America has always been the dreamland of democracy, human equality, freedom of expression and economic opportunities. But in the aftermath of 9/11, things have changed considerably. One only has to tune into the next available radio or television channel and you see people being assessed and judged by the color of their skin, race, origins and of course religion. Racial discrimination has always been in the American way of life, though has lessened during the course of last century but now is more pronounced than ever predicted. It is like a third world country situation where religious leaders or politicians preach hatred towards other minorities or races.
Today’s spotlight is on Islam but other religions and cultures have the same kind of grouping and blockades. I am talking about the discrimination of a samurai and a peasant, a faithful and an atheist, a catholic and a protestant, Christians and pagans, a Muslim and a non- Muslim and the most famous; a black and a white. We have had discrimination and we still have it, ebbed in our society.
Ask your child what is he afraid of the most; a black man or white? He will say black.
Are whites not capable of any crime or is it because the dark color terrifies us?
Ask your child if a woman wearing hijab is dangerous or the one lying half naked on the beach? The answer will point towards the hijab.
Is modesty or just being in the presence of a Muslim worth being afraid of?
Ask your child if he thinks that faithful will go to heaven or an atheist? He would like to stand with the all ye faithful.
Is an atheist less of a person or has less of a right to discus his views and live according to his plans in life? What makes him the target of ridicule?
These are just a few examples. We see this thing everyday one way or the other and these are the values we are instilling in our younger generation. Is this human error- human judgment or simply the plain ol’ institution itself? Are the feelings so deep rooted that this discrimination can’t end despite of what’s happening around the world today? Is it so hard to keep ones eyes and ears open for any wrong but be supportive for those who are actually trying to survive in this discriminating atmosphere.
At the UN World Conference on Race (WCAR) held August 31-September 8 2001 in Durban, South Africa, President Thabo Mbeki said:
"These are people who know what it means to be the victim of rabid racism and racial discrimination. Nobody ever chose to be a slave, to be colonized, to be racially oppressed”.
In today’s world, every country has the right to fight for its freedom and safety. America rightly fought for its after 9/11- though the fight seems more wayward than ever before (but that’s entirely another discussion). America has fought many races and regions over the years for good or bad reasons but discriminating against those who live here; who have become a contributing part of this society is well …. Outright discrimination. The world has changed a lot in the last couple of years. The only way to avoid internal strife is to end pushing different sects in different corners and treat them as equals-as part of the American community which they originally are.
When I read the words in the US Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”
I wish if we could all have just stuck to this original thought.
Saira Wasif, Politics correspondent;
Saira’s column, Global Crock pot, published every Thursday to Gather Essentials: Politics is contemplation on World Affairs.
Northern Virginia based writer-Saira Wasif has been into politics since her college years. Being brought up in a politically tense environment of South-Asia; opinionated commentaries came natural to her. She has written various global awareness articles for a number of online magazines and had been active in her home town with local organizations and newspapers.
You can find all of Saira Wasif’s columns at Global Crock pot, global correspondent, and politics. Keep up with Saira Wasif’s other postings and gather activity by joining her gather network – just click here http://sairawasif.gather.com/ and select the orange “Connect” button on the left hand side of the page. You will find Saira Wasif’s and other Politics correspondents, plus celebrity content and plenty of other Politics experts at Politics.gather.com
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Comments: 38
1. Whoever looked scarier or looked like he would hurt me. Or whoever had a weapon.
2. Dangerous? Probably neither 'though the lady in the hajib (ok, had to explian that) is probably crazy being out in the heat on a beach.
3. Neither....he's a science geek who isn't sure if he believes in heaven.
My point is, if a 14 year old can get it, why can't the rest? Not everyone is racially discrimating to everyone. I think you are selling children short. I don't believe discrimination is something that is born, a child learns that as they adapt to others' beliefs.
I do agree with you that after 9/11 things have become either more 1) discriminatory or 2) we're more aware of it.
Thank you for your well thought out article.
I agree with when u say that this discrimination is not hereditary. It is something that our children see and adapt to either from their homes or from the streets. It is like seeing a whole new generation that is developing its mindset on discrimanting grounds. There are few exceptions though. The world is not a safe place anymore and we need not add to it. Education starts at home.
