Hijabs, Hoodies, and Swing Votes: Continuing Racism and Islamophobia in the US

            It would be an understatement to say that Treyvon Martin’s death is nothing short of an outrage and is evidence of the continued presence of systemic racism in the United States. However, Ms. Sarsour points out so eloquently it is also evidence of the fact that in the current discourse of ‘post-racial’ America discrimination against many groups is being rendered invisible due to of a lack of discussion.

*sigh*

            In this particular case we turn to Islamophobia and racism towards those appear to be Arabic and Muslim. In the case of Ms. Sarsour’s article this discussion focuses primarily on last week’s brutal murder of Ms. Shaima Alawadi in El Cajon, California. This hostility is in many ways caused by the tension created by the events 9/11 and the equally violent response by the US government and its armed forces. But it could also be spurred on by the fact that “the next largest numbers of Muslim voters are found in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Virginia, all of which could be key battlegrounds between President Barack Obama and his Republican opponent” (Greene). It is an interesting connection to note considering the return of increase Islamophobia and general racism by the conservative elements of this country in many ways coincides with this recent statistic. As this provides Muslim Americans with a direct line to the presidency it gives them a greater a degree of political power meaning that there is a distinct possibility will begin to see an appeal to the interests of Muslim Americans having strong political currency causing those with anti-Muslim planks in their platform to lose vital electoral votes in key battleground states.

This new power may, in many ways, be perceived as those already anti-Muslim as a direct threat to the political stability of this country, meaning that this coming election could be a very interesting (and potentially terrifying) one to watch in terms of the political representation and perception of Islam in this country.

hopefully not like this

Till Next Time,
Jacob 

Articles discussed:

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/05/my-take-my-hijab-is-my-hoodie/

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/03/muslim-voters-could-swing-election-report-finds/