Report on panel discussions held by officers of the U.S. Department of Justice at the George Washington University Law School on October 19, 2011, on 'Confronting Discrimination in the Post-9/11 Era."

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     Confronting Discimination in the Post-9/11 Era: Challenges   and Opportunities Ten Years Later

The George Washington University Law School, along with the U.S. Department of Justice, today hosted two panel discussions: first, looking back; and second, looking forward--the former referring to the Post-9/11 Backlash and the latter, to the Remaining Challenges, Emerging Opportunities.

There was a disconnect between the conclusions that most Muslims are happy in this country but that Islamophobia is getting worse. How can this be? Let's go through the proceedings, which featured several prominent figures in the U.S. DoJ, plus academicians, clergy, researchers, and activists. How can we expect them to know everything?

Indeed, in his closing remarks, Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the civil rights division, referred back to the nineteenth-century Know-Nothing Party, which warned against allowing Irish people to occupy government posts. They feared that they would attempt to impose the Church's canon law throughout the country.

The uninformed contingent in this country expresses similar concern about Sharia (Muslim law), whose meaning certainly diverges from the dictatorial stereotype perpetrated by the ruthless governments in Iran and Saudi Arabia [nowadays, Syria is a much better example than Saudi A.], among others (see my blog on Sharia, 26 July 2011, "What Sharia Is and Isn't").

Will we ever learn?

The event was introduced by the dean of the George Washington University Law School, holder of an endowed chair as well, Paul Schiff Berman, who immediately looked back to the interment of the Japanese Americans during World War II.

Deputy Attorney General James Cole, second in command after Eric Holder, continued that thread farther back--what are the foundations of this country? Many ideals, but the first settlers were all fleeing religious persecution and this is inscribed forever in the First Amendment, the right to freedom of religion; said James Madison, this country will be an asylum [and often an insane asylum] and shelter from oppression.

Indeed, ethnic oppression rears up again and again throughout our history and throughout world history, but as long as we speak up, as Mr. Perez reminded us, these events will be put in their place--history.

And meanwhile, of course, diversity is the fabric that made this country great; we're more alike than different and have much to learn from each other.

9/11 changed this country in ways not anticipated and placed national security at the top of our priorities while human rights became a distant second. Prejudice against the Muslims, Sikhs, and South Asians rose quickly. They were to blame. Hate crimes proliferated.

As if Islam were the only distorted source of terrorism. Cole reminded us of terrorist outbreaks in Norway recently and Oklahoma in the mid 1990s. Extremism is polymorphic and springs from all peoples at some point or other in history.

It is the role of the DoJ to protect the human and civil rights of all: our mosques, churches, synagogues, temples, ashrams--wherever we worship to build trust and respect.

Cole expressed hope that in another ten years the mindset that gives birth to terrorism and hate crimes will be fully outdated.

                                               *****

The first panel was moderated by Roy L. Austin Jr., deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights, who launched the hour-and-a-half-long discussion by finding hope at the bottom of the horrific debris of 9/11.

Ralph M. Boyd, former deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights, was first to speak.

We must distinguish between the "dull virtue" of tolerance, he said, and actually embracing new ethnic groups; it is the nature of this beast to diversify more and more with each generation. Witness the number of languages we now can choose among when using ATMs--and there are so many more spoken in this country.

In the very un-American toxic air after 9/11, the bulk of the hate crimes committed in the following decade occurred in the first three weeks. In response, a new position was created in the Department of Justice, that of Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination.

But much remains to be done.

Stuart J. Ishimaru, commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said that the number of charges of employment discrimination skyrocketed 250 percent and has tripled over the years since then, particularly in Texas, California, Arizona, and elsewhere. Progress has been made, he said, and he looks forward to more.

Farhana Khera, board member of the group Muslim Advocates, said she worked to organize coalitions across the country to combat discrimination in the form of racial and religious profiling and to strengthen Muslim communities while at the same time fighting against allowed surveillance.

