Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Islam Isn't the Problem: American Muslims Should Be Questioning U.S.
Policies That Have Led to Destabilization, Bloodshed in the Middle East
________________________________________
Islam Isn't the Problem: American Muslims Should Be Questioning U.S.
Policies That Have Led to Destabilization, Bloodshed in the Middle East
By Hafsa Kanjwal [1] / Salon [2]
December 17, 2015
The American Muslim community is beleaguered. It seems we're all trying to
understand how - despite our monumental efforts to combat Islamophobia in
the years since 9/11 - the discourse on Muslims has only gotten worse,
reaching the fascist-like levels seen today, with violent [3], often fatal
[4] results.
After 9/11, Muslim leaders and institutions across the country faced greater
scrutiny and marginalization [5], making them less likely to be at the
forefront of critiquing U.S. domestic and foreign policy in the political
aftermath. Seeing themselves as underrepresented in the political
establishment, they made combating Islamophobia and representing the
American Muslim narrative in the corridors of power and influence their top
priority.
Be it in media, entertainment, business or public policy, there have been
innumerable initiatives to ensure Muslim representation at the highest
levels of government, and special effort has been made to highlight the
contributions of Muslims to American society. We have endured the indignity
of having to humanize our identity, even having numerous anthologies [6]
dedicated to showing how we love, and make love, like everyone else. At
this critical juncture, when hate crimes against Muslims are at an all-time
high, the question must be asked: Where has this approach taken us? And are
we partly responsible for the cumulative bigotry that has now peaked against
us?
The time for American Muslim self-reflection at the community level is long
overdue.
Internalized Islamophobia
It should be clear that in our response to accusations of terrorism and the
like, we have internalized Islamophobia. By this I mean that we as a
community have uncannily accepted a direct link between Islam and violence,
and the narrative that there is a "problem" with our religion, or rather an
interpretation of it. So, when Paris or Boston happens, we scream at the top
of our lungs that "our" Islam is a religion of peace, that not all Muslims
are terrorists, etc. We make feel-good videos, holding up signs that say
#notinourname, and write article after article talking about our normal
aspirations of taking long walks on the beach and how ISIS' Islam doesn't
represent us. An unopened Coke can [7] on a United flight gets us more riled
up than secret agents [8] parading through our mosques. We "understand" that
"surveillance" is for our own "good," thereby agreeing that this is an issue
borne within our communities, and not a symptom of a larger cancer that is
not of our making. It should come as no surprise, then, that when Trump
calls for special registrations for Muslims, we make our own Muslim IDs [9]
showcasing our many privileged accolades. We are desperate to prove that we
belong. "Look, I am a lawyer, a father, a connoisseur of potato chips, and
an avid Broncos fan!" This ensures that the conversation always remains
superficial; the debate is sidetracked into one of a clash of values and
whether we belong in this society, the exact discussion that Islamophobes
want us to have.
We are at our lowest point in this country, and this approach has not
worked. The rhetoric has deepened, its supporters only multiplied.
It has not worked because we fundamentally misunderstand the root causes of
the issue that we are dealing with.
We have bought into the state narrative that Islam is the problem. This is
despite the fact that since 9/11, there has been even greater American and
Western interference in Muslim-majority countries. From Afghanistan to
Yemen, to Libya and Iraq, American policies have contributed to
destabilization, sectarianism and bloodshed. American Muslims should have
been at the front line of questioning these destructive state policies and
imperialistic economic interests that have led to the emergence of groups
like ISIS.
American exceptionalism
For too long, American Muslims have been led to believe that we are the most
privileged Muslim community on the planet, i.e., American exceptionalism.
This, in turn, has led to a belief that "we" have a responsibility to
dictate true Islam to the rest of the world. As a result, our engagement
with international issues has been haphazard, and deeply schizophrenic. At
one level, being an American Muslim has meant that issues affecting Muslims
elsewhere are of little concern to us unless and until they have an impact
on us-take the shocking silence on Yemen or drones in Pakistan-as we try to
build our utopia here. The domestication of the American Muslim agenda is
seen as a source of empowerment, but is in fact an attempt to dictate the
terms of what the community can and cannot advocate for. Nothing exemplifies
this arrogance more than the Muslim Leadership Initiative (MLI), a program
[10] that displaces Palestinian voices and situates an issue of Israeli
occupation of land, illegal invasions and colonization as one that can be
resolved by "inter-religious dialogue" [11] and not as one that addresses
the question of justice.
Meanwhile, critical Muslim voices that question the impact of destructive
imperial, military and economic policies abroad and our own community's
complicity in it are drowned out by voices that are far more palatable to
the mainstream American audience.
