Tactics/Strategies/Arguments for Fighting ISLAMOPHOBIA??

[mojo.rhythm]

Hi comrades,

I just wanted to launch a bit of a discussion on this point. What are some of the best approaches and strategies for dealing with Islamophobia, from a radical left point-of-view? This is particularly relevant today, given the media-induced public hysteria over organisations like ISIS and Boko Haram, and the accompanying culture of paranoid fear created and stoked by the capitalist state.

To make the question more concrete, I'll list some common arguments posed by Islamophobes and we could brainstorm some good responses?


"Islamophobia is a word created by fascists, and used by cowards to manipulate morons."
"It's not 'Islamophobia' if there is genuinely something to be afraid of."
"There was an actual terrorist plot foiled in this city by [insert national intelligence agency here], we need these repressive anti-terror laws to stay safe!"
"Haven't you read the Koran? It says all kinds of horrible things about hating and killing infidels, etc. So you've gotta watch out for Muslims; they're trouble!"
"You oppose airstrikes in Syria? Do you know how many Muslims are getting raped and tortured in that country? YOU'RE THE REAL ISLAMOPHOBE!"
"Islam is NOT a religion of peace!"
"I totally oppose the demonization, harassment and unfair treatment of innocent Muslims in our country, BUT..."

Sound off comrades! :)

[mojo.rhythm]

To get it started, I'll offer a few responses of my own...


"There was an actual terrorist plot foiled in this city by [insert national intelligence agency here]; we need pre-emptive, surveilance-heavy anti-terror laws to stay safe!"And why isn't criminal law enough to deal with these kinds of actions? If the same atrocities were committed by a fundamentalist Christian, NOBODY would be calling for the kinds of repressive surveillance state measures that are being suggested by the intellectuals in the mainstream newspapers. This just proves that people like you have one set of standards for Muslims, another set of standards for other people.


"Islam is NOT a religion of peace!"

Islam is not a religion of violence either. There is no such thing as True Islam, much like there is no such thing as True Christianity.

The interpretations an Islamic society makes of the Koran and Shariah Law very much depend on its objective circumstances. For example, many people like to say that Islam is inherently opposed to nationalism because your first and foremost loyalty as a Muslim, according to the Koran, is supposed to be to the global Muslim community (the umma). Well, tell that to Hamas and Hezbollah! Both organisations are very committed to Islamism as well as Islam, yet because of their circumstances, they have re-interpreted the Koran to provide justification for their national liberation struggles.

Wahhabist Islam is no more the "True Interpretation" than more progressive, reformist interpretations.

[John Nada]

"Islamophobia is a word created by fascists, and used by cowards to manipulate morons.""Islamophobia is a word to describe fascist and their manipulated dumb-asses like you."
"It's not 'Islamophobia' if there is genuinely something to be afraid of.""What's there to be afraid of? Could it have something to do with the races associated with Islam?"
"There was an actual terrorist plot foiled in this city by [insert national intelligence agency here], we need these repressive anti-terror laws to stay safe!""You're far more likely to be killed or maimed by the police than an attack."
"Haven't you read the Koran? It says all kinds of horrible things about hating and killing infidels, etc. So you've gotta watch out for Muslims; they're trouble!""Have you read the Bible? It says the same shit."
"You oppose airstrikes in Syria? Do you know how many Muslims are getting raped and tortured in that country? YOU'RE THE REAL ISLAMOPHOBE!""And yet you want the US to kill even more Muslims and Christians in Syria."
"Islam is NOT a religion of peace!""Neither is Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism or the so-called 'New Atheist'."
"I totally oppose the demonization, harassment and unfair treatment of innocent Muslims in our country, BUT...""You support demonizing, harassing and oppressing people in other countries."

[mojo.rhythm]

Aha! Dig the last one! :laugh:

[mojo.rhythm]

I'm surprised so few people have chimed in here. Surely, as socialist activists we all are confronted with these debates on a fairly frequent basis!

To all looking at this page: don't just view, post your thoughts!

[RedWorker]

There's a difference between believing in equality and freedom of worship and being a religious apologist. So I believe in equality and oppose discrimination of Muslims, yet I'm no religious apologist. Therefore I am going to say my real opinion.


"Haven't you read the Koran? It says all kinds of horrible things about hating and killing infidels, etc. So you've gotta watch out for Muslims; they're trouble!"

Only a portion of Muslims are 'dangerous', but many of them are very disrespectful, having no problem with believing you deserve to get murdered if you are an "unbeliever". Some of them will even say this to your face. In this case it's like Nazis and Mein Kampf, not all of them will personally set to carry it out. Although the Quran is a lot more brutal and cruel than Mein Kampf.


"Islam is NOT a religion of peace!"

It's not at all. As a religion they've been involved in a large amount of holy wars and even civil wars. And their holy texts say unbelievably cruel and violent things, needless to mention sexism, etc.

[Devrim]

Only a portion of Muslims are 'dangerous', but many of them are very disrespectful, having no problem with believing you deserve to get murdered if you are an "unbeliever". Some of them will even say this to your face. In this case it's like Nazis and Mein Kampf, not all of them will personally set to carry it out. Although the Quran is a lot more brutal and cruel than Mein Kampf.

