The Threat Of Terrorism And Government Restrictions On Religious Expression

Freedom of religion is one of the most cherished foundations of both American society and the Church. The eleventh Article of Faith provides an excellent definition for freedom of religion, “We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege: let them worship how, where, or what they may.” As society grows less religious, there are concerns that freedom of religion is in danger. In his 1990 Ensign article “Religion in Public Life,” Dallin H. Oaks states that “we must reaffirm and even contend for religious liberty.” The best ways we can defend our freedom of religion are to ensure that our government is secular and to exercise self-government in the

After a horrible terroristic attack that shocked the whole world on September 11th in the center of New York City, Muslims in the Western world have been constantly fighting against prejudice. After September 11, media interest in Islam increased, where Islam was usually portrayed in a negative way. Before 9/11, many Muslims lived the normal, everyday life. However, the attack has changed lives of many people that belonged to the Muslim community, where they were the victims of guilt. Unfortunately, many Americans were introduced to Islam, after the 9/11 attack, thus even till today, Islam is associated with terrorism. For the past ten years, Muslims felt excluded from the American society by being rifled, attacked, discriminated, checked

The capability to speak openly and practice the religion of your choice has existed since the birth of the United States of America. Yet in the past decade, more people than ever have caused us to question which first amendment right should be protected more; freedom of speech or freedom of religion. Such events where the two rights are pinned against each other, both seeking to sense a feeling of supremacy, have proved to lead to conflict and even bloodshed.

Since 9/11, Muslims and the people of Arab and South Asian descent became targets by the government practices that result in racial profiling. “In June 2002, the attorney general John Ashcroft made announced a “Special Registration” that was a must for all males from a list of Arab and Muslim countries report to the government to register and be fingerprinted. For instance, ever since they crash into the Twin Tower’s those people seem to be targets especially trying to get a job” (Graves, L. 2010, December 27). They also seem to be more of a target for questioning before they attempt to come back into the country. “The United States has been actively engaged in prosecuting the Global War on Terrorism since September 2001” Dobrot, L. (2007, November 1). “Through after 5 years of the national effort that has included the loss of over 3,000 service members in combat operations, a lot of people are questioning whether the U.S. strategy is working, and if the United States understand how to combat an enemy based on radical revolutionary religious ideology” (Dobrot, L. (2007, November

In addition, the post 9/11 stigma has disturbed the American-Muslim mentally. In a brief report conducted by an American Psychologist,"Post 9/11: The Impact of Stigma for Muslim Americans," Saera Khan examines the communities experience. Khan conducted 12 studies on different populations and collected the data through her personal contacts outside the mosques, community centers and organizations. The survey involved 11 questions regarding how Americans view Muslims and Arabs. The data was collected between 2003 and 2006 after the two years of 9/11 incident. At that time there was a high wave of hatred towards Muslims in the American society. The type of questions which were asked were about how people were looking them after 9/11? Many of

America’s viewpoint on the Muslim group of people was significantly prejudiced by post 9/11. The entire Muslim community was vision negatively as of the events that was taken by Al Qaeda an international terrorist group formed by Osama Bin Laden. Soon, subsequent to the bombing of the twin towers, primary awareness of Muslims habitually originated from labels relating to the Middle East as a whole. According to “Affective Politics after 9/11” Todd Hall proposed that 9/11 was a sensitively prominent event that created an emotional shock wave. He believed the original place of influence were the countless effective reaction of people in the United States who has watched the series of terrorist attacks unfold and causes Americans to view Muslims

Today, there are close to six million Muslims living in the United States. In the video Flying While Muslim: Racial Profiling Post 9/11 (2007), it is clear to see that ever since

September 11th holds many hard and upset feelings around the world today. The harsh actions of Muslim extremists unfortunately completely changed the way Muslims are treated, especially in the United States. These events, exacerbated islamophobia. Unfortunately, “the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, connect Muslims and Islam to terrorism within the geographical borders of the United States.” (Byng) Although it has been over a decade since the attack, many still feel racist and discriminatory attitudes towards Muslims. Muslims are the targeted minority in the United States, “the 9/11 terrorist attacks shifted the social and political context for Muslims in the United States. Terrorism within the geographical borders of the United States carried out by Muslims places an identity at the center of national and global politics.” (Byng) The blame of the horrible terrorist attacks, rather than be placed on terrorists or religious extremist, has been placed on Islam in America. After September 11th, hate crimes towards Muslims skyrocketed, “the most dramatic change noted by the report was a more than 1,600 percent increase in reported hate crimes against Muslims -- a jump from 28 hate incidents in 2000 to 481 last year.”