I am not . . . I repeat NOT . . . supportive of the Bush administration's egregious assault on civil liberties played out at Guantamo, or on Jose Padilla, or on countless others, as the result of the same kind of hate and fear condemned earlier in this string.
I would similarly not be supportive of rounding up everyone with a Muslim name or features and putting them in internment camps, as was done with Japanese-Americans in WWII.
I was a student activist during my college days in the mid-1960's. I never marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, or underwent beatings at the hands of white trash bigots, but I did receive threats on my life from some of the few of them who could read and disagreed with my views.
But if you ask me whether I consider the young man boarding my flight, who looks a lot like the 19 9/11 hijackers, or the 80-year-old grandma more dangerous, I'll choose the former every time.
And if you ask me whether I consider the young black man approaching me on a dark street, or the white guy in a business suit more dangerous, I'll again choose the former . . . every time.
But despite the foregoing, I have collaboratively worked with Arabs and developed very close personal relationships with blacks. Just like I have with follow whites.
I simply choose to exercise caution based on what I hope is good judgment developed through many life experiences.
Thanks for posting at The Great Debate
Give the fools someone or something to hate and they can screw up as much as they want.(lie,cheat,steal,start immoral unnecessary wars etc etc etc etc)
Keep the feeble minded occupied. Like the baby with the shiny toy..................
Can Islam, or should I say radical Islam, live peacefully in a world with personal and economic freedoms? With the free exchange of ideas and communication? Christianity and Judism have seemed to adjust, why not Islam? Radical Muslims are mad at the United States and the Western World, but in reality, shouldn't they be mad at Islam and the countries they live in? All this oil revenue but little economic diversification to provide jobs. Besides oil, they don't make or do much else economically. Islam doesn't provide for a banking or legal court system so to provide a business atmosphere to do business with the rest of the world. Why are you mad at us?
The problem is that the question confuses facts with binary bias. Ask a child to chose between any two things and the order in which you list the things becomes a factor.
Beyond that most people are well-aware of the well-documented racial distribution of violent crime. Children also listen to rap. Who is kidding who on this issue?
In this day and age, white children do not fear "black people" but they do fear "gangsta's" and people who make no bones about hiding their rage and violence.
The question is not whether "the other" is more dangerous than "us". It is whether an individual is a danger to you. We owe ourselves and our children the ability to distinguish between generalities that are valid and individuals who may or may not belong to that generality.
Whereas Saira Wasif asks "what is he afraid of the most; a black man or white?" -- most parents would also flip that on its head and instruct a "white" child not trust people who are "white" and appear "middle-class". Such is the first lesson in "Stranger Danger".
If you want to see racism as a national policy and a pervasive cultural practice, go to Japan, India or just about anywhere in Asia. If you want to see sexism, go to South America, Africa, or again just about anywhere in the Middle-East.
I once shocked a diner party by suggesting that Texas under Gov. George Bush was more gay tolerant than is Sweden and Norway today. When those on the left side of the table quite guffawing I informed them that a gay individual can adopt a child in Texas whereas in most of Europe they cannot.
What is most telling about this homophobia in Europe is that the issue is not even being debated. While we can howl about Texas, we are forced to be honest with ourselves and admit that our red-neck friends to the south at least allow gay adoption and engage in debate on the issue, rather than the European route that implements without question a policy of bias and refuses to engage in dialogue on the matter.
And therein lays the heart of the question of bias; while far-left ideologues waste their days and our time spinning worn down traces of bias into the illusion of mountains, the sad reality is the real mountains loom high above the rest of the earth
Racism has a very important role in our society. Whether its rest of the world against Muslims or vice versa, crimes generate and hatred develops on the basis of discrimination. After 9/11, Muslim citizens of the United States have found it difficult to get away from this problem. As I said, because the spotlight is now on them. Earlier blacks were at that podium. Now we have associated an action verb to every race living in this country. This discrimination is in fact which makes people bitter towards a certain sect of people. Those who have been a part of this economy do not want to be pointed out in a crowd because of their religion. Its bad enough already trying to cope with a society which takes every Muslim to be a terrorist and looks down on the women who wear hijab. Not every body does it but many of us do discriminate. Why is the truth so hard to swallow? We have never had a black president and I wonder of we will ever have one? Why may I ask… well how about I leave it to all of you guys who outright refuse to believe that America has little or minimum amount of discrimination problem?
