Enduring Racism: The American Rite
A guest post from Zaynab Aden, a freelance writer based in Washington, DC.
Why Muslims Are The New (Insert Historically Discriminated Against Group Here)
While many do not consider two general elections enough to create a seasoned voter, it should be considered that the past two national elections, subsequent terms, and all that took place in between feel like dog years, so theoretically I have been voting for 45 years. As a first-generation American whose parents hail from a conflict-ridden country, I understand fully well the awe that a peaceful transition of power can rouse. But I think we can all agree whether you stand with the donkeys or the elephants, the past eight years were not the ideal intro to Politics 101.
As a woman of color I felt a tug for allegiance between the Clinton and Obama camps. Never mind the facts, by virtue of my gender it seemed natural that I should pull for team Hillary. However, in the game of politics, race trumps gender, so I was traded to team Obama. But the plot thickens because I am a (gasp!) Muslim. So in a bizarre turn of events, I transformed into a hot potato and was immediately dropped by both teams. As I sat mired in the mud of race and gender politics, I decided that my desire for real change surpassed my dislike of petty politics, so with that, I resolved to do all I could to work toward that change.
I feel we are on the cusp of a major moment in America. We have the chance to pick a president, not based on the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. Of course, the idea that Muslims are this monolithic group of terrorists is illogical and absurd, but we do have a way of recognizing racism only in hindsight don’t we? Which brings me to my point. While I fully support the candidacy of Barack Obama, I am constantly offended by the debate surrounding his religion, his heritage and what that fist bump really meant. Barack Obama is not an adherent of the Islamic faith, we’ve all gotten that memo loud and clear.
The site presents the truth about Obama’s religion (he’s Christian, not Muslim) and the elementary school he attended in Indonesia (ordinary and secular, as opposed to a “radical madrasa”). It provides a photo of Vice President Dick Cheney swearing in Obama with the new senator’s left hand on his family’s Bible (not the Koran).
Obama knows very well the baggage that comes with being called a Muslim in this post September 11 milieu. Whether it is right or wrong, it is detrimental to his primary concern, which is his campaign. However for scores of Muslim-Americans, many born and raised here like myself, the constant assertion by Obama that he is not Muslim is offensive nonetheless because it plays into the idea that being Muslim is synonymous with something un-American.
Being Muslim, or the mere accusation of being Muslim, is now being treated as the new “one-drop” rule; it can politically contaminate you. It instantly transforms a Chicago church-going lawyer into a xenophobic paranoia: a guy from the Middle East with calculating plans to takeover the White House. While Obama has stated he has no personal problem with Islam, the vigor in which he denies the “smears” still implies there is. The incident in which Obama campaign volunteers barred two Muslim women wearing headscarves from appearing in the backdrop of his speech in Detroit stands in sharp contrast to his message of unity and the idea we can transcend our differences. I may be wishing on a star here, but it would be nice to see Obama assert his religious beliefs while simultaneously calling out the uncalled-for and bigoted swipes against Islam for what they are: ignorant. The idea that the actions of a few or even many should not speak for the whole, as members of a democratic society shouldn’t we know that better than anyone?
From the picture of Obama dressed in traditional Somali dress as evidence of his terrorist ties, to the latest cover of The New Yorker, the smears are mounting. The New Yorker plays on age-old stereotypes African-Americans have fought long to diminish. Satire is one thing, but the magazine should have been more conscious of the social consequences of the cover rather than editorial judgment alone. It was insensitive, in my humble opinion, and it further proved that it is white, upper middle class men making profound editorial decisions with little to no thought on the effect it might have on others. What is probably most dangerous about the cover is that people actually hold that mentality.
No matter what, Barack Obama’s message does embody the ideals of my generation. We do want change. We want a leader who will move the country forward, values diplomacy and realizes that what divides us is no match for what unites us and that our differences are there to be complementary.
My generation also knows that what Michelle and Barack gave each other is known as “dap” not a fist bump.
Jul 17, 2008 by Guest Contributor in
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