When I took American History in high school, the course covered major themes, including civil rights for women and minorities, mainly African Americans. We were taught the negative effects of racism and how the civil rights era gave birth to civil rights for minorities.
However, since 9/11, there has been an increase in racism against people from the Middle East. I remember going to airports and seeing a Muslim in the security line. Eyes would turn, and you can tell people were thinking, “Is he a terrorist?” just because of his race.
My guilty pleasure is the CBS reality show, Big Brother. Week 1, one houseguest called someone a “beaner.” Many of the other houseguests pounded on him like wild animals. The man apologized for his comments, but one houseguest flamed him on the live show. The racist man was voted out week 1.
The same houseguest who flamed the man who used the slur "beaner" on the live show called a Lebanese man a terrorist, because he was from the Middle East. All the houseguests who had turned against the "beaner" commenter kept quiet when the woman called someone a terrorist. She’s done it many times, although CBS has requested she stop. Regardless of how I feel about the Lebanese man, it hurts me that none of the houseguests said a word about the woman’s "terrorist" comments, which she has never apologized for. Whether she means it as a joke, I don’t know or care. It’s unacceptable either way.
What I mean to say is that Middle Easterners are taking a hit for what a few members of that group have done. Just because the man is Lebanese doesn’t make him a terrorist. I can’t begin to understand why people seem to think all Middle Easterners are terrorists.
I am a white woman coming from a privileged background. I can’t walk in the shoes of anyone from a minority who bears the burden of discrimination. Still, I’m disgusted by how people treat this minority.
I don’t know why so many Americans are uninformed about Middle Easterners and I don’t get why people think that Middle Easterners are horrible just because there are terrorists from the Middle East. It’s sad, because in American History class, I was told how our society has progressed and we are no longer (for the most part) racist against minorities. It just feels like we are going backward.
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
Racism, racism, racism. Boo frickin' hoo. There is in fact no substantial racism in the US against Middle Easterners. In fact, the care with which Americans have avoided victimizing Muslims speaks very well of US.
If people of Middle Eastern descent don't appreciate the occasional suspicious glance, then they should perhaps do better at confronting the wickedness within their own midst. Jihad against Jews and non-believers is racist. Noticing which communities that ugly jihad is coming from is not.
2 - Jordan Richardson
There is in fact no substantial racism in the US against Middle Easterners.
Prove it.
Also, the suggesting that the "suspicious glance" is well-deserved based on the actions of a few individuals and groups of similar background (not all Middle Easterners are the same race, etc.) is ludicrous.
Do you deserve to be looked at sideways simply because you resemble a chubby Foghorn Leghorn redneck? No!
3 - Ruvy
Racism Against Middle Easterners In America Is Strong
Maddy, try suspicion, rather than racism. It's more accurate. Unfortunately, terrorists tend to get their inspiration from the Middle East. You just can't wring suspicion out of people when they read of suicide bombings, hostage taking incidents, planes shot down, hotels being blown up, restaurants and hotels being blown up. The vast majority of these incidents are caused by Moslems who are either from or trained in the Middle East.
In college, you'll get a lot of garbage courses that will try to tell you how right and justified these animals are. They're not. Anyone who tears a child bone from bone in a cave, or slices a guy's head off for a video camera is nothing but an animal. No college course can change the truth - it can only make you ignore the truth and turn you into a useful idiot for those who would just as soon see you dead as see you at all.
4 - Al Barger
Jordan, I don't know that suspicious glances at Arabs are necessarily "well deserved," but they are trivial. And if you're going to be mad about such triviality, then you should be mad at the bad actors who give the whole group a bad reputation.
Plus, I would to some substantial extent hold the Muslim world in general responsible for these suspicious attitudes for not being generally MUCH more active and vocal in confronting these bad actors.
It sure seems like the big majority of the reaction of Muslims in America and the world to acts of barbarism by their own people is to cry racism like in this article rather than any expression of sorrow for the victims - much less doing anything to help stop the madness in their midst.
Also, I don't particularly care if someone looks at me sideways. Plus, I would consider comparisons to Foghorn Leghorn to be a compliment. I said "compliment," son.
5 - Jordan Richardson
they are trivial.
Yes, to you I would imagine they would be trivial.
I would to some substantial extent hold the Muslim world in general responsible for these suspicious attitudes for not being generally MUCH more active and vocal in confronting these bad actors.
