Abstract: In this assignment we were asked to address a social, political, economic, or cultural issue that impacts us. I chose to write about the misrepresentation of Islam in the media today.
Misrepresentation of Muslims in the Media
The misrepresentation of Muslims has been an ongoing issue for several years with no rest. It has become so common and normalized that no one blinks an eye when it occurs right in front of them. The media is the number one factor as to why Muslims are treated the way they are. From claiming we are terrorists to claiming we oppress women, my religion has been constantly under fire from people all around the world. You would think that as our world progresses, people would educate themselves and begin to realize the truth. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
When you hear the word terrorist, who do you think of? When I hear this word, I myself, even think of Muslims. This word has been so closely associated with Muslims and Islam, that it has even become associated with our identity. A terrorist is “a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” Nowhere in that definition does it say Muslim. However, this word is very closely related to us. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are some commonly known terrorist groups, but what about the Ku Klux Klan (KKK)? The KKK is a white supremacist and terrorist group but is undermined simply because it consists of white members. It is unfair and a misjustice to Muslims to have this word be so closely associated with us when others do not face the same problem.
Growing up in a Muslim community, I didn’t realize the stigma surrounding Muslims. I would hear on the news how Muslims were known as terrorists and threats to society. Because of this Muslims are targeted for many hate crimes. In 2015, 78 attacks on mosques were recorded in the US. Although there are high rates of crimes against Muslims, I didn’t witness any hate crimes going on in my neighborhood as we are a predominantly Muslim community. For years and years, I didn’t realize how big of a problem Islamophobia was. However, when I started high school, I began to slowly get a taste of the real world. My school consisted of many Muslims; however, I was one of the only three hijabis which made me stick out like a sore thumb. There were countless times when I would be in the hallway or elevator and students would yell “Allahu Akbar.” I would always just pretend like I didn’t hear because I didn’t know how to confront them. Allahu Akbar means “God is the greatest,” but has become sort of like a slogan that many use to associate terrorism.
In the media, when a Muslim commits a crime, they are automatically labelled as a terrorist. However, when it is a white person, they are given excuses. The headlines often highlight good qualities about them or say that they have mental problems. In 2019, Patrick Crusius went into a Walmart in El Paso, killing 22 and leaving dozens injured. CBS News described him as having ‘“a troubled youth’ and … [being] a loner.” This is how they described a white man who killed and injured dozens even after he published a manifesto online about hating Hispanics. Him being a loner and having a troubled youth does not justify his actions. He committed an act of terrorism and he should be held accountable for.
Not only are Muslims thought of as terrorists, but also as people who are oppressed. There is a common misconception that Muslim women are oppressed because we cover ourselves. People think we are oppressed and uneducated because we choose to be modest. In reality, I believe hijab goes against society’s views of how women should be and holds a deeper meaning. It allows people to not focus on our outer appearance but more about what we have to say. In many tv shows nowadays, they make it seem as though women that wear the hijab are always forced to and oppressed and need a savior. For instance, in the Netflix show Elite, Nadia, was a Middle Eastern girl who entered a private school as the only hijabi. In the beginning of the show, she is seen as an ambitious girl who takes pride in her hijab. When she is told by her school that she is not allowed to wear it on school premises, she tries to fight this. However, as time goes on and she begins to get mixed into the wrong crowd, she is no longer the character she was at the beginning. She begins to go against Islamic values and starts to drink, party and have premarital sex- all of which she so desperately tried to avoid in the beginning. These acts were seen as her finally being free as she was no longer under the bounds of her religion and was able to do things she could not do before. Nadia also fell in love with a white male classmate and along with the temptation of teenage partying, drinking and sex, she ultimately took her hijab off as a way of showing others that she was like them. This was just another blow to the meaning of hijab as it seems this was done to bring Islam down. This show along with Nadia’s character gives the wrong perception of Islam as they follow the idea that Muslim women are oppressed and need to break free from the religion. This is one example of many shows that portray the same idea.
Muslims around the world are not allowed to freely follow their religion. Currently in China, there are concentration camps for Muslims, where they are treated inhumanely. There is a genocide occurring creating a second holocaust, but many are unaware of the situation because it is happening to Muslims which is why it is not widely shown in the media. Another issue similar to this situation has been occurring in Burma for many years. Rohingya Muslims are being persecuted for their religion and are fleeing their country as refugees. In addition to this, for years and years, women in France have been discriminated against for wearing head coverings. In 2011, France banned face coverings in public spaces, targeting Muslim woman. Just this past week Switzerland and Sri Lanka banned face coverings and burqas. It is ironic how we are in the middle of a pandemic where face coverings are mandatory in many places but banned in others because of a religion. Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani, Muslim activist for female education, was told she would have to remove her hijab if she wanted to teach in a school in Quebec. Muslims are some of the only people constantly held back because of our religion.
Many people rely on the media for news and current events. The media can be a good source of information at times, but often it can be misleading. This is seen with the portrayal of Islam and Muslim people. Since Muslims were first linked to terrorism with the acts of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the media’s portrayal of all Muslims has been tainted. Majority of Muslims are painted in a bad light, no matter the reason they are being talked about in the media.
