Please Stop Saying Everyone Was Magically United After 9/11

September 11, 2020

Every year on September 11, I see Facebook posts that refer to how 'united' the United States was in the aftermath of that tragic event. Many times, they say something along the lines of:

It didn't matter what race you were, who you voted for, or what you believed in; we were all Americans.

There is a picture being painted of an entire country that came together to support, love, and rally around each other, realizing that the commonality of being American was more important than skin color, religion, gender, orientation, or political party. These days, especially, that time is remembered with nostalgia, accompanied by comments that lament how divided our country has become today, presenting it as an almost idyllic time. Oh, the good old days when everybody was capable of coming together.

I've yet to see one of these posts written by a Muslim American, however. Probably because they were the one group of Americans who were excluded from the solidarity parade.

I wasn't Muslim at that time. I was a child, in a non-Muslim family, and this wasn't an issue I was even aware of back then. But now that I'm older, more involved in social discourse, and friends with a very diverse group of people, I see with hindsight how left out Muslims were, and still are, from the conversation about unity.

Ask anyone who was Muslim and living in this country in September 2001 how included, supported or rallied-around they felt in the aftermath of 9/11. For that matter, anyone who 'appeared' Muslim to the ignorant. Their answer will probably be different from anyone else's.

Children from Muslim families were being called terrorists by other children in school. Adults were being assaulted in public. Here in the Phoenix metro area (specifically, Mesa, AZ), a Sikh man was confused for a Muslim because of his appearance and murdered for it. (Rest in peace, Balbir Singh Sodhi.)

Muslim Americans, both immigrants and U.S.-born, were mourning for their country just like everyone else. The fact that the attack was carried out in the name of their religion (by a handful of zealots who grossly misinterpreted and used it as a tool of evil) probably made it hit home for them even more than most. And on top of all that, they were now the most hated people in the United States -- hated for something they had nothing to do with and they were as heartbroken over as everyone else.

And it didn't stop after the wounds of 9/11 became less raw. Donald Trump is still spreading baseless lies about Muslims celebrating after the attacks. Muslims are still verbally and physically attacked in hate crimes against their religion, and their places of worship targeted. Hijabi women are still having people try to rip their scarves off in public places. Unlike the period of so-called unity that existed for a while, Islamophobia and hatred of Muslims isn't going anywhere.

One thing about that time period I do feel a bit nostalgic for is when people thought George W. Bush was the worst possible president we could have. Even he made a speech urging people not to demonize innocent Muslim Americans. If Trump had been president at that time, just imagine how many more murders there would have been after he encouraged violence the way he always does.

May the victims of the terrorist attacks rest in peace. May those who've been regarded as terrorists for something they had nothing to do with also find peace.

Salaam.

tags: 9/11, september 11, muslims, hate crimes