9/11: nine years onAmerican Muslims frustrated by the suspicions with which they are regarded

Muslims say they still feel the suspicion of their fellow Americans // Source: wordpress.com

American Muslims say that nine years of denouncing terrorism, of praying side-by-side with Jews and Christians, of insisting “I’m American, too” — and other gestures — still could avert whay they consider to be a season of suspicion and hate against Muslims that made for an especially uncomfortable 9/11. Now, Muslims are asking why their efforts to be accepted in the United States have been so readily thwarted.

Msnbc reports that there is no simple way for American Muslims to move forward. Images of violence overseas in the name of Islam have come to define the faith for many non-Muslims at home. The United States remains at war in Afghanistan, and although America has formally declared an end to its combat operations in Iraq, U.S. troops there continue to fight alongside Iraqi forces.

Within the United States, domestic terror has become a greater threat, while ignorance about what Islam teaches is widespread. More than half of respondents in a recent poll by the Pew Forum for Religion & Public Life said they knew little or nothing about the Muslim faith.

Some U.S. Muslims say their national organizations share the blame, for answering intricate questions about Islam with platitudes, and failing fully to examine the potential for extremism within their communities. Muslim leaders often respond when terrorists strike by saying Islam is a “religion of peace” that has no role in the violence instead of confronting the legitimate concerns of other Americans, these Muslim critics say.

The summer heated debate about Islam in America has revolved around Park51, a community center and mosque planned two blocks from New York’s ground zero. Opponents and supporters of the center converged on the area for protests and counter-protests Saturday after the morning memorial ceremony at the World Trade Center site.

In recent months, mosques in Tennessee, California, New York, and elsewhere have been shot at and vandalized. Threatening messages were left at one mosque. A Florida pastor caused a global uproar with his ultimately unfulfilled threat to make a bonfire of Qurans on 9/11.

Many Jewish, Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, atheist and other groups have responded with an outpouring of support for Muslims, but suspicion remains high among many Americans.

Msnbc notes that Islamic centers have become a focus of non-Muslim fears. Federal authorities have placed informants in mosques, saying doing so is a critical counterterrorism tool. Muslim groups have separately created national campaigns encouraging