Islamophobia and Civil Rights: A Textual Analysis

Generally speaking, it is human nature to fear what is not understood. This concept, seen time and time again in the study of evolutionary psychology, rings true in regards to Muslim-Americans who openly practice Islam in the United States and the highly incorrect notion that terrorism stems from, and is encouraged by, their religion. Because of this stereotype, Muslim-Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to fight Islamophobia and secure their civil rights.

In this article, which details the struggle that Muslim-Americans face, exigence- which, in its simplest form, is defined as the reason as to why an issue needs to be spoken about- can be seen throughout the piece. The idea that furthering both the involvement in advocacy organizations and attempting to change the negative stereotypes associated with this group exemplifies the exigency of the article. Emily Cury, the author of the text, is “… a scholar of religion and politics, [who has studied] how U.S. Muslim advocacy organizations have advanced their community’s integration in America. Their work reminds us that minorities in the U.S. are still struggling for civil rights.”

Though this article is available to anyone who has access to the internet, the content is geared towards the Muslim-Americans affected by these civil issues and those who are able to alleviate these injustices both through everyday decencies and, on a larger scale, those who enact the policies that affect this group. Presently, lawmakers and politicians are scrutinized for their campaign strategies as “spikes in anti-Muslim sentiments and hate crimes appear to correlate with elections cycles… In recent years, politicians have increasingly relied on anti-Muslim rhetoric to mobilize voters. What was once considered unacceptable discourse by members of both parties has gradually been normalized, particularly among Republican candidates.” (Cury)

The constraints put on Muslim-American’s by American citizens stems from fear that is derived from misinformation. Surveys show that “…Americans report warmer feelings toward Muslims today than they did in 2014, [but] Muslims continue to be the most negatively rated religious group – followed closely by atheists. In fact, about half of Americans (49 percent) believe that at least “some” Muslim Americans are anti-American.” (Cury) Though these feelings of distaste toward Islam have decreased, the civil liberties of its followers still holds true today.

Beyond that, sharable links to social media sites and email forwarding services allow this article to be circulated by individuals to one another because of its online presence. In doing so, the stigma against this religious minority group begins to chip away, allowing for a more open-minded discussion about the civil rights that Muslim-Americans have been stripped of.

Works Cited:

Cury Research Fellow in International Affairs and Middle East Studies, Northeastern University, Emily. “How Muslim Americans Are Fighting Islamophobia and Securing Their Civil Rights.” The Conversation, 6 Sept. 2017, theconversation.com/how-muslim-americans-are-fighting-islamophobia-and-securing-their-civil-rights-82235.