In a post 9/11 world, I feel that Westerners have become almost paranoid. Not that the paranoia is not justified, but only to a certain extent. I can understand that you can never be too careful when it comes to national security but to go as far as stating that all Muslims are terrorists is insane and incorrect. Yes, a few individuals made a decision that led to severe consequences worldwide, but that doesn’t make it right to proceed with racial profiling, which is essentially, what is going on.
It’s almost as if there is a giant dividing line down the center of the earth, separating the West from the Middle East; ‘us’ versus ‘them’; safe from danger; good against evil. Clearly, the events of 9/11 have permanently changed our perception of Islam, causing us to view everyone as a potential threat to our Western way of life. We are always on high alert, but as diligent as we try to be, someone or something always appear to ‘slip’ passed our watchful eye.
Why? Our perceived enemies don’t fall into any particular category. They don’t have certain distinguishing features. They can be anyone. This was made clear in December 2009, when an individual carried explosives onto and American airline. Did he match the description of our perceived enemy? No.
To classify all Muslims as terrorists, or all terrorists as Muslim and target them as our only threat hasn’t seemed to diminish any attempted acts of terrorism. It has only appeared to alienate innocent individuals and cause growing resentment between Muslims and non-Muslims. If our main goal is to stop these senseless acts of violence, shouldn’t we be working towards a greater understanding of each other’s differences and closing that gap, instead of increasing the animosity and hostility?