I have no idea why the mainstream Muslims have not yet spoken out…they should because unless they won't, this problem will remain as it is and there is no use crying while doing nothing about it. The article is about the menace of discrimination itself. Do not take it to be a negative commentary on America. I don't want to discuss every country out there on this planet. This is about how we can make this country more better.
For anyone who hasnt watched the movie "Crash" I HIGHLY recommend it. It is my favorite movie of all times and can truely open your eyes. Watch it with openness though.
<3 Laura
Most of the little towns of Southern Minnesota have substantial refugee populations.
This makes for interesting relations. My wife, who is a farm girl, manages an office. Two of her staff, both women who my wife thought were the sweetist people in the world, took an instant dislike to one another and began a harsh and hostile running fight. We were talking about it one night, and my wife who cares little for politics, mentioned that one of the women was from China --- and the other from Tibet. She had no idea why they would hate each other.
Well, there you go. The Chinese still shoot the Tibetians on a regular basis.
One of the great things about America is that we believe intolerance is a bad thing. This is almost unique in the world.
Saira, it is not the truth that is hard to swallow, it is the over-the-top rhectoric that you yourself stumbled over in the first two sentences of the above paragraph.
Racists are of many races and cultures just a being discriminated against happens to many people of different colors and nationalities and genders.
America isnt perfect but al least we recognize there is a problem and do try and solve it.
America was founded on a republic not democratic theology.
It was morally heinous for our President and his supporters--on both sides of the aisle--to preach democracy and tolerance on the one hand and actively and covertly promote ignorance and war and global theft on the other hand. Nor did it start just with George Bush, though one could make a good case for his winning all prizes in damaging and undermining all the things that we've been taught to hold dear.
Like it or not, believe it or not, whether one is a member of the 'quiche and wine guilt club' or not, the United States has a long, long history and well established and documented policy [not to mention the not so well documented secret side] of using intolerance for it's own gain.
Iraq is an example of how war disrupts and destroys otherwise stable relationships within a functioning society. Even under Saddam, the sunni, shiite, and christians lived together more or less peacefully and intermarried. Now, neighborhoods are systematically cleansed, and those who were lucky enough to be able to flee number in the millions.
We, the American people [most--though not all of us--for the most part] have led very sheltered lives. That is coming to an end. 9/11 was a big fork in the road, if we are wise enough to see it as such.
How can people not be suspicious of those who carry the same faces as those we see on tv daily killing themselves and others and screaming hatred at us from behind their masks? Most people are not prepared to wait until someone actually attacks them to react. They prefer to avoid it all together.
"Racial discrimination has always been in the American way of life, though has lessened during the course of last century but now is more pronounced than ever predicted."
somehow I find your conclusions self serving.
I don't feel that giving someone who looks mid-eastern some extra scrutiny is racism. If someone walks into a bank with a trench coat on in the middle of the summer are we not going to be a little suspicious because he stands out and fit's a profile thats been used to rob banks before.
Saira I don't think that anyone's denying that there's still racism and discrimination occurring. As for why we haven't had a black president I don't know. So far the only time I know of one running was Rev. Al Sharpton. I know that during that time there were many black who didn't want him as president as well. Why? Because he was black or was it because he was not the best "black"candidate. I wouldn't have a problem with a black or female president as long as i though they would be the best person for the job.
Great article
Stay in the light, and have a way out. And know where the hell you are -- no one is going to feel sorry for you getting into trouble at 2A on Friday night in south-central L.A.
THINK AHEAD. Remember -- we're smart enough to go to the Moon, but we're still the same vicious animals at heart. Hopefully we'll keep evolving, but plan that we won't in the meantime.