Like most Americans, Muslims were shocked and horrified by the terrorist attacks by Tuesday in New York and Washington on Tuesday. But the attacks may have put American Muslims at risk from other Americans. And as NHPR?s David Darman reports, that very real threat has already led to heightened security.
The Islamic Academy in Metheun, Massachusetts is in an old public school. These days, because of the terrorist attacks and a fear of reprisals, a reporter approaching the front door with a long microphone can look suspicious to two policeman guarding the school.
14 04 I?m just kind of curious as to what that is.
It?s a microphone. I?m with new hampshire public radio.
Ok, you can?t come in here.
Oh, I have permission to come in. I have an appointment with the principal.
Ok, could you just step over here? Could we just see your press credentials, please?
The security detail is understandable. The school is new this month, with 25 students from around the region, including southern New Hampshire. Susan Wheeler, principal of the school, says there have been no problems so far, but there is a fear among the female teachers that something could happen, because of their traditional dress.
20 ?Sure, we are concerned, because we want the safety of our children. And (ring) because of our, you know, our wearing the scarf, we are visible, and it is a concern.
Because of these concerns, Wheeler says some parents have kept their children home this week, because they fear reprisals against Muslims.
Wheeler and other Muslims want to point out that while terrorists who attacked the United States may have done so in the name of the faith, the terrorists do not speak for a majority of Americans who follow the teaching of Islam.
Nabil Migalli has taught Islam for the New Hampshire Humanities Council. He says there?s nothing in the religion that condones terrorism.
10 152 if you go back to the teaching of islam, to the teaching itself of islam, it is a religion of peace. It is a religion that prohibits killing innocent people, clearly in the Koran, and in the teaching of the prophet. 10 208
Migalli is also president of the New Hampshire chapter of the American Arab anti discrimination committee. The committee hadn?t received a serious complaint for 20 years, but since the terrorist attack, that record has been broken.
08 37 No serious incidents of harassment have been reported. Except for the last two days. I mean, Within two days, we hear about 2 moslem women, one of them of arab descent was harassed in concord, verbally, 08 51
This incident, and reports of physical attacks in other states led one Islamic leader in Manchester to urge Muslim college students to stay close to campus over the weekend.
Dr. Shuja din Saleen is another leader of Manchester?s Muslim community. He said he worries that the identification of terrorists as Muslims could cause other Americans to jump to conclusions about all Muslims. He says that?s what happened after the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995.
11 40 and it is unfortunate that Muslims have been singled out again and it creates a problem for people. And there are a growing community of Muslim-americans. They want to feel like part of this community. They want to feel like Americans and they want to be respected for that. 11 101
Dr. Saleen says American Muslims want to show other Americans that Islam is a great world religion, and is being misused by, so called, ?Islamic? terrorists. He and other Muslims says say like other Americans, they want to see those responsible for the attacks brought to justice.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo