Narrative Argument

Discrimination Against Muslims We live in a very troubled world. If today's problems and their sources are misunderstood because of misinformation about the past, solutions for the future will be misdirected and therefore ineffective. It is only recently in this information age that researchers had the opportunity and courage to expose and lift the veil from past events revealing the truth behind them. Only recently we have realized that our previous information, which directed our actions and inspired our values were very often inaccurate, distorted and sometimes manipulated.

Furthermore it seems to have misrepresented everyone; the powerless and the powerful, the occupier and the occupied, the race and the racist. However, most of us have had neither the time nor the opportunity to ponder the effects of releasing our former assumptions and accepting our new awareness. And yet curiosity about the past abounds, as does the desire to understand the connection between past, the present, and the future.

Discrimination, Prejudice and racism have usually been considered an ahistorical, unchanging social condition always presupposing claims about biological and inherent superiority or ability. It is actually a form of dominance in terms of power abuse, or self-interested control over and as a limitation of access to socially valued resources, for instance residence, citizenship, housing, jobs, wealth, education and respect. [Sukhvinder, 2002]. Thesis After the September 11th incidents, discrimination against Muslims has nearly tripled Muslims are being discriminated in all spheres of life, whether it be economic, social or educational.

The discrimination is the direct result of the 9-11; Islam and Muslims in general are viewed as terrorists and extremists. The media has a portrayed a false image of Muslims and Islam, Hollywood has vilified Muslims and nonsensical information about Islam and Muslims in schools and colleges has not helped the situation. Discussion In a recent report issued by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) there has been a growing hatred against Muslims in U.S. after September 11.

The report details more than 2000 incidents experiences of anti-Muslim stereotyping, discrimination, harassment and violence. The report says that there has been a 60% increase in discrimination cases. The most common discrimination against Muslims includes associating the religion of Islam to terrorism, termination of Muslims employees who wished to wear a head-scarf, Muslims men denied their rights to grow beard and pray at workplace, verbal and physical assaults directed against Muslims of Arab descendants and discrimination in schools and colleges [CAIR, 2002]. Currently in the U.S.

Muslims comprise of almost seven million of the total 270 million population. Eighty percent of the incidents in the United States took place in 15 states where the Muslim population is concentrated. In these states the complaints of workplace discrimination have tripled in six months. The head of federal Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has received 366 discrimination complaints by Muslims for harassment and wrongful termination.

The chairwoman of EEOC said in an interview that these complaints are growing and also expressed her concerns that harassment violations against Muslims, Arab-Americans and others of Middle Eastern or South Asian heritage might be vastly underreported. She said that the discrimination is because of inaccurate information about Islam [Kinsman, 2002]. Edward Said in his challenging and stimulating book "Covering Islam" has written that Islam has always been a mystery for Western society and thinkers.

In this updated version of this rigorous and engaging volume Edward Said looks at how American popular media has used and perpetuated a narrow and unfavorable image of Islam and Muslims and how this has prevented understanding while providing a fictitious common enemy for diverse American populace. According to Said, the preconception and prejudices influencing the presentation of Islam and Muslims in the Western and especially American media are rooted in 'Orientalist' depiction that mystifies and demonizes Islam.

Be it the Iranian hostage crisis, or the Gulf War, Islam is presented as religion, which promotes terrorism and hatred against the west. If this was not enough, the events of September 11th and the figure of Osama Bin Laden have taken this image of Islam and Muslims to the extreme. American media portrays Islam as a monolithic entity, synonymous with terrorism and religious hysteria. The narrowing presentation of a religion and its followers in the West necessarily harms a genuine understanding between societies.

The depiction of Islam on western media would have us believe that religion, as a vehicle of Third World protest predominantly in the Middle East is true representation of the militancy of Islam. Figures like Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat are presented as the symbols of Islam, the anti-American demagoguery and irrationalism [Edward, 2000]. Said's argument about the negative media representation of Islam is best seen in many Hollywood movies. These movies represent Muslims clergy and leaders as terrorist's leaders who resent the western civilization and its progress.

These kind of negative portrayal of the Muslims and their faith has further complicated the matters and not helped much in developing a tolerant society. These media depiction have a far-reaching impact on general people and because of lack of knowledge and information they believe what they.