Discrimination in the Muslim Community
Freedom of worship is a pertinent characteristic of any civilized society. However, this is not the case even in nations that are perceived to be truly civilized. In the U.S., the Muslim community has been victim to hostility and abject discrimination (American Civil Liberties Union, 2012). This discrimination worsened after the September 11 attacks believed to have been carried out by the Islamic Al-Qaeda terrorist group.
As a result, Muslims have been targeted in every realm of society including institutional, social and economic setups. The September 11, 2011 affected almost every American in one way or another. However, the Muslim community is perhaps affected more than any other group. According to Moore (2010), Muslims living in America have experienced continuous violation of their economic and political liberties. For instance, when compared to other groups, there is increased surveillance of Muslims even in mosques; a fact that has further strained the relationship between the government and the Muslim community.
Socially, Muslims have been victims of abuse, vandalism and even shootings. This has been perpetuated by the stereotypic perception of Muslims as individuals who are encouraged to participate in terrorist activities by their religion. As a result, Muslims have faced threats through telephones, the internet and even face to face. Economic discrimination is also rampant. Moore (2010) reports that Muslims are face discrimination at their places of work or their business premises.
This takes place in the form of name-calling, restriction from wearing certain religious attire or participating in prayer at certain times of the day as required by their faith. The information acquired from the internet for this cultural immersion project has sprung a surprise in the sense that Muslims face discrimination at their places of work where they are supposed to be protected and valued for their contribution. It is also surprising that even the government, which has the responsibility to ensure that all citizens are protected and have equal rights, also discriminates against them. According to Morgan (2011), Muslims have been barred by local authorities from constructing mosques in some states.
