Islam is an innocuous word that often strikes fear into the hearts of people in the West, despite simply being a term used to describe the world’s second largest religion. Some 1.6 billion people; about 940, 000 of whom are Canadians, practice Islam. With numbers like that, you might expect that the religion would be understood, respected and appreciated on its own terms. Unfortunately, life in a post 9/11 era just hasn’t been the same for Muslims. Women who choose to wear the hijab (headscarf) in public have been branded by society as walking poster girls for oppressed females everywhere, and individuals with seemingly “foreign” names are automatically treated like second-class citizens that are frequently deemed untrustworthy. Even the word Muslim has become synonymous with “terrorist,” “suicide bomber,” and in light of the recent crisis in the Middle East, “ISIS sympathizer.” These labels ultimately cause tension between communities and continue to intensify the intolerance for diversity
Just last week, islamophobia reared it’s ugly head here at Ryerson when Obaid Ullah Babar’s (a Transform RU candidate) campaign posters were vandalized with Islamaphobic slurs and messages –proving that our campus may not be as inclusive as some of us may think.. It’s disheartening to know that these prejudices have made a presence at Ryerson, even with the campus situated in the heart of one of the most diverse cities in the country. The damage caused to Babar and the Ryerson community was immense and evident-particularly to women who choose to wear hijabs, some of whom have commented that they don’t feel as safe in the wake of these incidents-a predicament shared by many Muslims in Paris and Sydney, following extremist attacks in each of those cities. That there is a segment of the student population who think it is acceptable to disrespect, defame and insult their fellow peers by associating them with terrorist organizations – who commit heinous crimes that fly in the face of the teachings of the very religion they claim to be acting on behalf of- proves that there is a severe lack of education among some students on campus. The connection between some 1.6 billion practicing Muslims and select extremist attacks is tenuous at best and is similar to suggesting that all members of the Christian faith align themselves with the Westboro Baptist Church.
That said, it’s not so easy to attribute blame to any sole individual or institution. But it certainly would be a whole lot easier to ignore if it was. Perhaps the worst culprit(s) of anti-Muslim narratives have been right-wing mainstream media outlets. Far too often the words “Islam” and terrorism” are mentioned in the same sentence as though they are interchangeable. “Muslim terrorists” have become the defacto descriptor for the majority of extremist attacks since September 11th, 2001. But why? A criminal is a criminal. Regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexual preference or shoe size, any person terrorizing a group of people is an enemy to all of humanity.
It becomes particularly unbearable when Muslims have to continuously apologize for every atrocity supposedly committed in the name of Allah. When the Boston marathon bombings happened two years ago, the Associated Press deemed it necessary to include that one of the suspects had become a recent devout Muslim, as though this alone explained away his depraved actions.
Most recently, the attacks on Charlie Hebdo in France stirred up debate about Muslims and our collective role in the attacks. With that in mind, Ben Affleck was quick to defend Muslims when he appeared on Bill Maher’s Real Time on HBO: “How about the more than one billion people who aren’t fanatical? Who don’t punch women? Who just want to go to school and have some sandwiches?” It is illogical to wage war on Islam when the vast majority of Muslims are also against these crimes. Suggesting that Muslims are inherently drawn to mass acts of violence due to their religion is not just foolish, but hypocritical, when the Christian faith has slaughtered more people in the name of their religion than any other group-a fact that goes unmentioned when the global community looks for a scapegoat in times of duress. There should not need to be a war on any religion, however. Instead, the fight should quite simply be between good people and bad people.
Islamophobia is not a phenomena that is going to be solved overnight. It will take a lot of persistence and effort from Muslims and non-Muslims alike to educate those around us and eradicate ignorance.
So what can you do? Think critically about the media you consume. Open yourself up to discussion. Be kind and considerate to those around you. If you sense that someone who practices Islam is being harassed, intervene on their behalf and ensure that they are safe-just as you would have them do for you in any other scenario.
Author’s note: This article was written prior to today’s tragic events in North Carolina. We unequivocally mourn and stand with our fellow brothers and sisters. May Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha rest in peace. We encourage you to pay your respects on the Facebook page that has been set up in their memory.