I hold the media responsible for choosing to cover the bad actors more than the good ones. Obviously stories about the millions of Muslims who aren't terrorists, have no affiliations, condemn terrorism and terrorist groups, and actually rather like America and Americans aren't all that sexy, so they'll go with the weird fucking guy with a bomb up his ass instead.
The coverage isn't there, but that doesn't mean that the Muslims aren't sorrowful for victims or angered by terrorism or, for that matter, vocal about it.
6 - El Bicho
Jordan, how dare you malign Foghorn Leghorn
7 - Joanne Huspek
I live in the Detroit area with the largest population of people from Middle Eastern descent in the country. They are not all "terrorists," in fact some aren't Muslim at all, they are Catholic. I agree with Ruvy that it's most likely suspicion, not racism.
I am a person of many colors and grew up 40 years ago when there was real racism. It's all in how you look at it. If you keep your eye out for clouds you're never going to find your silver lining.
8 - Kia
Many of you are misinformed and aren't gathering information based on fact. The vast majority muslims, or middle eastern people don't commit lesser jihad or are terrorists, most commit greater jihad(fight within onself, instead of lesser where its a fight against others). That's like saying if a lot of white men have killed people that caucasian men are serial killers. You can't make a judgement of a whole people, based off of some. Not to mention I'm lebanese, I'm not a terrorist and most of the terrorist attacks we're made by Al-queda, which we're people in high power with a substantial amount of money. The majority of the middle east is middle class to poverty. Anyone who says otherwise, you sound ignorant, pay attention to some history.
9 - Kia
Many of you are misinformed and aren't gathering information based on fact. The vast majority muslims, or middle eastern people don't commit lesser jihad or are terrorists, most commit greater jihad(fight within onself, instead of lesser where its a fight against others). That's like saying if a lot of white men have killed people that caucasian men are serial killers. You can't make a judgement of a whole people, based off of some. Not to mention I'm lebanese, I'm not a terrorist and most of the terrorist attacks we're made by Al-queda, which we're people in high power with a substantial amount of money. The majority of the middle east is middle class to poverty. Anyone who says otherwise, you sound ignorant, pay attention to some history.
10 - Rashid
Hello everyone..
please Excuse any mistakes i make.. English is not my first language..
First of all,, before introducing my self.. i would like to thank the author of this article.. it is vert meaningfull what you have said.. and i personally appreciate it .. My name is Rashid .. i am from the middle east.. to be specific i am from Dubai.. i am 20 years old...
The problem you are speaking about is not only outside the country .. beleive it or not .. the media is tooo strong,, we are concidered victims of racism in our own country.. Imagine a government that supports other coming from various caountries.. while the local people are being treated unfairly..
I dont want to keep on talking about this issue .. because it is very emotional ,,
I just wanted to thankyou for this article .. It is something that gives me hope ,,, that no matter what happens to this world.. there are some people that care , some people that still think of others.. people with hearts.. just like you ..
Best regards
[Personal contact info deleted]
11 - Glenn Contrarian
How little most 'Christians' know of history. Those who follow "mainstream Christianity" have killed more innocent people in the name of God than have the adherents of any other religion in human history. How 'Christian' historians could know this and yet remain inside "mainstream Christianity", I cannot understand.
I am a strong Christian - but the Church of which I am a member is in no way affiliated with "mainstream Christianity". The greatest difference between us and "mainstream Christianity" is that we are not trinitarian - we do not believe that Jesus is, was, or ever will be God. In this, our belief is somewhat like that of the Muslims in that "Only God is God" - and Jesus is not God. (and no, we're not Jehovah's Witnesses - they think that Jesus is a 'mighty God', though the Bible (in the Hebrew OT) says otherwise)
However, our belief differs from the Muslims in that we believe that Jesus is our Savior and our only Mediator unto God.
That said, we can sympathize with the Muslims. Like them, we see and feel the cultural pressure on us, and especially on our children at school ("What, no Christmas or Halloween or Easter? Your parents are SO mean!"). My sons love to sing, and both were in the school chorus, and in order to pass that particular minor elective, what do they have to sing? Christmas songs.
For Al Barger - you know so little of prejudice...for you have not walked a mile in the steps of those who faced that prejudice.
12 - zingzing
al, white people have killed more americans than middle easterners have. so, you should be suspicious of yourself. look in the mirror. you might very well be wearing your own skin as a mask.
13 - kay
People in america are very predjudice, they always have been, this i have never understood and i will never understand, they are sad and perhaps a lot of them are spiritually bankrupt.