Over the Islamophobia Yet?

Religion is a fundamental function of society that effects everyday life whether we like it or not. Religion itself has three major functions that include establishing social cohesion, promoting social control, and providing meaning and purpose. Religion has done a lot of good for a lot of people, but the negativity and phobia that come with a lot of religious has become really dangerous and problematic.

For example, Islam is a world religion that has been around for centuries and is a peaceful religion. Islam is the word of God as revealed to by the prophet Muhammad. People from all backgrounds follow this religion, and from all over the world. Of course, like anything else there are radical followers. The issue is that, people assume that all followers are the same and one bad person speaks for all of them.

Just like racism, the hate for Islam and the Muslim followers is dangerous. Islamophobia is a term for prejudice against, the hatred, and/or fear of the religion of Islam, Muslim, or of ethnic groups perceived to be Muslim. Islamophobia is very evident in this society and often ignored in the media. From the reasoning to Zayn Malik’s departure from One Direction, to the North Carolina students murdered over “a parking spot”, it is often overlooked and ignored.

Zayn Malik, ex-member of boy band One Direction, was the only man of color in the band and he happened to be Muslim. For years, since he began singing with the group, he received years of threat and hatred for being who he is. Now that he recently left the band, no one has address the reasons for his departure. Aside from his anxiety and the fame, he had to deal with the constant hate and threats. A blog even said he’s leaving the band to join ISIS. (x)

In North Carolina three Muslim students were murdered after a neighbor got into a dispute with one of the young men. Police say there was an ongoing neighbor dispute over parking” but sister of the murdered young man says otherwise. The victim’s families said neighbor gunman had threatened the victims before and want to investigate a hate crime. (x)

One doesn’t have to be Muslim to understand the hatred that they deal with on the daily basis. Islamophobia has given a word to the hatred that people feel, for those who don’t necessarily want to address it as racism. The hatred they receive on the daily basis, is not just one person, one time; it is constantly.We are now, more than ever, a more socially conscious and aware society. It is important that we call out the hatred. At some point, we have to stop being nice and address it. My favorite story was from a young girl, she said “One time a boy tried to pull my hijab off, I punched him in the face. Close fist, short swing, right in the jaw. There is a point where you stop trying to educate people and start making the consequences of their racist bull-crap real clear.”

Islam is a word religion that will never disappear. We have to fight to help people live in safe environments where their religion is not a threat. We have to learn and call out the hate crimes for what they are.