Racial Profiling of Arabs

"I'm Not the Enemy" is a great article that we should all read after the attacks on September 11th. It conveys an important message that we should not see our fellow Americans as our enemy based on the color of their skin, or their religion. The author, Reshma Memon Yaqub, feared racial profiling against Muslims and people of Middle Eastern descent after the attacks. She shared the same religion and ethnicity of those who committed the act. That is where her fear steams from. As a Muslim, she and many others feared that America would consider them guilty for the crimes as well. I can understand her fear. People want to point fingers and always look for someone to blame in times like 9/11. Like Tom Clancy mentioned in the article; the way we behave when we have been hurt truly shows who we are. Everyone generalized that since the terrorists were Islamic, that all Islamic people supported the attacks. In our quest to find who's responsible for our pain, we don't realize that we can hurt others along the way.

Yaqub's fear deepened for her relatives. Her sisters-in-law wear the traditional headscarves, and her brother defends Muslims in high-profile discrimination cases. Those factors make it easier for her relatives to become targets of racial profiling. It made it easier for people to generalize and try to associate the attackers with her relatives. After 9/11 there were people who were cruel, and insensitive enough to complain and refuse to ride on a plane with Middle Eastern passengers on board. Incidents like that contributes to and increases Yaqub's fears of racial profiling. There were many incidents that involved violence towards Muslims, which were reported around the country that should outrage the whole nation.

Immigrants built America. Our country is the most diverse country in the world. It's so diverse that it's very hard to judge how "American" someone is. There can be a big difference between patriotism and being an "American." That word lost its meaning because people abused it when they were violent towards Muslims, who are also Americans. The American Muslims were hurt more than others during the aftermath. When the country was terrorized by madmen, American Muslims are victimized twice. They were victims of the attacks as well; you can't deny that they are a part of this country. You don't just blame someone who shares your pain, and grieves with you.