If American Muslims have to bear responsibility for one thing, it is not
terrorism; it is for contributing to the problematic narrative that allows
the political establishment to evade responsibility for its destructive
policies.
To solutions
In these terrifying times, the P.R. campaigns to humanize our existence
might very well be needed for basic survival. Yet, this cannot exist in a
vacuum. If we are to think long-term, we must speak truth to power and align
ourselves with marginalized and oppressed groups both here and abroad.
American Muslims can't expect Muslim bodies in the U.S. to be treated with
dignity and respect when they are being decimated abroad [12].
Islamophobia is not exceptional; it exists in the same political hell as
anti-immigrant racism and the atrocities being committed against black and
brown bodies. There can be no freedom or equality for Muslims if other
bodies are not treated equally.
Hafsa Kanjwal is a Ph.D. candidate in history and women's studies at the
University ofMichigan, Ann Arbor.
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Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [13]
[14]
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/islam-isnt-problem-american-muslim
s-should-be-questioning-us-policies-have-led
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/hafsa-kanjwal-0
[2] http://www.salon.com/
[3] https://www.rt.com/usa/325922-hate-crimes-muslims-mosques/
[4]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/us/assertions-of-hate-crime-in-seattle-aft
er-a-somali-american-teenager-falls-to-his-death.html?_r=0
[5] http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/issues/post-911
[6]
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/feb/24/love-inshallah-b
ook-muslim-women
[7]
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/05/31/calls_to_boycott_united_ai
rlines_grow_after_muslim_woman_alleges_discrimination.html
[8]
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/07/informants-manufacturing-te
rror-20147218131267614.html
[9] http://distractify.com/news/2015/11/22/mark-muslim-database-id
[10]
http://hartman.org.il/Programs_View.asp?Program_Id=110&Cat_Id=517&Ca
t_Type=Programs
[11]
http://islamicommentary.org/2014/07/an-interfaith-trojan-horse-faithwashing-
apartheid-and-occupation/
[12]
http://www.mintpressnews.com/do-the-math-global-war-on-terror-has-killed-4-m
illion-muslims-or-more/208225/
[13] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Islam Isn't the
Problem: American Muslims Should Be Questioning U.S. Policies That Have Led
to Destabilization, Bloodshed in the Middle East
[14] http://www.alternet.org/
[15] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Islam Isn't the Problem: American Muslims Should Be Questioning U.S.
Policies That Have Led to Destabilization, Bloodshed in the Middle East
Islam Isn't the Problem: American Muslims Should Be Questioning U.S.
Policies That Have Led to Destabilization, Bloodshed in the Middle East
By Hafsa Kanjwal [1] / Salon [2]
December 17, 2015
The American Muslim community is beleaguered. It seems we're all trying to
understand how - despite our monumental efforts to combat Islamophobia in
the years since 9/11 - the discourse on Muslims has only gotten worse,
reaching the fascist-like levels seen today, with violent [3], often fatal
[4] results.
After 9/11, Muslim leaders and institutions across the country faced greater
scrutiny and marginalization [5], making them less likely to be at the
forefront of critiquing U.S. domestic and foreign policy in the political
aftermath. Seeing themselves as underrepresented in the political
establishment, they made combating Islamophobia and representing the
American Muslim narrative in the corridors of power and influence their top
priority.
Be it in media, entertainment, business or public policy, there have been
innumerable initiatives to ensure Muslim representation at the highest
levels of government, and special effort has been made to highlight the
contributions of Muslims to American society. We have endured the indignity
of having to humanize our identity, even having numerous anthologies [6]
dedicated to showing how we love, and make love, like everyone else. At this
critical juncture, when hate crimes against Muslims are at an all-time high,
the question must be asked: Where has this approach taken us? And are we
partly responsible for the cumulative bigotry that has now peaked against
us?
The time for American Muslim self-reflection at the community level is long
overdue.
Internalized Islamophobia
It should be clear that in our response to accusations of terrorism and the
like, we have internalized Islamophobia. By this I mean that we as a
community have uncannily accepted a direct link between Islam and violence,
and the narrative that there is a "problem" with our religion, or rather an
interpretation of it. So, when Paris or Boston happens, we scream at the top
of our lungs that "our" Islam is a religion of peace, that not all Muslims
are terrorists, etc. We make feel-good videos, holding up signs that say
#notinourname, and write article after article talking about our normal
aspirations of taking long walks on the beach and how ISIS' Islam doesn't
represent us. An unopened Coke can [7] on a United flight gets us more riled
up than secret agents [8] parading through our mosques. We "understand" that
"surveillance" is for our own "good," thereby agreeing that this is an issue
borne within our communities, and not a symptom of a larger cancer that is
not of our making. It should come as no surprise, then, that when Trump
calls for special registrations for Muslims, we make our own Muslim IDs [9]
showcasing our many privileged accolades. We are desperate to prove that we
belong. "Look, I am a lawyer, a father, a connoisseur of potato chips, and
an avid Broncos fan!" This ensures that the conversation always remains
superficial; the debate is sidetracked into one of a clash of values and
whether we belong in this society, the exact discussion that Islamophobes
want us to have.
