The Origins and the Machination Behind Islamophobia

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Islamophobia did not suddenly start after the horrific 9/11 event. Like anti-Semitism , it has long and deep historical roots; however, its contemporary resurgence has been triggered by the 9/11 attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. As a result of several people’s inane folly, Islamophobia distorts the photograph of the entire Muslim community wherever they live; Muslims today are guilty until proven innocent. According to John Esposito (2011), significant minorities of non-Muslim Americans show a great tolerance for policies that would profile Muslims, require special identity cards, and question the loyalty of all Muslim citizens. According to the 2006 USA Today- Gallup Poll, substantial minorities of American people admit having negative feelings or prejudices against Muslims, and favor using greater security measures in places where Muslims reside to prevent terrorism. In the same survey, fewer than half the respondents believed that US citizens who are Muslims are loyal to the United States. Nearly one-quarter of Americans-22 percent- said they would not like to have a Muslim neighbor; 31 percent said they would feel nervous if they had to fly with a Muslim man on their flight, and 18 percent said they would feel nervous if there was a Muslim woman on their flight. About 4 in 10 Americans favor more rigorous security measures for Muslims than those used for other US citizens: requiring Muslims who are US citizens to carry a special ID and undergo special, more extensive and intense, security checks before boarding airplanes in the United States. In the World Gallup Poll, when US respondents were asked what they admire about the Muslim world the most, 33 percent of Americans’ response was ‘nothing”; the ... ... middle of paper ... ...for Terrorism and Homeland Security. Newsweek Poll: Obama/Muslims, Princeton Survey Research Associates International,” August 27, 2010 . “Very Close Race in Both Alabama and Mississippi,” March 12, 2012, Public Policy Polling . Lean, N. (2012). The Islamophobia Industry (p. 13). London, England: Pluto Press. Alex Seitz-Wald, “Fox News Watchers Consistently More Likely To have Negative Views of Muslims,” February 16, 2011, Think Progress . Esposito, John L., and Dalia Mogahed. WHO SPEAKS FOR ISLAM? What a Billion Muslims Really Think. New York: Gallup Press, 2007. Print.

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