In the wake of 655 hate crimes committed the first week after 9/11, even President George W. Bush spoke out against the lethal stereotyping of all Muslims based on the perverted extremism of a pathetic few. He made clear, publicly, that the 9/11 hijackers were distorters of Islam.

It was an experience in itself to hear the name of Bush mentioned favorably throughout the panel discussions, but always referring back to his stance against blind discrimination born of scapegoatism born of that shock heard round the world.

Said Amardeep Singh, director of programs for the Sikh Coalition, the issues born of 9/11 are still very much with us today. Quoting Martin Luther King, that the long moral arc of history bends toward justice, he said he maintains his optimism while recalling the most horrible moment of his life--when his mother told him, on the day of the attacks, to take off his turban and he refused.

Violence against Sikhs happened quickly after 9/11. In Providence, Rhode Island, a Sikh man was arrested for carrying around a religious object that looked like a sword, a kirpan.

All Muslims were forced to register their presence here; twelve hundred were held for criminal investigation and tens of thousands were deported, staining the image of this country irreparably; the U.S. government owes these people a formal apology, said Singh.

Added James J. Zogby, founder and president of the Arab American Institute, his department was located next to the White House, but evacuation was not possible since their phones were ringing off the hook reporting threats and fears. His office was given police protection.

"We lived 9/11," he said. Each of us has a personal story of how we experienced it individually. The United States was analogous to a human body, he said, that had been traumatized and then went into shock. We were in mourning. But, he added, he was told by many, "you, because you're a Muslim, cannot be part of this mourning."

In the midst of the mayhem, said Zogby, Senator Ted Kennedy phoned him to tell him about protective legislation he was working on and a Japanese-American memorial to say "never again."

Overt Threats have lessened in favor of institutional discrimination, for example opposition to the building of mosques. Eighty thousands Muslims did not register their presence and to this day are in hiding and can't be accounted for.

Hatred of Muslims is evident in the Republican debates now being telecast, he said. Further, an industry of hate is fomenting hate and hasn't gone away. Organizations persist in legitimizing hatred. There are two Americas: one tolerant and accepting of Muslims and one that opposes these hapless Americans.

Questions from the audience, selected by Roy Austin from index cards submitted, clarified that Muslim youth were becoming more engaged in combatting the prejudices against them; that investigations conducted after 9/11 on behalf of national security were hugely intimidating and other methods might have created less fear and panic.

When the question "Is Islamophobia growing?" came up, the answer, from James Zogby, was yes and no; divisiveness has grown since 2010; politicians are exploiting fear for their personal advantage; fear of Sharia is spreading; people call Obama a Muslim; we need strong support to combat this systematic discrimination.

Said Amardeep Singh, Islamophobia is more hidden and hence more insidious. In San Francisco 80 percent of Muslim youth have suffered from it; it is their generation that is bearing the brunt of this disease. Added Amber Khan, there is the misconception that Islam teaches and promotes violence. Fully 45 percent of American Muslims are black and so disadvantaged by two forms of discrimination.

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The second panel, oriented toward the future, was introduced by information from the Pew Survey on Muslim Americans. Dr. Scott Keeter, director of survey research, and Gregory A. Smith, senior researcher for the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, were the presenters.

According to Keeter, 1,033 American Muslims were surveyed from April 14 to July 22, 2011 in four different languages (English, Arabic, Farsi, and Urdu). Sixty-three percent were first-generation Americans, 15 percent second generation, and 22 percent third generation, the victimized youth mentioned above.

 Seventy percent of those surveyed were U.S. citizens; many watch as much television as do Americans on average; that is, 58 percent watch one hour or more each day. They thrive on social networks and enjoy sports and videogames. American flags are displayed by 44 percent of their homes--defensively, it was added later.

