March 6, 2012
By Cassandra Strand
All Muslim females (click here) whether a kindergartener or a woman finishing a doctorate in college are allowed to wear hijab in school. It is protected under the constitutional right to freedom of religion. Any school that violates this right can come under federal lawsuit. Organizations like the Americans Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) make sure that religious rights in schools are respected as well as make sure that schools do not endorse any religions....
Unless there is a private religious school where a dress code is enforced, there is no doubt a Muslim girl or woman has the right of personal expression of which religion is a part.
The visual component to difference does have extremely effective reaction. In the USA we are seeing incredible discrimination by police officers with African American men. It is obvious there is still racism in the USA. It manifests in some really hideous ways. The recent incident of young black people being harassed by police at a public pool. There were comments made against youth. So, to say the USA is innocent of discrimination would not be accurate.
The discrimination in the USA regarding minority women is abuse. They aren't necessarily dead at the end of a verbal exchange with officers, but, they are abused.
"We fear what we don't understand."
The discrimination Muslims receive goes beyond understanding. There have been all kinds of attempts to diminish and negate some of the hate speech regarding Muslims in the USA. I can't really speak for Europe. I know Europe believes an outward expression reveals the 'real truth' about a person. It could I suppose.
But, the hate we experience in the USA is more than outward expressions of self. There is a fear that drives many people in the USA. It calls to mind the demonstrations against a Mosque in Lower Manhattan and recent demonstrations in Texas where two men were killed in reaction to cartoon drawing.
There is something oddly permanent about discrimination in these cases. There is some kind of social reward and I think it aligns with politics. Politics provides access to power. So, if there is a population of people that hate ethnic differences, their numbers can be converted to election results. In this case hate equates to real power regardless of any potential for such a government position resulting in institutional hate.
There is a threat within a political paradigm to bring about institutional hate. Democracies have all kinds of opportunity and one of them is the potential to such problems.
I think it is an error to believe a young person is subverting democracy in some way by wearing religious clothing. Often those young people express their parents' influence. I'd be more worried about a young Muslim woman wearing Western culture clothing in defiance of her parents. Government can't step in there either unless there is physical or emotional abuse.
I think the quandary of Muslims to understand the hate they receive is a waste of time. I strongly believe they need to be a part of the American fabric as all others have become. Being visual in the community is a part of tolerance and can lead to far greater understanding than confrontation can achieve.
Confrontation can have a violent result. Confrontation often is perceived as aggression. But, if there were Muslim women and men wearing their traditional dress while they are grocery shopping that would present a problem for people with fear in their understanding. I think it is the fear that is driving much of the hate.
Women with India heritage often wear their traditional clothing in public in the USA. The reaction by Western women is usually to say how beautiful they look. There is no fear registered in those interactions. So, it is my understanding the politics of fear actually works and strongly impacts the Muslim community within Western culture.
Fear is a part of a politic that directly relates to national security; ie: the willingness to war. War as perceived by many Americans to mean killing what one is fearful of.
There have been a few Muslims that find fear an effective reason to kill as well. It is not only a one way street. The American expression that would relate to that is; "One bad apple can ruin the rest." I believe that is true. The idea a caliphate could actually result in the year 2016 is delirium. It won't be tolerated and the worst of American and Western aggression has not yet been realized. In that understanding that restraint to the worst case scenario actually does exist and shows a far better picture of other nations that appear to hate.
American policy under President Obama is to act aggressively in war where necessary. President Obama resists defining the USA as a hegemonic power. The USA is not interested in genocide, if anything it is the opposite. So, how does that understanding translate to understanding and acceptance in Western society? It has to be removed from the politics and currently the media of the right wing finds hate a useful tool.
Europe is a world unto itself. To Europe outward expression of a person's character is important. They value art expressions of inward feelings. To that understanding, there has been real aggression by those lost to alienation from Islam. There have been killings by the vicious agenda of some alienated Muslims. These artists are sometimes put under security guards in an understanding the hate will result in death. So, I don't stand in judgement of Europe, but, only defend them in their own understanding of their world.
Can the greater global community contribute to the end of hate in Western culture? I have to say yes, but, there are limits to their influence because of the governments and societies involved. The USA is not going to stop the KKK from organizing and marching in a parade and it is not going to stop hideously stupid people using cartoon drawing as a political tool. That is part of the cultural contract in the USA.
I think global Muslim citizens have a role in promoting understanding and defusing hate. The idea a political movement involves hate means there is also an opposite. I think it is up to the Muslim communities to pursue that opposite and find a way to express it. I don't know the path that can take, but, it will be welcome in the USA on it's own terms.
