[View the story "American terror" on Storify ]American terror A renewed wave of Islamophobia sweeps the United States. Storified by The Stream · Mon, Aug 20 2012 11:22:07
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Above, activists in San Francisco
label an advertisement from the
American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) as hate speech. The ad
asks viewers to "support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat jihad." The AFDI is an umbrella organization that backs campaigns like "Stop Islamization of America" and "Campaign Offensive: Stop the 9/11 Mosque!"
Many activists see the rhetoric of these movements as indicative of larger Islamophobic and xenophobic
trend in the United States, even a call-to-action. In the past month, a Sikh gurdwara congregation in Oak Creek, Wisconsin was targeted on two separate occasions. In the past seventeen days, eight Muslim sites - including schools, grave sites, and places of worship - were also attacked.
Below,
Chuck Goudie , a reporter for the Chicago ABC News affiliate, tweets out pictures of the most recent assault on a grave site in Chicago.
WARNING: the following image contains harsh language. Several Muslim graves in #Chicago south suburb of Evergreen Park hit with anti-Islam hate graffiti: @CAIR http://pic.twitter.com/WM5etJuyChuck Goudie
The August 16 grave defacement follows a pellet rifle
shooting at a mosque in Morton Grove, Illinois, and a homemade bomb
assault at an Islamic school in Lombard, Illinois. A Rhode Island mosque was
vandalised , the Grand Mosque in Oklahoma city was
hit by paintballs. Worshipers in Hayward, California, were
struck with eggs and oranges; a woman
hurled pig parts at worshipers in Ontario, California. The Islamic Society of Joplin, Missouri, also faced two attacks in little over one month. On August 6, the mosque was completely
destroyed in a fire, suspected to be arson. The attack came after a confirmed
arson on July 4 that is still under investigation.
The Islamic Society of JoplinAJstream
The attacks on Muslims are often mentioned alongside the July 20 shooting at a Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The gunman, Wade Michael Page, was a white supremacist and former US military member. In the video below, young American Sikhs share their experience with racism and mistaken identity in response to the Oak Creek shooting.
Oak Creek, in our thoughts...#StopTheHate6IJJ3_4pvHWPlozXa2ZjaQ
These incidents are not confined to the last few weeks. The Sikh Coalition has
reported more than 700 attacks since September 11, 2001 and attacks targeting Muslims
rose an estimated 50 per cent from 2009 to 2010.
In an op-ed for the Chicago Tribune,
Yousef Munayyer labels these incedents as domestic terrorism:
Make no mistake, this is terrorism. What else can we call this pattern of violence targeting and intimidating civilians, leaving them afraid of practicing their most basic right, their freedom to worship?Islamophobia, treatment of Muslims make America less safe - chicagotribune.com
Munayyer argues that the disproportionate focus on Muslims as perpetrators of terror attacks, coupled with a crack-down on these communities in counter-terrorism efforts, creates a double bind that makes the US less safe, not more:
It is easy to curtail the civil liberties of a minority group but far more difficult to curtail the civil liberties of larger groups. That's why it is commonplace to see Muslim witch hunts advocated in the wake of an extremely rare domestic terrorist act. Yet, after far more common mass shootings, which seem very common these days, there is no political appetite to further regulate the Second Amendment.Islamophobia, treatment of Muslims make America less safe - chicagotribune.com
Below, comedian
Hasan Minhaj comments on the response to the recent events in context of US race relations. Minhaj questions why the social media response to the attacks has been contained within minority communities:
The Truth with Hasan Minhaj - Sikh Temple Shooting, Missouri Mosque Burninggoatfacecomedy
Twitter response to the Wisconsin #templeshooting echoed many of Minhaj's concerns:
Another day, another killing spree in the #US. When will the madness end? #templeshootingRachelle Fox
I guess mass shootings of people who aren't white aren't important enough to interrupt the #olympics #templeshootingPaul Weiskel
Many have extended this social critique to the response of US politicians, saying that their actions on Oak Creek were not adequate in comparison to the official US response in the wake of other tragedies. Below, President Obama speaks in response to the Sikh massacre from Washington, DC:
Obama (heartbroken) over Sikh shooting spreegazadvd2000
In July, President Obama halted his re-election campaign to speak to victims of the Aurora, Colorado, theatre shooting from Aurora.
Obama Offers Comfort After Colorado Shootingassociatedpress
Citizens have called for Obama to visit Oak Creek, but the President has neither visited nor halted campaigning in the midst of the tragedy.
Each day that our elected leaders remain silent about Oak Creek, a very loud message is sent across America about how seriously they take Islamophobia and xenophobia. And each day, another, even louder message from hateful people is sent.Ghazala Irshad: Why American Politicians Should Take Islamophobia Seriously: One Week In Brown America
US Attorney General Eric Holder, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and US Representative Paul Ryan all attended events in the Oak Creek community. Below, Walker sits with members of the Oak Creek gurdwara:
EPAAJstream
Some, like Naunihal Singh, argue that this response frames the loss of life as a tragedy for Sikh-Americans, rather than all American citizens, furthering difference within the country.
Obama hugged his children a little tighter after Aurora, but his remarks after Oak Creek referred to Sikhs as members of the “broader American family,” like some distant relatives.Why Oak Creek Isn't Being Treated as a Tragedy for All Americans : The New Yorker
Recently, this difference has been underscored with a slew of anti-Islamic political rhetoric and legislation. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
mapped documented opposition to mosques and Islamic centers across the US, from 2009-2011. Of the 37 mosques that were challenged, 17 cases openly cited concerns over Islam, ties to terrorism, or 'funding sources' as their reasons for opposing the mosques.
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public LifeAJstream
Research has shown that domestic terror attacks are
just as likely to come from right-wing attackers as they are from jihad:
New America FoundationAJstream
New America FoundationAJstream
Still, signs such as this one in New York City, are funded and posted in the US, claiming that the fear is realistic. The sign below, paid for by the AFDI, reads, "19,250 deadly Islamic attacks since 9/11/01. It's not Islamophobia, it's Islamorealism."
#Islamophobic ads=even worse when they're not even clever. Spotted at #MetroNorth station. #Islamorealism? Really? http://pic.twitter.com/6T4olldBSyeda Tasnim
When The Stream asked our followers what seems to drive this opposition, Twitter user Beth Steger responded:
@jensalan Our community struggled to accept an Islamic Center. I think fear of a very new ideology. Fear of unknown. Interaction helped.Beth Steger
Fear of changing demographics seems to drive opposition to religious minority communities in both the US and Europe. This video, which cites these concerns, was viewed more than 13 million times.
Muslim Demographicsfriendofmuslim
Still, netizens are sceptical of the idea that an influx of immigrants is inherently threatening:
@jensalan @AJStream To what extent is Islam just a constructed enemy? US has always needed enemies 2 legitimise. Islam is the new communism.Politico-Limerick
Recently, Representative Michelle Bachmann, a former presidential candidate, called for an investigation into high-ranking Muslim members of government. Additionally, Congressman Joe Walsh
claimed that Muslims in specific Chicago area neighbourhoods were "trying to kill Americans".
Despite heavy criticism from their colleagues and the public, these politicians held their ground. In this video Walsh refuses to apologise for his remarks:
Rep. Walsh Response to Homegrown Radical Islamic Terrorismjoewalshcongress
Twitter user Abdul alluded to the responsibility of politicians in the matter:
@jensalan @AJStream If Michele Bachmann & Joe Walsh both Loud political voices r openly anti-islamic. Why wouldn't anyone else be? #AJStreamAbdul
