American Muslims vs Media Muslims

Santino Brancato

Blog 3

5/9/16

 

Real Muslims vs Media Muslims

 

            Lately in America the religion of Islam has been seen in a negative light. Muslims have been discriminated against because people don’t fully understand the religion. They see ISIS and how the media reports it and jump to conclusions. Politics and talk radio shows fuel the fire and stir people up. Some of the biggest icons this country has ever seen have been Muslim. But ISIS has dragged down the image. True Muslims hate everything about ISIS. The media, politics, and popular radio shows need to do a better job expressing the truth about real Muslims.

            The main reason Muslims have been discriminated against is the war that going on in the Middle East and the rise of ISIS. The media is quick to cover an ISIS story and put it on the front page, captained ISLAMIC STATE TERRORISTS. This has been happening all over the news and the newspapers. Americans see this and compare it to Muslims and the religion of Islam. When the reality is the two have nothing in common and the vast majority of Muslims hate the group that is ISIS. With all the recent ISIS attacks Americans have acted in hate crimes against Muslims. In a recent New York Times article, the author Liam Stack, expressed a level of concern for Muslims in America and displayed a long list of recent hate crimes against Muslims. The crimes vary from racial slurs on mosques to violent senseless crimes. One crime that really opened my eyes was in New York. A Muslim women wearing a hijab while talking her infant daughter for a stroll. A man came up from behind the women and pushed her to the ground and spat on her. The article states that “Coley a 34 year old man pushed the women and told her I’m going to burn your Muslim temple down” (Stack). I understand that tensions are high in America but I can’t believe someone would stoop to that level. To tie a women and a young child into what’s going on overseas is ludicrous. This is how I know that the media is brainwashing Americans to think poorly of Muslims. Otherwise men wouldn’t be going around spitting on Muslim women.

            Also politics have played a huge roll in the anti-Muslim movement. The majority of Republican candidates have been against Muslim immigration since day one. The presumptive nominee Donald Trump, is probably the harshest against Muslims and he seems to only gaining support. With the nominee some thought that Trump would back down on his promise to ban Muslims in our country. But in a recent news article Trump knocked that down saying “I don’t care if it hurts me, we are doing the right thing. We are letting thousands and thousands of people into this country that, frankly, nobody knows who they are” (Hoft). I understand that the next President wants to keep us safe. But saying a statement like that effects all the good Muslims that are in this country. They have to suffer because people are going to see them and think terrorist. I wondered why Trump was gaining so much support for making comment like these. But it made sense after a while. The scholarly source I used looked into Americans view on Muslim living in America. It also took a survey to see how the American people perceived Muslims. In the survey, 40% of Americans don’t view Muslims in a positive light, and 50% of American think Islam is a violent religion. After doing this research and survey the author said “It’s clear, many American are convinced Muslim Americans pose a threat to American society” (Ghazal). I know the media blows up the Islamic religion but after seeing the survey in the scholarly source it’s obvious we have a problem.

Like I said in the intro popular radio shows need to do a better job expressing the truth about Muslims, and the religion of Islam. Michael Savage voice of the Savage Nation believes that Muslims are ruining this country. He echoes his opinion to millions around the world. A very effective way to touch the mass media. Since he has been on the radio he has been an anti-Muslim advocate. In a recent article Savage went off on Muslims coming to America. He believes that there in a “Muslim invasion” going on in America. Savage continued by saying      “They are probably fleeing war in Syria because they are coming here to start one, adding he is puzzled that neither Republicans nor the population in general is alarmed by the influx” (Richter). Savage is expressing this message to millions of people. No wonder why there is so much animosity against Muslims in our country. Americans have to realize that what’s going on in the Middle East doesn’t resemble the whole Muslim religion. Hall of Fame basketball star Kareem Abdul Jabbar and legendary Heavy weight campion Muhammad Ali converted to muslin after realizing its true meaning many years ago. My point is, Americans don’t discriminate Kareem Abdul Jabbar or Muhammad Ali, but the truth is they are Muslim just like the women wearing a hijab. Those couple names show us that Muslims aren’t all bad guys, they can be incredible people. If we can keep an open mind I think it would benefit our country.

             In conclusion I hope we can get past the dangers that are the Middle East and realize not all Muslims are terrorists. The majority of Muslims are peaceful spiritual people who do not promote violence. When we see mass media outings showing Muslims in a negative light, keep in mind they are also trying to sell a hot topic. And there is no bigger topic in our country right now.

 

 

Works Cited

 

Ghazal, Jennan. "Muslims in America." Muslims in America. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.

 

Ritcher, Greg. "Michael Savage: Muslims Invading America, GOP in 'Cahoots' With Hillary." Newsmax. N.p., 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 09 May 2016.

 

Stack, Liam. "American Muslims Under Attack." The New York Times. The New York Times, 21 Dec. 2015. Web. 09 May 2016.