Oria, Jeremiad

The biggest issue that I believe needs to be addressed in American society today would have to be discrimination towards others. Many people believe that discrimination and segregation ended when African Americans gained their freedom and rights, but in reality it still exists today. Discrimination can be seen everywhere across the United States, but it is particularly evident with men and women who are Muslim or just of Middle-Eastern decent. People have a hard time accepting what is different from them. Muslims are feared because of the events that took place on 9/11, but is it right to label an entire race just because the actions of a group? What I am trying to say is that all because the terrorist who crashed the planes on 9/11 were Muslim extremists, does not mean that every Muslim you meet shares the same morals or sentiments. Although this generalization should not happen, it still does. As a result, today’s society has developed an “Islamophobia,” they fear Muslims and believe that if they are allowed to practice their religion freely in America, then we are allowing terrorists to have a free for all. There was an incident in Houston, Texas involving a Middle-Eastern man who was shot and wounded by another man. When asked why he shot the Middle-Eastern man, the assailant accused the man of “blowing up the country.” Another story tells of four immigrants who were shot and killed by a man as revenge for 9/11. This country is becoming increasingly discriminative towards Muslims and people who look Middle-Eastern. It needs to end because everyone is equal, no matter what he or she looks like or what he or she believes in. A good majority of the Muslims that occupy America are citizens and have lived here their entire lives. They have just as much of a right to the first amendment as any one else who lives here. If this discrimination does not end, we are going to revert to how it was when African Americans were segregated.