LIFE TOPICS

This Is Why We Need To Stop Overgeneralizing Muslims

December 10, 2015 | Posted at 9:53 am | by Corinne (Follow User)

Photo Credit: (Photo: iStockphoto)

When Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik executed what has been considered the deadliest U.S. mass shooting since Sandy Hook, the spotlight was once again on the Islamic religion and those of Middle Eastern descent.
 

The husband and wife killed 14 and injured 21 others in a San Bernardino social service facility last Wednesday. Since then, there has been much speculation about their motives and their ties. They have been called Muslim radicalists or extremeists.
 

A fellow RIZZARR contributor reflected on the incident and suggested it only takes one person to commit a tragedy and it’s up to each person to consider what type of world they live in.
 

I take it a step further. It only takes one person to stop racism and religious discrimination.
 

San Bernardino might referred to as the second most deadly mass shooting, but it is not the only mass shooting that has happened in the U.S. Several frequently come to mind: Sandy Hook, Fort Hood, Aurora, Atlanta and many more. Yet, in none of those tragedies do we blame the religion of the perpetrators. Furthermore, we do not use those who have committed such violent acts as representatives of an entire religion or culture.
 

As the presidential candidacy continues, Donald Trump, who is seeking the Republican party nomination, has recently made a number of controversial comments surrounding immigration and the Islamic population. For example, he spoke about a proposal that temporarily halts Muslim immigration to the U.S., saying in an interview with CNN that he was looking out for the Islamic community’s best interests. Trump’s comments should cause us to greatly consider who we want to be the leader of the United States.
 

CNN
 

Interestingly, the many reactions to Trump’s statements highlight the fears that many U.S. citizens have about Muslims. He states what many are too afraid to say publicly. This makes me reflect on a statement I saw once about the Klu Klux Klan. They wore white sheets so they could go back to being doctors, lawyers and other influential people without anybody knowing their real beliefs. Trump has literally taken his white sheet off, but echos the sentiments of so many still hidden.
 

As I scrolled down my Facebook page, I found a quote by Muhammad Ali posted by a high school classmate. Ali told NBC: “True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so-called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion. We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda.”
 

Ali’s statement echos the sentiments of so many Muslim’s across the world. It came three days after Trump tweeted that he didn’t know any Muslim athletes.
 


 

I find it funny, considering he’s actually met Ali multiple times, according to reports. I also appreciate this girl’s epic response to his tweet.

What a way to get trumped… It’s high time to truly understand our Muslim brothers and sisters instead of overgeneralizing them.
 

Read Ali’s full statement below:


“I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.
 

We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda. They have alienated many from learning about Islam. True Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody.
 

Speaking as someone who has never been accused of political correctness, I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views on what Islam really is.”