Suspicions Against Muslim Americans Runs High

Since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers which killed over 3,000 people (mostly Americans), numerous Americans have expressed and shown their dislike and hatred towards Muslims. The trauma and fear instilled during that faithful day has greatly influenced how Americans think about Islam today. In fact, various American groups have tagged Islam to be the primary enemy of the United States. Even the U.S. President himself has been hit by stereotyping. A lot of people now believe that Pres. Obama is a Muslim and as evident to the struggles of the economy and the nation, he is also trying to destroy America.

The massive uproar eventually started when news broke out about a planned construction of a Mosque just two blocks away from the Ground Zero site. Because the terrorist attack on 9/11 was initiated by Islamic extremists, people began strongly opposing the idea of putting an Islamic symbol near the memorable site. Most Americans have expressed their disgust over the planned Islamic center stating that it was indeed an act of disrespect to all the fallen victims of 9/11. Matters got worse when Obama supported the building of the Mosque stating the reason of religious freedom. That is when people become more inclined to believe that Obama is secretly a Muslim.

The problem with Islam will most probably become the heaviest threat to national security. Just weeks before the commemoration of 9/11, various groups have already initiated direct or indirect assaults to Islamic centers in the US. In recent months, mosques in Tennessee, California, New York and elsewhere have been shot at and vandalized. And just last week, a Florida Pastor has urged his followers to burn Qurans during the commemoration of 9/11 in order to express their anger and hatred towards Islam. The Muslim community quickly condemned the planned event stating that it is a direct attack to Islam and is a form of disrespect to the religion.

While we see the growing tensions between various American religious groups and Muslims, we often forget that there are also Muslims who perished during the 9/11 attacks. American Muslims now face the hardest task of living alongside a community who mistakenly tag them as a threat to society. Now, Muslims are asking why their efforts to be accepted in the United States have been so easily thwarted. Despite of the efforts by Muslim Americans to condemn terrorism and be one with the nation, they are still being bombarded by negative sentiments and are surrounded by suspicion.

Efforts by Muslim groups to persuade non-Muslim Americans to believe that their intention is simply to live in peace have continuously failed. These groups blame various organizations who launch well-funded initiatives to spread misinformation about Islam. There are now hundreds of websites that depict terror acts done by Muslims which in fact are unreal and are just hated claims. Muslim Americans are now struggling to regain back their freedom and respect. They wonder when will Non-Muslim Americans finally believe them.