A 2011 study by the Pew Research Center puts the number of Muslims in the U.S., at 2.6 million. So that is only 0.7% of the total population in America that follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Prior to September 11, 2001, Muslims were able to coexist in a pluralistic American Society, but since that tragic day in history, things have changed dramatically. The hideous acts performed by Islamic extremists that early autumn morning, has spawned a fear that has engulfed this nation as a whole. Muslims living in America became racially targeted in public and secretly feared in private. Fearing horrible acts similar to that day; would ever be repeated, became prevalent in most American minds. While Muslims living in America worried they or other members of their family would become targets of retaliation from fear mongering Americans. Islamophobia has led to an increase of hate crimes, vandalism, protests, and has also prompted several states to pass Anti-Sharia Laws. The remnants of the World Trade Centers are long gone; and in its place the Freedom Tower has been erected, but hate crimes toward Muslims or those perceived to be follow Islamic beliefs are still being targeted in the United States. Recently a man in New York City was pushed to his death on a subway platform, by a women who believed the man to be Muslim. The woman, Erika Menendez, 31, said she pushed Sen onto the train tracks because she hates Hindus and Muslims. “I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I’ve been beating them up,” she told police according to the district attorney’s office. A stabbing outside a mosque in Queens NY, as well as a 70 year old man who was asked if he was a Hindu or Muslim prior to being beat up by two teenage boys. In California an armed man walked into a mosque and stated he was there to kill everyone, but changed his mind and walked away without doing any harm. Those are just a few recent hate crime preformed that leave the Muslim community in fear for their lives, but other methods continue to enforce that emotion. Vandalism towards mosques have also seen an increase in the years that …show more content…
I try to live my life being tolerant of others beliefs and traditions, but I also fear what is different or unknown. As a famous short green Jedi once said’ “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to the dark side”. Fear that leads to judgment of people’s appearance, culture, and belief’s. I have had two important relationships in my life, and because of that I have read into Judaism and Mormonism, to get a better understanding of their religion. I have also attended a few other mass services within the Christian faith just out of curiosity to see how they have differed from the tradition Catholic masses I am accustomed. I hope that by the end of this class, I can get a general overview of the religions we will cover and obtain a better understanding of the traditions and moral codes, that each of the religions abide to. I believe if Religious leaders began finding and discussing what are the similarities in religion rather than always focusing on what is different, tolerance and growth will spun in our