African American Misconceptions

The United States Constitution, the backbone of a great nation, reflects everything that America’s very first settlers were willing to risk their lives to accomplish. The primary reason colonists fled their former homes to settle in a wild, untamed land was so that they could possess religious freedoms that were otherwise denied to them. Later, when the founding fathers established a cornerstone for their government, they were careful to insure that Americans were granted the very freedoms for which they came. “We were founded upon a belief in human dignity- that no matter who you are or where you come from, or what you look like or what religion you practice, you are equal in the eyes of the law” (Obama). A prime example of this is the Constitution’s

The way of looking at Islam in Egypt is not the same as in Saudi Arabia or in Iran” (Patterson). Another common misconception among Americans is that they believe all Muslims come from terrorist ridden countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran. Contrary to this belief, 42% of American Muslims are native-born African Americans. In reality, less than 1 in 8 American Muslims are of Arab descent (Blank). For the 7,910,298 Muslims living in the United States, lack of understanding and poorly justified misconceptions has made life difficult (Kettani). People assume all Muslims have terrorist affiliations, alienating and outcasting them. Many followers of Islam cannot walk in the streets without being subjected to the burning glare of their fellow citizens. Mosques become targets of vandalism and violent anti-Islamic acts. “Muslims in America say they are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators” (Blank). In an interview with CBS, nursing student Sameya Omarkheil recalls the treatment she received after the tragedy in Paris. She claimed that she was walking to class when a man on the street tripped her and knocked her to the ground, screaming at her. She said she had