There are basic freedoms and liberties that every person deserves to have, such as freedom of religion. Usually when someone speaks of freedom they speak of the freedoms of life, of liberty, of happiness, and sometimes even the basic rights that were instituted in the American Constitution. Ordinarily, religious beliefs are often one of the most controversial topics across the globe and in some places it is even considered taboo to practice a certain religion. Consequently, in some areas, those who practice “taboo” religions are outcasted and some are event physically harmed for their beliefs. Still today, many people face persecution for practicing a religion that they believe in on a daily basis and that is outrageous. Every human being deserves the right to freely choose what they believe in without fearing repercussions from others or the government. Religious freedom is something that everyone deserves, no matter what religion they chose to practice.

Have you ever felt like your religious beliefs are being compromised in order to protect others? The First Amendment, which is part of the Bill of Rights, states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” (Bill of Rights Institute). Religious freedom is being able to live and speak about your own religious beliefs publicly and freely. The Founding Fathers had made it clear they wanted a separation between church and state, but America has taken religious freedom to the extreme. Everyday more and more people are becoming subject to increased restrictions on religion.“ Churches, faith groups, and religious individuals across the United States are reporting actions that are curtailing their religious freedom and conscience” (Church of Later Day Saints).

After the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001, media coverage throughout the United States was very opinionated in the reporting of the events, which caused many Americans to be immersed in a “culture of fear” (Asmal 40). In such cases of terrorism, the social role of media should be to calm the citizens and establish a sense of identity that leads them on a path of restoration to a normal life. However, media coverage after 9/11 was heavily invested in the results and trauma of the situation that it did not support Americans to adjust back to their lives, but rather influenced their attitude towards the actions of the terrorists. The way that mainstream media portrayed the danger of terrorism from the September 11 attacks caused Americans to attribute the terroristic actions of a select few who practice Islam with the entire community of Muslims. News reports of Muslim terrorist activity have caused Americans to deeply believe and see all “Muslims as domestic terrorists” (Council on American-Islamic Relations [CAIR] 45). A factor that contributes to this may be the unproportionate reporting of news related to domestic terrorists and Muslims. A 2014 study by the Journal of Communication indicated that out of the total amount of domestic terrorist news reports published, eighty-one percent of the reports were identified to be connected with a Muslim. In comparison, only six percent of total domestic terrorists in the United States, as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation within the same timespan, identified as Muslims (CAIR 45). The difference in the percentages between the media and actual data is shocking and reflects on the inaccuracy and bias of news coverage. In fact, the inadequate coverage of terrorism in Western countries has also contributed to the mere publicity of the terrorists

Ever since September 11, 2001 Americans along with the majority of the world’s population have been skeptical of Muslims. It’s a sad reality but it’s hard for people to think of a Muslim without linking them directly to terrorism. But these assumptions aren’t totally out of the blue—the Muslim’s religion, Islam, teaches a low tolerance for other religions and the Islamic government has no separation of church and state, so it’s only normal to assume that their government shall have a low tolerance as well—some however, immediately translate this into terrorism. Through the Islamic government and religion, relations with foreign countries, and separation amongst themselves it can be concluded that Islamic Fundamentalism is clearly a threat

Historians, specifically American historians of the 21st century have demonstrated an interest in the Middle East in Islam, due to Americans frequent contact with the Middle East in the early 1960s. Islam and the Middle East have played a remarkable role in Americans discussion and reaction to the events that took place on September 11th, 2001. During this time Americans were beginning to regard the Middle East, Muslims, and Islam as one entity. Americans and the world regarded the Middle East as Islam and Islam as the Middle East. Thus, this correlation between the two made Muslims say Muslim Americans and Muslims in America as less western and more of another, but they were also seen as untrustworthy individuals. Additionally, prior to the September 11th, attacks and an after effect of September 11, was that Muslim men were violent and Muslim women as oppressed individuals. Thus, the perception of Islamophobia and the threat it brings to western society has impacted the discussion of Islamophobia in America.

The United States of America was founded with a credo of religious freedom. They hoped to change the vicious cycle of religious persecution and intolerance that had been swirling through Europe for centuries. Over the last two hundred years this legacy has been shredded and stained. Our religious freedoms have been taken away by people who have twisted what our country was founded to protect.

After the attack of 9/11 many American citizens sought out an answer to why one would hijack a plane and run it into the Twin Towers, killing millions. According to the Huffpost, Islam became the main reason for the attack and furthermore labeled religion as the inspiration for many terroristic attacks (Gibson, 1). According to many Muslims, however, the attacks are anti-Islamic because the Quran states not to harm civilians who are not involved with war and to avoid it at all possible times (PBS, 3). The conflict between Muslims and Americans is growing and many issues in the Middle East has become the focus for religious terrorism.