We are at our lowest point in this country, and this approach has not
worked. The rhetoric has deepened, its supporters only multiplied.
It has not worked because we fundamentally misunderstand the root causes of
the issue that we are dealing with.
We have bought into the state narrative that Islam is the problem. This is
despite the fact that since 9/11, there has been even greater American and
Western interference in Muslim-majority countries. From Afghanistan to
Yemen, to Libya and Iraq, American policies have contributed to
destabilization, sectarianism and bloodshed. American Muslims should have
been at the front line of questioning these destructive state policies and
imperialistic economic interests that have led to the emergence of groups
like ISIS.
American exceptionalism
For too long, American Muslims have been led to believe that we are the most
privileged Muslim community on the planet, i.e., American exceptionalism.
This, in turn, has led to a belief that "we" have a responsibility to
dictate true Islam to the rest of the world. As a result, our engagement
with international issues has been haphazard, and deeply schizophrenic. At
one level, being an American Muslim has meant that issues affecting Muslims
elsewhere are of little concern to us unless and until they have an impact
on us-take the shocking silence on Yemen or drones in Pakistan-as we try to
build our utopia here. The domestication of the American Muslim agenda is
seen as a source of empowerment, but is in fact an attempt to dictate the
terms of what the community can and cannot advocate for. Nothing exemplifies
this arrogance more than the Muslim Leadership Initiative (MLI), a program
[10] that displaces Palestinian voices and situates an issue of Israeli
occupation of land, illegal invasions and colonization as one that can be
resolved by "inter-religious dialogue" [11] and not as one that addresses
the question of justice.
Meanwhile, critical Muslim voices that question the impact of destructive
imperial, military and economic policies abroad and our own community's
complicity in it are drowned out by voices that are far more palatable to
the mainstream American audience.
If American Muslims have to bear responsibility for one thing, it is not
terrorism; it is for contributing to the problematic narrative that allows
the political establishment to evade responsibility for its destructive
policies.
To solutions
In these terrifying times, the P.R. campaigns to humanize our existence
might very well be needed for basic survival. Yet, this cannot exist in a
vacuum. If we are to think long-term, we must speak truth to power and align
ourselves with marginalized and oppressed groups both here and abroad.
American Muslims can't expect Muslim bodies in the U.S. to be treated with
dignity and respect when they are being decimated abroad [12].
Islamophobia is not exceptional; it exists in the same political hell as
anti-immigrant racism and the atrocities being committed against black and
brown bodies. There can be no freedom or equality for Muslims if other
bodies are not treated equally.
Hafsa Kanjwal is a Ph.D. candidate in history and women's studies at the
University ofMichigan, Ann Arbor.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [13]
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.[14]
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/islam-isnt-problem-american-muslim
s-should-be-questioning-us-policies-have-led
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/hafsa-kanjwal-0
[2] http://www.salon.com/
[3] https://www.rt.com/usa/325922-hate-crimes-muslims-mosques/
[4]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/us/assertions-of-hate-crime-in-seattle-aft
er-a-somali-american-teenager-falls-to-his-death.html?_r=0
[5] http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/issues/post-911
[6]
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/feb/24/love-inshallah-b
ook-muslim-women
[7]
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/05/31/calls_to_boycott_united_ai
rlines_grow_after_muslim_woman_alleges_discrimination.html
[8]
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/07/informants-manufacturing-te
rror-20147218131267614.html
[9] http://distractify.com/news/2015/11/22/mark-muslim-database-id
[10]
http://hartman.org.il/Programs_View.asp?Program_Id=110&Cat_Id=517&Ca
t_Type=Programs
[11]
http://islamicommentary.org/2014/07/an-interfaith-trojan-horse-faithwashing-
apartheid-and-occupation/
[12]
http://www.mintpressnews.com/do-the-math-global-war-on-terror-has-killed-4-m
illion-muslims-or-more/208225/
[13] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Islam Isn't the
Problem: American Muslims Should Be Questioning U.S. Policies That Have Led
to Destabilization, Bloodshed in the Middle East
[14] http://www.alternet.org/
[15] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