By Cassandra Strand
All Muslim females (click here) whether a kindergartener or a woman finishing a doctorate in college are allowed to wear hijab in school. It is protected under the constitutional right to freedom of religion. Any school that violates this right can come under federal lawsuit. Organizations like the Americans Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) make sure that religious rights in schools are respected as well as make sure that schools do not endorse any religions....
Unless there is a private religious school where a dress code is enforced, there is no doubt a Muslim girl or woman has the right of personal expression of which religion is a part.
The visual component to difference does have extremely effective reaction. In the USA we are seeing incredible discrimination by police officers with African American men. It is obvious there is still racism in the USA. It manifests in some really hideous ways. The recent incident of young black people being harassed by police at a public pool. There were comments made against youth. So, to say the USA is innocent of discrimination would not be accurate.
The discrimination in the USA regarding minority women is abuse. They aren't necessarily dead at the end of a verbal exchange with officers, but, they are abused.
"We fear what we don't understand."
The discrimination Muslims receive goes beyond understanding. There have been all kinds of attempts to diminish and negate some of the hate speech regarding Muslims in the USA. I can't really speak for Europe. I know Europe believes an outward expression reveals the 'real truth' about a person. It could I suppose.
But, the hate we experience in the USA is more than outward expressions of self. There is a fear that drives many people in the USA. It calls to mind the demonstrations against a Mosque in Lower Manhattan and recent demonstrations in Texas where two men were killed in reaction to cartoon drawing.
There is something oddly permanent about discrimination in these cases. There is some kind of social reward and I think it aligns with politics. Politics provides access to power. So, if there is a population of people that hate ethnic differences, their numbers can be converted to election results. In this case hate equates to real power regardless of any potential for such a government position resulting in institutional hate.
There is a threat within a political paradigm to bring about institutional hate. Democracies have all kinds of opportunity and one of them is the potential to such problems.
I think it is an error to believe a young person is subverting democracy in some way by wearing religious clothing. Often those young people express their parents' influence. I'd be more worried about a young Muslim woman wearing Western culture clothing in defiance of her parents. Government can't step in there either unless there is physical or emotional abuse.
I think the quandary of Muslims to understand the hate they receive is a waste of time. I strongly believe they need to be a part of the American fabric as all others have become. Being visual in the community is a part of tolerance and can lead to far greater understanding than confrontation can achieve.
Confrontation can have a violent result. Confrontation often is perceived as aggression. But, if there were Muslim women and men wearing their traditional dress while they are grocery shopping that would present a problem for people with fear in their understanding. I think it is the fear that is driving much of the hate.
Women with India heritage often wear their traditional clothing in public in the USA. The reaction by Western women is usually to say how beautiful they look. There is no fear registered in those interactions. So, it is my understanding the politics of fear actually works and strongly impacts the Muslim community within Western culture.
Fear is a part of a politic that directly relates to national security; ie: the willingness to war. War as perceived by many Americans to mean killing what one is fearful of.
There have been a few Muslims that find fear an effective reason to kill as well. It is not only a one way street. The American expression that would relate to that is; "One bad apple can ruin the rest." I believe that is true. The idea a caliphate could actually result in the year 2016 is delirium. It won't be tolerated and the worst of American and Western aggression has not yet been realized. In that understanding that restraint to the worst case scenario actually does exist and shows a far better picture of other nations that appear to hate.
American policy under President Obama is to act aggressively in war where necessary. President Obama resists defining the USA as a hegemonic power. The USA is not interested in genocide, if anything it is the opposite. So, how does that understanding translate to understanding and acceptance in Western society? It has to be removed from the politics and currently the media of the right wing finds hate a useful tool.
Europe is a world unto itself. To Europe outward expression of a person's character is important. They value art expressions of inward feelings. To that understanding, there has been real aggression by those lost to alienation from Islam. There have been killings by the vicious agenda of some alienated Muslims. These artists are sometimes put under security guards in an understanding the hate will result in death. So, I don't stand in judgement of Europe, but, only defend them in their own understanding of their world.
Can the greater global community contribute to the end of hate in Western culture? I have to say yes, but, there are limits to their influence because of the governments and societies involved. The USA is not going to stop the KKK from organizing and marching in a parade and it is not going to stop hideously stupid people using cartoon drawing as a political tool. That is part of the cultural contract in the USA.
I think global Muslim citizens have a role in promoting understanding and defusing hate. The idea a political movement involves hate means there is also an opposite. I think it is up to the Muslim communities to pursue that opposite and find a way to express it. I don't know the path that can take, but, it will be welcome in the USA on it's own terms.