In terms of degree of happiness in this country, the majority were happy here; 15 percent were dissatisfied, a higher figure than that characterizing the general public. Fifty-six percent say they don't want to assimilate; 33 percent say that they are assimilated; 66 percent say that the quality of life is better here than in their former countries of residence, and 23 percent find the two experiences roughly the same.

Said Gregory Smith, Muslims who are well integrated and assimilated still face problems. Thirty percent attribute these to negativity, 20 percent, to ignorance and prejudice, 15 percent to plain ignorance, and 7 percent to religious or cultural issues.

They did not want to discuss any economic difficulties affecting them. The overarching priority was understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.

But in terms of the quantity of discrimination, the figure for the last twelve months hasn't changed from that measured in 2007. (In a way the current measurement is positive, said Smith, but the downside is that the negatives have not improved.) Five percent experienced assault in both time periods.

As stated above, younger Muslims experience more abuse than do older Muslims, and very religious Muslims are more abused than their less observant co-religionists. The media do not treat them fairly, governmental policies are discriminatory and, obviously, it is far more difficult to be a Muslim American since 9/11.

On the other than question of whether or not a mosque should be built near ground zero, 80 percent of American Muslims were aware of the issue, 72 percent said it should be allowed, and one-third of them were dubious on the subject.

Fully 80 percent live in areas that do not object to the building of mosques, but controversies exist all over the country. Few Muslims perceive Americans as friendly, but "friendly/neutral" was a descriptor used by many. One-third say non-Muslims have reached out to them.

Among foreign-born American Muslims, 41 percent are Middle Eastern, 14 percent Pakistani, and 5 percent Iranians. The American public is more wary of Muslims in general than of Muslim Americans (the difference is 5 percent).

Finally, Bush's protective stance positively influenced his fellow Republicans after 9/11. I would say, on the basis of the narrative, that Republican Islamophobia or hostility has worsened since then.

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The panel began with a discussion of the recent wide publicity of police violence and violation of civil rights, which is upsetting Muslim communities. Community outreach by the government is flawed and must improve.

This speaker, Sahar F. Aziz, associate professor of law at the Texas Wesleyan School of Law, said that the outreach was male-dominated and more female leadership is needed. All our issues revolve around discrimination, she said, and then quoted President Obama's recent speech dedicating the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial: "Change is difficult . . ." for Muslim children as much as for anyone else.

Dwight C. Holton, former U.S. attorney and current senior litigation counsel, District of Oregon, said that FBI training portrays Muslims as violent or prone to violence. They must be disabused of the idea that we are at war with Islam. Attorney General Eric Holder is strongly committed to rectifying these falsehoods, he said.

His effort to better orient law enforcement officers toward the Muslim community in Oregon marks the highlight of his fifteen-year career, said Holton. Part of this policy is building trust through hospitality. He held a dinner for fifteen Muslims, which he considered would probably be reciprocated fifteen times.

His policy also involves bringing together religious groups, businesses, doctors, and others to promote better "inter-communication."

Efforts to further civil rights must be aggressive and effective, he said. The filled auditorium bodes well--we are all here to discuss civil rights. What can we do? Muslims do not always report assaults--police must encourage them to. The government should reveal how its policies have changed from 9/11 until now; more attention should be paid to Islamophobia and propaganda, and more people should speak out against religious bigotry and hatred.

Imam Mohamed Magid, president of the Islamic Society of North America, spoke of the group Shoulder to Shoulder, consisting of twenty-six organizations that fight Islamophobic bigotry and hatred. Dialogue should take place in mosques, synagogues, and churches, he said, and weed out those who are preaching hatred.

We must learn from experience, asking where did it work? and what can we learn from it?

Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, praised the "vibrancy and robustness" of this administration in the area of civil rights. Every religious tradition can be used to justify both the good and the bad that we come upon.

We must always put a human face on events and see them in human terms. As far as bullying is concerned, in both secular and religious schools, we must teach and learn the beauty of diversity and avoid defining any group in terms of its worst moments, which does infinite harm.

