Discrimination Against Muslims In the United States (US)

Discrimination Against Muslims In the United States (US)

The United States population is about 3.45million, which constitutes 1.1% of the United States’ total population (Cooperman 2017). Muslim community continues to grow and is highly diverse, comprising mostly of foreigners and immigrants from different foreign countries. Muslims have coexisted with other races in the United peaceful and perform their regular duty like any other United States Citizen (Read 2008). The technological age makes Muslims seem like they are everywhere, even though they are not. Muslims star in their movies, have a successful career, and are a sensation in social media platforms. The pop-culture embrace of Muslims can make someone to quickly forget the increase in anti-bigotry and other forms of discrimination against Muslims in the United States. Even though most people are not the first-hand witness of Muslims discrimination, we all know it exists. We see it in social media, in public settings, in congress, and the US president’s rhetoric.

While the first Amendment guarantees and protects the free exercise of religion and the ideas about religious liberty and tolerance are central to US founding principles, many Muslims still experience discrimination at various instances in the United States. The magnitude of Muslim bias is in the US is vast. 82% of American adults agree that a Muslim experiences a form of discrimination in the US every day (Cooperman 2017). Also,56% of Americans say that Muslims experience open and intense biases in the United States (Cooperman 2017). Research has also established that other religious groups justify violence against Muslims in pursuit of religious, political, or social reasons.

Nearly one-third of the 3.45 million Muslims in the US claim the public has treated them with suspicion because of their religion in the past twelve months (Cooperman 2017). About one in five Muslims in the United States say they have been called offensive names such as terrorists, killers, and rapists or isolated by airport officials on suspicion claims. Also, one in ten Muslims says that they have been stopped by police and questioned about their identification even though they are born American Citizens. Lastly,6% of the Muslim population have reported having been physically abused on the street or threatened by a stranger. About 50% of United States Muslim communities confess they have experienced at least one of the mentioned above discriminations. The experience of Muslim prejudices is more prevalent among Muslims who their appearance associates them with Arab origins. Muslims have not only suffered public discrimination but have been continuously left out on important policy issues and legislation. Their interests have often been ignored, and the legislative assembly has continued to pass laws that disfavor the Muslim community. Trump’s administration has seen an increase in discrimination against Muslims. The president’s rhetoric and declaration have made a life for Muslims communities in the United States extremely hostile. Trump executive order to block travel from six Muslim-majority countries gave the impression that Muslims were the leading cause of insecurity (Thurish 2017). The executive order separated United Stated Muslims from their relatives in the Middle East countries and denied the Muslim immigrants and refugees a chance to enter into the United States. About 39% of Muslims believe most Muslims in the US are usually arrested on terrorism suspicion but later found not to pose a security threat. Also, a third of Muslim in the United States are worried that the government may be invading their privacy by checking their emails and communication history because they are perceived a threat. Muslims are concerned about terrorism and advocate against the use of violence against civilians. Still, they have lost trust with Trump’s Administration and question the sincerity of government security patrols in the US.

74% of United States Muslims believe Trump’s administration is discriminating against their group, and they disapprove of Trump’s presidency. The Muslim community believes that then Trump’s administration makes them feel worried, angry, and hopeless while living in the United States. Trump’s hatred for Muslims has polarized into the corporate sector and industries. Muslims are more likely to undergo discrimination while searching for a job despite that they hold similar qualifications as their white counterparts (Bartkoski, Lynch, Witt & Rudolph 2018). The primary reason for rejection in employment is mainly because of the association of the Muslim religion to terrorism and security threats. The discrimination against the Muslims in the Corporate sector is more prevalent with Republican supporters who believe that Muslims are the primary facilitators and sympathizers of extremism in the United States.

Despite the discrimination against Muslims in the United States, US Muslims express pride in their national identity. Almost 92% of US Muslims agree that they are proud to be Americans (Cooperman, 2017). The Muslims also oppose terrorism and strive like any other religious group to build America and promote peace. However, the misconception and stereotype about Muslims among the government and the public continue to make life difficult for the Muslim group. Americans refuse to acknowledge Islam as part of American society. The failure of recognition of the Muslim group is the real problem that requires urgent attention to ensure peace in the United States.