair their image seen in the United States for the sake of their area, and Muslims in the United States.
What is the United States doing as a result of these hate crimes? After these reports, the Attorney General Eric Holder met Tuesday with Muslim and other religious leaders to discuss these attacks and "reiterated teh department's strong commitment to prosecuting hate crimes. Violence against individuals or institutions based on religious bias is interolerable, and the department will bring anyone who commits such crimes to justice" (New Haven Register E3). I wonder if the Attorney General will hold true to his statement and make a concerted effort against hate crimes. I also wonder, what will be the punishments or the "justice" brought forth against those who promote this hate crime. It will be an interesting case to see once an occurance happens. Other religions have been supporting the Muslim faith against these hate crimes because they realize that it is not fair to prosecute those under one faith, especially when one of the beauties of this country is based on the First Amendment, "freedom of religion". "Many Jewish, Roman Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, atheist and other groups have responded with an outpouring of support for Muslims, but suspicion remains high among many Americans." (Record Journal, RAchel Zoll).
This relates to what we are learning in the textbook ,"The Basics of Social Research", by Earl Babbie, because it discusses first of Conceptions, Concepts, and Reality. A conception is a techniccal term for mental images that we put together to form a concept. Not always are our conceptions correct, because they may turn into misconceptions in which an idea/thought is not true in reality. This relates to the idea that Americans have a misconception on Muslims, because they seem to believe that all Muslims are terrorists after the events of 9/11. What I hope to get out of my thesis is a conceptualization which is, "The process through which we specify what we mean when we use particular terms in research" (Babbie pg. 134) and I hope to better understand feelings of the MIddle East. When studying variable, I could look into nominal and ordinal measures to better understand people and what they believe.
I strongly agree with what Scott Morrow says in the New Haven Register, "Our communities are strengthened by the religious observances and practice of our neighbors." How true this is, all of us need to make a conscious effort to do good in this world, and then we can make the world a better place.
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