Said the rabbi, Muslims are in an impossible situation; we must stand shoulder to shoulder in a battle between good and evil. The role of the interfaith community is indispensable--those dissatisfied with the way things are always receive the most attention.

And regarding the contagious stereotypes being perpetrated about Sharia, this country would be outraged if the laws of other religions were accused of "taking over America." We must pass legislation guaranteeing religious freedom in each state.

 "We must learn about each other, not just talking but doing."

We must work together serving the community. We should become a model for the world of "how to do it right."

Together the legal communities and religious communities can change the world.

Among the questions raised by this audience emerged the anecdote from Imam Magid about Jewish women donning head scarves to psychologically protect Muslim women afraid to go shopping in their religious attire.

The habit of law enforcement officials entering Muslim buildings to do "threat assessments" should be curtailed in that it violates civil rights.

Jews are improving interfaith relations by "twinning" with mosques and other successful programs they should share with other denominations--Muslims are still new to the U.S. religious community. Toward a better understanding of them, we should understand the structure of their communities.

We've come a long way. Filmmakers create dialogue on issues that challenge all of us. Muslims are the first line of defense in fighting against extremism in this country. What changes are needed and which ones have been accomplished? Changes should occur quickly!

How can American Muslims run their charities without getting into trouble?

Muslims should not be afraid to speak out in criticism of the U.S. government.

                                       *****

The event closed with remarks by Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division.

He spoke of what the DoJ would do as a result of this conference, stressing that the enforcement of civil rights must be a bipartisan undertaking (Republicans in general are far more critical of Muslims than are Democrats).

Teddy Kennedy would say that this country has a long way to go. Perez shared Kennedy's oft-quoted famous statement, "Civil rights remains the unfinished business of this country."

We need an open and honest critical dialogue. We are one nation for all, with no asterisks or footnotes added. Our actions are governed by rules of engagement; we need engagement since we are partners in crime solving and engagement begets action.

The Obama administration has seen two areas of major growth within the purview of the DoJ: LGBT issues and prejudice against Muslims, Sikhs, and South Asians. More hate crimes were prosecuted this year than in a long time; there is a need for reflection and recalibration; profiling at airports should occur with "a scalpel, not a meat axe."

The Department of Homeland Security recalibrated what it was doing. We must be sure to have quality control, continuing to engage, act, and reflect. There is a false dichotomy between security and civil rights; both must be conducted in tandem.

Remember [as Gandhi said] that silence is anything but golden in the face of oppression. We must always speak out to silence it.

                                       *****

Regarding the disconnect I detected between two foundational realities evident in the narrative this morning, I must conclude, at this point, that complexities breed contradictions. Or perhaps Islamophobia is not really on the increase so much as public awareness of it is being raised by the interfaith groups that Rabbi Saperstein asserted more than once were key to resolving these latest issues that catch the United States in a self-contradictory mode. Self-contradictory because self-criticism is built into our fabric as much as hypocrisy is. I shall once again quote Noam Chomsky: "This is the greatest country in the world."

                                       (c)

Authors Website: http://www.wordsunltd.com

Authors Bio:

Marta Steele is an author/editor/blogger who has been writing for Opednews.com since 2006. She is also author of the 2012 book "Grassroots, Geeks, Pros, and Pols: The Election Integrity Movement's Nonstop Battle to Win Back the People's Vote, 2000-2008" (Columbus, Free Press) and a member of the Election Integrity movement since 2001. Her original website, WordsUnLtd.com, first entered the blogosphere in 2003. She recently became a senior editor for Opednews.com. She has in the past taught college and worked as a full-time as well as freelance reporter. She has been a peace and election integrity activist since 1999. Her undergraduate and graduate educational background are in Spanish, classical philology, and historical and comparative linguistics. Her biography is most recently listed in "Who's Who in America" 2019 and in 2018 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Who's Who.