domestic issue review

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/business/24muslim.html?_r=1&hp

“Muslim Say They Face More Discrimination at Work”
Review
With the ninth anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attack being remembered a few weeks ago, there are many talks about Muslims recently. It doesn’t help that Muslims are trying to build a mosque near ground zero either. Ever since the terrorist attack, many Muslims have been a victim of discrimination. Just by their physical appearance we could identify their race and many were uncomfortable. Conflict theory is more present than ever in the twenty first century (Parrillo pg.10). But almost a decade later, even though the war in Iraq cooled down, those who are of Muslim decent or have those physical features are still discriminated through the nation. Muslims will be a minority group as the Americans stand strongly as the dominant group of the nation and understanding ethnocentrism (Parrillo pg. 15-18).
This article reflects the hatred that certain Americans have towards Muslims and how it is especially affecting the work environment. Ethoviolence is constant whether it be name calling or being hazed, it is said that a record number of Muslims are complaining about the work environment currently and 2010 is going to be the year that suppositely sets the record (Parrillo pg.28). This is probably because of people’s perception (classification of others on the basis of limited information obtained visually and perhaps verbally) are that all Muslims are possible terrorists (Parrillo pg. 7). But with the help of “Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” victims of this discrimination are able to find justice by taking some businesses that held these crimes to court. Although the population of Muslims are two percent in the county, according to the EEOC, out of the estimated 3400 religious discrimination claims they receive, a quarter is by Muslims.
Islam seems to be the main headline when it comes to racial and religious discrimination. When it comes to religious beliefs, “Federal law requires employers to accommodate head scarves, also called hijabs, as well as prayer breaks and other practices based on sincere religious beliefs unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer.” Symbolic interaction is the key to keeping your faith to religion and culture however it is the most problematic (Parrillo pg. 12). But many have broken this law by not hiring those who stay true to their religion or simply don’t want to. According to the functional theory, Americans want to keep a positive effect and maintain the stability of the whole (Parrillo pg.9). The country views strangers as possible threats that might change the stability of the country. I think fear is the base of racism or false consciousness (Parrillo pg.11).
What’s sad is it seems that the discrimination towards Muslims is getting worse. With so many Muslim-Americans, it’s hard for them not to be associated with “Osama” or “Al Qaeda.” Just when we thought that with the new African American president, who is Muslim could change the face of the country, we still see hate in this so called “land of opportunity and freedom.”
Parrillo, Vincent N. Understanding Race and Ethnic Relations. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2008.