Structural racism in the United States
is the normalization and the legitimization of various dynamics that may be
historical, cultural, institutional, and interpersonal. It is the routine
advantage of individuals of one race, religious affiliation, creed, or
political affiliation at the expense of another. After the 9/11 attacks, there
was abject inequality and structural inequality faced by Muslim American s in
the United States. There has been a hierarchy and inequality characterized by
the stereotypes held about the Muslims regardless of whether they are Americans
or otherwise. There have been cases of outright oppression and unfair treatment
to Muslim with the affiliation to terrorist groups being at the top of the
list. Moreover, there has been preferential treatment and privileged power for
other Americans at the expense of the Americans from the Arabic or Islamic
descent leaving them religiously oppressed (Robert et. al., 2007). In the recent past, there was a case
of a young Muslim boy that did a science project and the teacher interpreted it
as a bomb leading to an immediate response. The reaction that must have
resulted to emotional, physical, and social trauma came about because the boy
was of Islamic descent and that is the basis on which the school reacted.
Structural inequalities against the Muslims are indicated in the inequalities
of power, opportunities, treatment, access and also policy impacts and outcomes
whether intentional or otherwise. However, the structural inequalities against
the Muslims are harder to locate in a given institution because it involves the
reinforcement effects of other institutions and cultural norms, past and the
present, reproducing old forms and constantly producing new forms of
discrimination against them.
Individuals of the Muslim religion are
often stereotyped and affiliated to terrorist attacks and are therefore targets
of police discrimination. It is abject discrimination because; some of the men
that face the searches and detentions on grounds of suspicion for being a
terrorist have never been out of the United States (Robert
et. al., 2007). There
was also the institutionalization of the Special Registration program that
required certain non-immigrant aliens to go through a process that involved
having to register with the authorities, subject to questioning, give their
fingerprints and even photographed while others had to continue with routine
reporting to the police. In as much as the federal government in support of the
program argued that it was just a fair security check, the program involved the
recalling and harassment of those individuals that came from Muslim countries.
There was also the under tapping and other activities by the FBI against the
will and consent of the Muslims and targeted some mosques in the country. The
routine targeting caused the Muslims apprehension and emotional fear, they were
also subjected to social segregation in some cases as some people attached them
to being criminals when they were called into police custody for questioning or
when made to have to report to the authorities.
Workplace discrimination based on the
way an individual looks or believes a major stressor in itself among the Muslim
Americans. It is difficult finding a job, getting an opportunity for career
growth, maintaining a job, or securing a decent wage. Having to deal with
workplace discrimination is a stressor that no one deserves to contend with.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2001 indicated that there was an
increase in public harassment, workplace discrimination and hate emails towards
the Arabic and Muslim decent individuals (EEOC, 2001). A research by Rabby and
Rodgers (2009) aimed at gauging the impact of the 9/11 on the labor markets and
its effects on the Muslim Americans, indicated a drop in the number of young
Muslim men was working ad also their working hours reduced sign significantly.
The employment-population, ratios, and hours worked by the older Muslim men
also went very low.
According to the hate crimes report,
before the 9/11, Muslims were one of the least common religious groups
affiliate to crimes but with the attack, the report indicated that the number
skyrocketed to 481%. In fact, over 255 of cases reported to the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) were related to police discrimination (Hasan
& Moradi, 2004).
There has been recurring cases of the police discriminating and harassing the
Muslims. Some of the violations to their rights include raiding their homes
causing apprehension and psychological and emotional fear to the families,
asking inappropriate questions regarding the religion and even taking away
their belongings such as books written in Arabic. It led to the Muslims being
segregated and losing respect in society, and it is replicated to
discrimination and racial profiling on issues such as job placements leading to
economic losses and even some individuals choosing not to buy or engage at all
with Muslim run stores and other businesses (Hasan & Moradi,
2004).
Research indicates that the United
States labor markets for the Muslim Americans especially those of Arabic
descent suffered in a great way following the September 11 attack. In as much
as the findings indicate that the loss of the earnings was for a short time, it
is still not acceptable to have to punish a group of innocent Americans for the
mistakes and actions caused by other they do not even have any relations or
links with apart from sharing a common faith (Hasan & Moradi,
2004). There is, however, little research
that analyzes the effect of discrimination based on religion on students, but
is a problem that can be addressed through capacity building and awareness
creation of the teachers. Creating programs that are more inclusive and
including the Muslims related history in the textbooks instead of making
depictions of them as having come from Arabic countries where they live in the
deserts as students may picture it with the stereotypes they acquire in the
process of their socialization (Hasan & Moradi,
2004).
The retaliation by the US government to
the attacks on their soil have led to the establishment of laws and policies
that have further had a negative impact on an already alienated Muslim fraternity
in the United States. There has been over 20 rule changes, laws and executive
orders that affect the immigrants and non-immigrants from Muslim dominated
countries. The governmental authorities males forecasts of unreasonable numbers
of Muslims that have participated in work, meetings, conferences and school (Hasan
& Moradi, 2004).There
have also been some federal rules and regulations that have further worsened
the situation for the Muslim Americans especially those targeting travel and
the airports both domestically and internationally. The Department of Justice
announced their intention to interview over 5,000 individuals who came to the
United States from Muslim countries since January 2000 on nonimmigrant visas.
As if such laws are not enough, over 20 states are debating on the possibility
of banning the Sharing Law. The Anti Shari Bill may be detrimental to the
American-0Muslim relations as it is a direct infringement of the freedom of
worship of the individuals. The law further proposes that any allegiance to
Islam would be a felony, and there are other bills that would illegalize
following of given Muslim codes. If any of the bills were to be implemented
then, it would contradict the democratic nature of America as a nation.
The structural biases and inequalities
against the Muslims are based on stereotypes and misconceptions about Muslims
and Islam. A misconception such as that Muslims are violent is portrayed in the
media through the movies and mainstream media. However, those that are violent
are going against the Muslim teachings. The majority of the Muslims follow
their religion with the literary meaning of “submission to God†derived from
the word “peace.†There are also some stereotypes that Muslims oppress women.
In the factual sense, a majority of countries that have laws against gender
equality are not even Islamic. According to the law, a young woman cannot be
forced to marry anyone if they so do not wish and are free to own land and keep
their earnings contrary to the common believes. There is also a believe that
Islam in intolerant of all other faiths which is an ill-informed concept. The
Quran advocates for dealing with those that oppress other with justice.
Moreover, the Islamic tradition speaks out for human equality, and they do not
have racism (Rabby & Rodgers, 2009).
In conclusion, structural inequality
against the Muslims is mainstream and an issue that requires the urgent address
not just from the government but the public as well. The Muslims are subject to emotional,
physical, economic, and psychological abuse and inequality that result from the
policies adopted, police discrimination and even the way others treat them
socially. The inequality against the Muslims increased with the September 11
attacks attached to Muslims and it led to the authorities targeting Islamic men
and women treating them with suspicion. The first step in addressing the issue
is to address the detrimental misconceptions and stereotypes fundamentally that
individuals hold since most of them are untrue and uninformed. Islam is a peace
loving and non-violent religion, unlike the way it is depicted to facilitate
and justify the mainstream inequality.
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