Islam : Muslims Vs. Jihadists

    The religion of Islam is under attack. With terror organizations using scripture from the Quran, the holy book of the Muslim faith, to justify murders and kidnappings, citizens across the globe are terrified of this religion and its followers.
    Al Qaeda and it's leader Osama Bin Laden orchestrated the horrific September 11th, 2001 terror attacks against American freedom and ideology. Claiming anyone who doesn't follow Allah to be an "infidel", this terror group attacked innocent people in the name of religion. In response, the United States government passed new legislation to make the pursuit and capture of these terrorists possible. Osama Bin Laden was killed during a raid of his Pakistan compound in May of 2011. Even with his death and the unraveling of Al Qaeda, the war on terror is still major concern for the American government and its citizens. The days, weeks, months, and years that have passed since this horrible terror attack have done little to ease the tension between common Americans and the followers of Islam.
    New terror organizations have come to prominence since the demise of Osama Bin Laden and the subsequent dwindling power of Al Qaeda. The Islamic State Of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, is an extreme Jihadist organization that is responsible for many massacres in recent months. ISIS seeks to bring about a Holy War by provoking all non-believers into an apocalyptic battle, after which they believe Allah will return to Earth and rule his followers. These radicals use social media to showcase their acts of terror, using the internet to upload videos of mass executions and captives being burned alive. They have been able to recruit many foreigners and have used non-traditional Muslims to perpetrate acts of horrific mayhem. The Boston Marathon Bombings and the French newspaper shootings were both carried out by members of ISIS who were recruited from Europe.
    The fact that ISIS and other terror groups are capable of recruiting American citizens is a main reason that many Americans despise Islam and Muslims. When a person thinks every Muslim could be a terrorist, it is difficult to not be skeptical and suspicious. This leads to rude interactions and even bullying towards these peaceful Muslims.
      Most followers of Islam are actually peaceful and worship Allah with no intentions of "killing infidels". There are scriptures in the Quran that are manipulated and taken out of context, and these verses are used by Jihadist organizations to explain the use of violence. However, most Muslims interpret those same scriptures in a much different way, and seek to bring others to Islam through ministry, similar to Christianity. This majority of peaceful Muslims are forced to defend their religion on a daily basis. The only racism that is acceptable in America's politically correct society seems to be the hatred directed towards Muslims.
      America is less accepting of Muslims today than it was immediately following the 9/11 Bombings. A recent comment by Oklahoma state Rep. John Bennett, posted on his Facebook page, shows the misconceptions about Islam : "The Quran clearly states that non-Muslims should be killed. Arab is the ethnicity, not Muslim or Islam. Be wary of the individuals who claim to be 'Muslim American.' Be especially wary if you are Christian." He continued : "I am not going to stand back and allow them to let Islam take over this nation." Bennett has refused to apologize and has even received support from other Republicans over his comments.
    This attitude is a direct contradiction of everything America stands for. America is a nation founded upon liberty and freedom. America is a nation that was established by immigrants seeking refuge from religious persecution. The United States represents a "melting pot" of many different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. We are a country that defends the freedom of other less powerful nations against religious persecution, while at the same time allowing our Muslim citizens to be publicly condemned and ridiculed. This is an embarrassment, and America must leave this cancerous attitude in the past.

Racism : Past and Present

Racism : Past and Present

     Racism is very much alive in America today, even with the United States on it's way to becoming a country whose majority population is composed of "minorities". As society becomes increasingly diverse, the stereotypes for different racial and ethnic groups are still being conveyed to the younger generation of traditional Americans. Many white children are taught to feel superior about themselves, and to enjoy "white privilege". English is the only language that needs to be taught in classrooms, or so is a popular feeling for some current parents. However, this seems racist to me, an aging sentiment that will obviously be replaced as the population continues to diversify.
    I also hear of racism in terms of Americans, both white and black, complaining about immigration and the influx of immigrants taking away jobs and opportunities from native-born citizens. This is an absurd idea to me. I feel that if an immigrant, without commanding the English language or possessing a social network of contacts, is able to legally take your job away from you, then you were unqualified for the position to begin with.
    America is a liberal society. Throughout our history, every group or agenda based on liberty and freedom has succeeded. From desegregation to abortions and gay marriage, many issues have initially been met with resistance, only to eventually become accepted as normal. America is a society that is constantly evolving, and even though racism is still present, this judgmental segment of society is being phased out naturally through immigration and interracial relationships.