We have all learned about the morning of September 11, 2001 and how it changed everything about life in America. However, many of these history lessons fail to mention the personal impact on Muslim Americans and the discrimination they faced and continue to face to this day the attacks on 9/11. Abu-Ras, an associate editor of the Journal of Muslim Mental Health, mentions that Muslim Americans were triply traumatized. First, by the attack, which everyone in America was traumatized by, second, by the attacks they personally received from the American population and third, by the policies created by the government that specifically targeted Arab Americans (Mekouar).
The government created about 20 policies implementing anti-terrorist initiatives and 15 of these explicitly targeted Arabs and Muslims living in America. For example, the summer after the attacks, all men from certain Arab and Muslim countries were required to be fingerprinted and questioned to investigate if they were a part of the attacks. Not one result came back with a correlation. The government also put most Muslim-owned businesses under surveillance which also concluded with no correlation to the attacks. Harsh surveillance and intended trauma could be considered hate crimes which Muslim Americans experienced a rise of by nearly 500% from the year 2000 to 2010 (Kumar). This staggering statistic does not include many incidents of personal attacks these Americans experienced in their schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
It has been two decades since the 9/11 attacks and many Muslim Americans have to continue to fight for their identity. In the story we are reading this week, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, we learn about Changez, the main character who is a pristine Pakistani man. He was living his dream working at an incredible financial firm in New York but after the 9/11 attacks, he experienced hate and discrimination like never before. The first step towards equality is education and Mohsin Hamid takes a step towards change by sharing Changez story.
Dandia, Asad, et al. “What It Meant to Be Muslim in America after 9/11.” NPR, NPR, 9 Sept. 2021, https://www.npr.org/2021/09/09/1035578745/what-it-meant-to-be-muslim-in-america-after-9-11.
Mariam Fam, Deepti Hajela. “Two Decades after 9/11, Muslim Americans Still Fighting Bias.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 7 Sept. 2021, https://apnews.com/article/September-11-Muslim-Americans-93f97dd9219c25371428f4268a2b33b4.
Mekouar, Dora. “How 9/11 Changed Arab and Muslim Americans.” VOA, How 9/11 Changed Arab and Muslim Americans, 21 Sept. 2021, https://www.voanews.com/a/6222700.html.
Hello.
I have never tried to look into a Muslim Americans’ experience after the tragic 9/11 event until after reading your post. Just because certain Muslims performed terrorist attacks, it doesn’t mean all Muslims Americans and even other Muslims are terrorists themselves. The discrimination against Muslim Americans remind me how Japanese Americans were discriminated when Japan fought against the United States in World War 2. Not all Japanese Americans want to fight against America just like how not all Muslim Americans want to terrorize America.
Hi!
You made interesting points that are significant in our history. As a result of 9/11 we focused on the victims and what happened rather than realizing Muslims too are victims as a result of this as their life has changed forever. I constantly see parody films or “memes” stereotyping Muslims with bombs or making them feel as the one to fear or the outsider. This is important to note and educated not only our class but society about.
Hi! Very interesting context post! It is sad how much 9/11 had such a drastic impact on Muslim Americans til this day and is a topic that is less talked about. On the one hand, I understand where Americans were coming from for implementing all the surveillance on the Muslims after 9/11. They were scarred and they were scared and did not know anything. It was a horrifying tragedy that changed America forever, but on the other hand, it does not mean all that extra security they added for Muslims was right especially that there were no correlations shown after doing that and this also created bad stereotypes for Muslims.
Hello,
I think the topic of your context presentation is super important. I don’t think many people realize the discrimination that Muslims face due to 9/11. I like how you mentioned all the ways that 9/11 affected them personally, socially, and politically.
Hi, I think the topic of your context presentation is one that goes unnoticed and is under educated in the American school system. Growing up in the United States, students are exposed to 9/11 documentaries and information weeks prior and after the event annually. However, most of these documentaries or subject around the matter fail to acknowledge the hardships and discrimination placed on the American Muslim community who had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks.
Hello! Really great post. I am extremely intrigued by your post and cannot wait to continue on in the story. It is heartbreaking to think about how these Muslim Americans had to cope with not only 9/11, but all of the hate and discrimination they were faced with after the attacks. The statistic about the fingerprinting was extremely saddening. All of these poor people were faced with the horror of fingerprinting and governmental screenings to all be proven innocent. I wish people were educated about this stigma and attempted to make change.
Your Context Presentation is great! I like how you describe the personal impacts 9/11 had on Muslim Americans because their perspective was not included in my historical education and I think their perspectives and mental health is very important. Publicly distinguishing all affiliates and members of al-Qaeda, in contrast to all Muslims within and outside the United States who do not align with and oppose al-Qaeda, is really important in my opinion because basic information like this lays the groundwork of American culture. Thank you for sharing.
Hello, I first wanted to say that I came away from your context presentation with what I feel is a more well-rounded understanding of the depth of the September 11 attacks. When discussed, I feel that very rarely are the lives of those here at home in America, and the personal attacks they saw discussed. It is important to have a grasp on all aspects of such a tragic, historic topic, and this presentation can help everyone advance towards that point.