NYC-2001-11-15
Muslim
Youth
Unfairly Targeted
By Abanty Farzana
As
we move on from what seems like an unforgettable event, New York
City's Arab and Muslim youth are still reeling in fear. Just as
I feel uncomfortable and try to ignore sneers from strangers,
so do other young people.
The key suspect in the terrorist attacks, whose picture is shown
over and over again on the news and in magazines, is Osama bin
Laden. He is a Muslim. The hijackers who crashed the planes into
the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania were
Muslims as well.
Now, Muslims living in America have to deal with being thought
of as terrorists. Islam is a religion of peace, but since the
attacks, it's been seen as a religion of hate and anger to many
people who don't know much about it.
People Are Ignorant
"School's difficult," said Selina Ali, 17, a Richmond
Hill HS senior. "My teacher singled me out [as the only Muslim
student in the class] and I got into an argument with another
student. He said, 'Because of you Muslims, Americans are getting
attacked.' A lot of people are ignorant and don't know that all
Muslims aren't like that."
Young Muslims in America, many for the first time, find themselves
explaining Islam and its message. They're just as angry at the
terrorists as anyone else, but they're additionally upset by how
the terrorists used their religion to justify their hateful actions.
"I think it's sick that the people who have murdered several
thousands of people have done it in the name of Allah," said
Neemarie Alam, 18, who goes to Brooklyn College.
"The Quran urges Muslims to be just with all people,"
she said. "'Allah commands justice, the doing of good and
liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds,
and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive
admonition.' I wish people understood that the men who did this
used religion as a cover; this act had political reasons."
Expressing
Sorrow and Fear
Organizations formed as outlets to the South Asian and Arab community,
like South Asian Youth Action (SAYA), in Queens, and the Arab-American
Family Support Center, in Brooklyn, have been overwhelmed with
people calling to express sorrow, support and, most of all, fear.
"Young people are verbally attacked," said Annetta Seecharran,
the executive director of SAYA. "There's fear among people
for their lives and homeland. We're dealing with kids who are
having more difficulty becoming part of American society. They've
[also] dealt with discriminatory attacks from employers and teachers."
There've been more than 200 bias attacks against people thought
to be Muslims reported throughout the nation since September 11.
Individuals have been attacked as well as mosques and Muslim-owned
stores and gas stations.
Like
Parting the Red Sea
"I've always faced a certain level of discrimination; my
scarf has always attracted looks at the beach," said Neemarie.
"But after the attacks, it felt like the streets I always
walk on were foreign. I plugged in my Nirvana to help me ignore
the glares and muttered curses," she said.
"I feel like Moses of the Red Sea; I clear a path as I walk.
People go the other way when they see me coming," she said.
Selina, a member of SAYA, said that her cousin, who goes to a
Muslim school, "took off her hijab [head scarf] because she
was scared." Non-Muslim kids were throwing rocks at students
leaving the school.
Removing
Traditional Clothing
And at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, she said,
"a guy pulled the hijab off my friend's head and yelled 'B-tch!'
People assume that [these attacks] are all rumors and they don't
know the depth of it."
"People being most affected are those who dress traditionally,"
said Sonali Matani, SAYA's program coordinator. So some Arabs
and Muslims are wearing less of their cultural clothing. Like
Selina's cousin, some women are taking off their hijabs and wearing
casual outfits.
And since Sikhs are mistaken for Muslims, some Sikh men aren't
wearing their turbans anymore. Sikhism is a religion influenced
by both Muslim and Hindu traditions and beliefs; most Sikhs are
from the Punjab region of India.
Thinking
About Safety
"South
Asians need to change their identity because they feel insecure
and unsafe," said Selina. "It's not about principles.
We need to think about our safety."
Selina
feels so strongly about Muslim discrimination that she's spoken
out on the radio show "Democracy Now" and to Spin and
Source magazines.
In
response to teens' fears, SAYA has formed a "Peace and Unity
Initiative" to hold education workshops. For more information,
call 718-651-3484. You can also check out their website at www.saya.org.
The
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee urges victims and
witnesses of attacks against Arabs and Muslims in America to call
the police immediately. People can also call the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights at 1-866-768-7227 for help.
