Anti-Muslim attacks raise fears in US

While statistics confirming a trend toward violence are elusive, analysts, religious leaders, and Muslim community activists say anti-Muslim sentiment has reached a pitch not seen since al-Qaida hijackers killed nearly 3,000 people in the deadliest attack on U.S. soil.

“What we're seeing is a tremendous wave of anti-Muslim rhetoric in our society, which has resulted in a number of hate incidents targeting mosques and Muslims around the country,” said Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

An angry debate over plans for a mosque near where the World Trade Center once stood appears to have fueled the resentment, which now shows no sign of abating.

The pastor of a small Christian church in Florida has threatened to carry it to a whole new level by holding a Koran-burning ceremony on the Sept. 11 anniversary, drawing sharp warnings that it would put U.S. troops at risk.

High unemployment, a rocky economy, anti-immigrant sentiment, and political opportunism as mid-term elections approach also are thought to play a role.

“Anecdotally, there is very little question we are seeing a real backlash in terms of anti-Muslim hate crimes and anti-Muslim speech in general,” said Mark Potok, an analyst with the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Potok traces the start of the current wave of attacks to an incident in May when a man exploded a pipe bomb during prayers at an Islamic center in Jacksonville, Florida.

Since then, there have been incidents of vandalism and attempted arson at a mosque in Arlington, Texas; threats to a mosque near Fresno, California; and suspected arson at a construction site for a mosque at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

In New York, a Muslim cab driver was stabbed by a man who allegedly joked about Ramadan before striking, and in Seattle, Washington, a Sikh convenience store clerk was assaulted by a man who yelled “You're al-Qaida. Go back to your country.”

While the scale of the attacks have been small, they have spread fear in Muslim communities, their leaders say.

Celebrations on Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan and this year coincides with the Sept. 11 anniversary, are being toned down in some Muslim communities worried about the anti-Islamic mood.

1|2|Next Page>>

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email