Discrimination of Muslims
Introduction
Discrimination is defined as the unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice. One of the most infamous topics on discrimination in our world today is that of ethnicity. Due to recent tragic events, such as the September 11 attacks, most Americans have unfairly stereotyped Muslims and the religion of Islam. People fear what they do not understand; therefore, it is important to educate citizens about the views and beliefs of Muslims.
Islam is a religious culture that is torn and divided, at one end radical Islamic extremists struggle to fight what they consider a "holy war" by corrupting Muslim followers into believing that westerner globalization will stand in the way of the purity of Islam. These views are certainly true of Osama Bin Laden and other radical extremists but not the majority of Muslims around the world, who follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and have nothing to do with the violent events some have associated with radical extremists. If an individual Muslim were to commit an act of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of Islam.
In 2005 the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a report to advance the understanding of political, human rights, and social issues. The 63-page document presented a historical overview of major federal law enforcement initiatives, high-profile national cases, and statistical evidence of anti-Muslim discrimination in the United States.
Religious Discrimination by the Majority
In 2004, CAIR recorded a 49 percent increase from 2003 in incidents of harassment, violence, and discriminatory treatment (5). The report also documented a 52 percent increase in potential and actual violent anti-Muslim hate crimes, a statistic which marks record high figures since the inception of the council eleven years ago (5). These disturbing numbers show the growing disparity in how American Muslims are treated by other citizens. In Florida, CBS news
Discrimination is defined as the unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice. One of the most infamous topics on discrimination in our world today is that of ethnicity. Due to recent tragic events, such as the September 11 attacks, most Americans have unfairly stereotyped Muslims and the religion of Islam. People fear what they do not understand; therefore, it is important to educate citizens about the views and beliefs of Muslims.
Islam is a religious culture that is torn and divided, at one end radical Islamic extremists struggle to fight what they consider a "holy war" by corrupting Muslim followers into believing that westerner globalization will stand in the way of the purity of Islam. These views are certainly true of Osama Bin Laden and other radical extremists but not the majority of Muslims around the world, who follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and have nothing to do with the violent events some have associated with radical extremists. If an individual Muslim were to commit an act of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of Islam.
In 2005 the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a report to advance the understanding of political, human rights, and social issues. The 63-page document presented a historical overview of major federal law enforcement initiatives, high-profile national cases, and statistical evidence of anti-Muslim discrimination in the United States.
Religious Discrimination by the Majority
In 2004, CAIR recorded a 49 percent increase from 2003 in incidents of harassment, violence, and discriminatory treatment (5). The report also documented a 52 percent increase in potential and actual violent anti-Muslim hate crimes, a statistic which marks record high figures since the inception of the council eleven years ago (5). These disturbing numbers show the growing disparity in how American Muslims are treated by other citizens. In Florida, CBS news
References: BBC Online Network. (1999, October 4). World: America 's Supreme Court Backs Beards. Retrieved July 30, 2005, from the World Wide Web: . Council on American-Islamic Relations. (2005). The Status of Muslim Civil Rights in the United States. Retrieved July 20, 2005, from the World Wide Web: . Kerr, Jennifer. (2003, July 16). CBS News. Anti-Muslim Discrimination On Rise. Retrieved July 20, 2005, from the World Wide Web: . Marshall, Paul, Green, Roberta, & Gilbert, Lela. (2002). Islam at the Crossroads. Understanding its Beliefs, History, and Conflicts. Baker Book House. Grand Rapids, MI. Muslim Civil Rights Center. (2005, February 1). Denial of Religious Accommodation. Retrieved July 30, 2005, from the World Wide Web: .