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October Editorial 2001 |
Editorial
Due to the recent terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, many Muslims have been targeted due to their religious beliefs. Muslims all over the United States have started to feel the backlash and it has left a very bitter taste in their mouths. After all, are we not all Americans? There should be no justifiable reason why people of the Islamic faith should be targeted. Some Americans are slowly starting to realize that Islam had nothing to do with the September 11 attacks. Bin Ladin has taken a very peaceful religion and turned it into something that it is not. It is essential that the United States should try to understand that Islam in no way supports such horrific terrorist acts as these. To commit such crimes as these is committing the worst of sins according to the Quran, and in no way makes a person a better Muslim.
It is very sad to see that Americans are turning against one another. Diversity is such an important and powerful aspect of American culture and it would be a shame to think that it was the cause of our downfall. Unfortunately, the backlash has had quite an impact on American Muslims and their feeling of security has significantly decreased. It is unimaginably hard to live in a community and not feel safe or accepted, especially when the individual was born and raised in the United States. The problems that this particular group of individuals are experiencing leaves them with no other alternative but to wait until this feeling of unpleasantness blows over. Time is a healer, and we as Americans have been doing an immense job of joining together to help the cause, but by turning against one another we are only pushing ourselves further away from our goal. We need to learn the lessons of what we did to Japanese Americans in WWII.
It is extremely important to remember that just because a person holds different beliefs doesn't make them any less of an American. They are just like any other American citizen and this is their home. They should once again be allowed to feel safe and secure in their home. America should continue to stand tall as one nation. There is only one race and that is the human race.