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August 22, 2003
Challenges before the American Muslim community
Defending civil rights has been the single most important challenge before the seven million-strong American Muslim community as the consequences of the 9/11 tragic terrorist attacks continue to unfold. The erosion of civil rights came in the form of various programs and legislations such as the USA Patriot Act, which effectively nullifies Amendments 4, 5, 6, and 8 directly and indirectly amendments 1 and 9 and the INS Special Registration which targeted men from Muslim countries. The fallout continues to impact the daily life of Muslims at schools, in the workplace, in general public encounters and mistreatment at the hand of federal government personnel. Many Muslim homes and businesses were raided while profiling-based interrogations and searches continued.
Contributing to the rise of discrimination against Muslims is the continuing anti-Muslim rhetoric, especially by some evangelical leaders and neoconservatives. Anti-Muslim bias has become an endemic disease. Besides print media, many radio talk show hosts are perpetuating the myth that Islam is a violent faith. Fox News is dedicated to a full-time anti-Islam campaign. There is also an effective opposition to Islam in America in the political arena. Political and religious leaders also exploited this anti-Islam rhetoric as shown by the remarks of Mr. Shawn Steel, former chairman of the California Republican Party, who, speaking at a pro-war rally at USC called Islam a diseased faith.
The community has responded with media campaigns, open houses at mosques, outreach with other communities and political activism.
Muslim organizations are learning to rise to the occasion with new strategies and new methodologies. The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) one of the leading American Muslim civil rights organization last September launched a program to raise awareness about Islam and counter anti-Muslim bigotry. The yearlong campaign, “Explore Islamic Civilization and Culture,” distributes books, videos, and audiocassettes about Islam and Muslims to 16,200 public libraries around the nation.
Two major American Muslim organizations, the San Francisco based-American Muslim Alliance with about 100 chapters in 34 US States and the Washington based-American Muslim Council, a major Muslim advocacy group, decided to merge and form the new organization to pool their resources in order to promote the cause of the community. The two organizations, along with CAIR and Muslim Public Affairs Council, played an important role in motivating the American Muslims to vote en bloc for George Bush in 2000 presidential election. A study on the 2000 election showed that 72 percent of Muslims voted for President Bush. The newly formed MAC is expected to play a crucial role in the 2004 general elections.
Although the work of CAIR, AMA, AMV and other Muslim American organizations is commendable but still they have to go along way to formulate a unified policy to meet the challenges faced by the community.
In the final analysis, the observation of Congressman Jim McDermott (D-Washington) gives a deep insight into the civil liberties issue: The events of 9-11 have unleashed primal emotions and suspended the innate skepticism of the American people. Out of fear, we have allowed ourselves to give away our liberties to the 'generals in charge' of homeland security. Americans are regularly asked to 'beware!' And we learned that it is unpatriotic to question. Fear leads us to assent to policies that undermine the common good and make us less secure in an interdependent world. …. President Franklin Roosevelt asserted that 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' Fear paralyses. Fear blinds us to the dangers that arise from the very methods we use to defend ourselves. (Speech at the Veterans for Peace 2003 National Convention in San Francisco)
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