Article: 2009: Another hard year for American Muslims

Startled by the rising Islamophobia, President Barrack Obama was urged to address the "alarming level of anti-Islam hate in our nation." In a letter to the president sent on December 23, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) cited recent incidents in Florida in which a cross with the message "Christian nation, Christian community" was planted at the site of a planned mosque in Sanford, Florida, and an anti-Islam Christmas display was set up by the Dove World Outreach Center, in Gainesville, Florida. This church drew protests last August when it displayed a series of hand-painted signs that read "Islam is of the devil."

Tellingly, a recent poll also showed that two-thirds of Protestant pastors consider Islam "dangerous." The survey of more than 1,000 Protestant clergy by LifeWay Research found that 45 percent strongly agree with the statement "I believe Islam is a dangerous religion" and another 21 percent agree somewhat with it. Evangelical pastors were more likely to agree with the statement than mainline Protestant pastors -- 77 to 47 percent.

Hawaii celebrates the first Islam Day.

On the positive note, Hawaii celebrated the first Islam Day on September 24. The Hawaii legislature had declared this day to acknowledge the "rich religious, scientific, cultural and artistic contributions" of the Islamic world.

Another delighting development for the American Muslim community was to see the names of 71 American Muslims in the list of "500 most influential Muslims in the world' issued by the Amman, Jordan-based Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in collaboration with the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Georgetown University, Washington DC. One of them, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, the founder of California-based Zaytuna Institute, is listed in the first 50 most influential Muslims. Keith Ellison, the first American Muslim Congressman finds his place in the "list of Honorable Mentions.' Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of Northern America (ISNA), Nihad Awad, the national executive director and co-founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Edina Lekovic communications director of Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) were also included in the list.

2009 brought no positive change in the plight of American Muslims.

"Change" was President Barrack Obama's campaign slogan. The American Muslim community, firmly believing in his "change" slogan, voted overwhelmingly for him in the 2008 presidential elections with the hope that his administration would bring an end to their humiliation and sufferings they faced in the Bush era in the name of "war on terror." Although Obama is able to give a more compassionate and intelligent speech than was possible with Bush, but the essence of their policies is identical.

Obama's good gestures and public policy measures have little positive impact on the restoration of civil rights of American Muslims curtailed since 9/11. Profiling has been institutionalized. State and federal agencies, under the guise of fighting terrorism, have expanded the use of this degrading, discriminatory and dangerous practice. Muslim community is subject to pervasive and persistent attacks by the federal government, many spearheaded by the Joint Terrorism Task Forces. Defending civil rights remains the single most important challenge before the American Muslim community.

In short, the year 2009 brought no positive change to alleviate the plight of the seven-million strong American Muslim community which remains victim of guilt by association since 9/11.

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