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9 things that have become ‘scary’ with rise of Islamophobia

posted on: Jul 15, 2016

LEYAL KHALIFE

StepFeed

With the rise of Islamophobia only getting worse, it seems that no matter what you do, being Muslim or Arab, puts you at risk for humiliation and discrimination. They do say all publicity is good publicity, but it’s a shame publicity has to come this way.

People getting escorted off planes or suspended for putting extra effort into a school project has costed many people their dignity in the last few years.

In a recent report by CAIR, in collaboration with Berkeley, the organization revealed that over $200 million was spent in five years encouraging fear and hatred towards Muslims, making Islamophobia a multi-million dollar industry.

As discrimination gets worse, here are 8 of the most ridiculous things that have become “scary” in this world because of, not Muslims, but a failure in humanity.

1. Beards

Since when is growing a beard a crime? If you ask me, it’s a better fashion trend than anything else. See Jared Leto and Hugh Jackman for reference.

2. Solving a math equation on an airplane

Earlier this year, a “olive-skin” man was escorted off an American Airlines flight for doing math, or what the passenger seated next to him thought was a secret terrorist code in Arabic.

So, wait being smart is a crime? That woman’s stupidity levels should be a crime to be fair. She couldn’t tell Arabic and math apart…

3. Saying inshallah

Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, a senior at the University of California, Berkeley, was taken off a flight from Los Angeles to Oakland after a phone conversation he was having with his uncle in Baghdad prior to departure. He said the most commonly used Arabic word “Inshallah” and was kicked off the flight because some woman reportedly thought he had said the word “shahid,” meaning martyr, which is associated with jihad.

4. Having a name like Jihad

Oh yes, this actually cost a PlayStation gamer a whole lot. After gaming for seven years, a PlayStation user living in Saudi Arabia named Jihad Khalid Almofadda was banned from using his real name on the gaming network, where he played under the username iJihad. After getting in touch with Playstation UK, the issue was resolved and he was given a new username, losing all his friends on the network including the progress he made on his account.

Jihad is one of the most common Arab names, not just among Muslims but also for Christians. However, the name has been attached to the term “jihadists” in recent years, causing uproar in all the wrong places.

5. Wearing a hijab

Practicing one’s own religion has become somewhat of a threat. Any woman who wears a hijab knows how true this is. A form of expression is now viewed as some form of oppression, and worse, a form of terrorism. Not only has this given rise to controversy over the banning of the hijab in some countries, but it has also caused multiple incidents of woman being discriminated against because of it.

Will wearing a hat also become a threat in the near future?

6. Having “olive skin”?

Oh so Arabs can’t have white skin tone? Arabs don’t have a certain “look” or “feel”. We’re as diverse as humans are. I swear.

7. Looking at somebody for too long

Two Muslim women were removed from a JetBlue plane in March after a cabin crew member claimed she “didn’t like the way they were staring back at her.”

Staring at someone is a crime? I mean, I understand its rude, but getting in trouble for it by an official, that’s just too much!

8. Taking an invention to school

In 2015, a 14-year-old Muslim American student, of Sudanese origin, Ahmed Mohamed wasarrested and suspended after inventing a clock and bringing it to his school in Texas, because it was suspected to be a bomb.

So, being a genius is also something that could get you in trouble? Be careful.

9. Wearing traditional clothing

In June 2016, Ahmed al-Menhali who is a citizen of the United Arab Emirates was arrested in Ohio after a clerk at a hotel instructed her sister to report an emergency claiming that a man dressed in full traditional Muslim clothing was on the telephone pledging allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorist organization, which is also known as ISIS.