...and your arguing against Islamophobia here?

How many Muslims have told you, to your face, that you deserve to be murdered?

Devrim

[Devrim]

It's not at all. As a religion they've been involved in a large amount of holy wars and even civil wars. And their holy texts say unbelievably cruel and violent things, needless to mention sexism, etc.

Which makes them just like Christians then.

Devrim

[RedWorker]

I haven't said Christianity is better than Islam, certainly both are fucked up. And I've actually had Muslim so-called "friends" on the Internet explicitly approving of "unbelievers" dying and being tortured in hell when debating with them over the issue, being aware that I am an atheist. Granted not literally to my "face", yet the point stands. I've never been disrespectful to a Muslim and I support their freedom of worship.

[Devrim]

Only a portion of Muslims are 'dangerous', but many of them are very disrespectful, having no problem with believing you deserve to get murdered if you are an "unbeliever". Some of them will even say this to your face.


And I've actually had Muslim so-called "friends" on the Internet explicitly approving of "unbelievers" dying and being tortured in hell when debating with them over the issue, being aware that I am an atheist. Granted not literally to my "face", yet the point stands.

Well no, the point doesn't stand at all. Nobody said it to your face. What people said was also different from what you originally complained about. There is a difference between believing that somebody will be punished in the afterlife, and believing that people 'deserve to be murdered'.

It all sounds like the stuff in the right wing press.

Devrim

[RedWorker]

He didn't even ask for me to be murdered! It's so nice of him to say to me that he'd just approve of me being tortured for all eternity. And there are multiple calls to murder unbelievers in the Quran. I've had conversations with Muslims and they've refused to condemn these calls. Why should this be any different from someone believing Jews should be murdered, or someone declaring Mein Kampf his holy text?

I'm not going to continue to participate in the derailing of this thread, so I won't reply to any further messages of this style. Suffice to say that I criticise & condemn Christianity (& similar religions) and its followers for their violent and sexist beliefs just as much as I criticise Islam for it. If this was an analogous thread about Christianity, I'd be saying the same thing, it's just that an analogous thread would be more unlikely because in the Western world Muslims tend to be discriminated more than Christians are. This is why it seems that I'm specifically "picking" on Islam.

[Devrim]

He didn't even ask for me to be murdered! It's so nice of him to say to me that he'd just approve of me being tortured for all eternity.

The point isn't what he said, but the fact that he didn't say what you claimed he said:


Only a portion of Muslims are 'dangerous', but many of them are very disrespectful, having no problem with believing you deserve to get murdered if you are an "unbeliever". Some of them will even say this to your face.

And this is the sort of stuff that the right wing press come out with.


And there are multiple calls to murder unbelievers in the Quran. I've had conversations with Muslims and they've refused to condemn these calls

As there are in the Christian Bible. Do you go round demanding that Christians condemn, for example, Deuteronomy.


I'm not going to continue to participate in the derailing of this thread, so I won't reply to any further messages of this style.

Good, It's good that a thread that is about tackling Islamophobia won't be fılled with any more Islamophobic nonsense.

Devrim

[Rafiq]

I begin to wonder if people in this thread actually have real experience engaging Muslims.

A prevailing problem I notice is that many harbor wildly reactionary anti Semitic views, and are obnoxiously religious in the sense of that obnoxiously religious Christian person. Sure many Muslims tout complete and utter drivel but I haven't met one that hates "unbelievers" and so forth. Most Muslim backwardness stems from their class background from their respective countries. Wealthy Muslims, conversely, are exactly like wealthy Christian religious people.

And then a lot of them, I would say a great bulk of the youth aren't religious. And when they are, it's a means for them to identify with each other, it's more of a nationalistic kind of thing - much how Latinos do the same.

Backwardness and reactionary ideas are a massive problem on every Muslim community. But that doesn't mean they're dangerous.

[Rafiq]

What I find interesting is that most Islamic fundamentalists are western converts and western born Muslims feeling excluded from society.

[mojo.rhythm]

...many harbor wildly reactionary anti Semitic views...

Not in my experience. Here in Australia, the vast majority of Muslims I have met have been nothing but nice. I haven't heard a bad word spoken about Jewish people. At our pro-Palestine rallies, for example, the organisers always have speakers from Jews Against Israeli Apartheid give a speech, and they receive nothing but thunderous applause and cheering from a largely Muslim crowd.

[Rosa Partizan]

Not in my experience. Here in Australia, the vast majority of Muslims I have met have been nothing but nice. I haven't heard a bad word spoken about Jewish people. At our pro-Palestine rallies, for example, the organisers always have speakers from Jews Against Israeli Apartheid give a speech, and they receive nothing but thunderous applause and cheering from a largely Muslim crowd.

And this is an argument why it can't be anti-semitic? Here in Germany, you see neonazis demonstrating with Muslims and even leftists for the Palestinian cause, using the exactly same rhetoric. You see Arabs with nazi/Third Reich tattoos and Pali scarfs. Just because something doesn't fit together at first glance, doesn't mean it can't coexist. To them, those orthodox Jews are just a means to an end, don't get fooled.

[Thirsty Crow]

And this is an argument why it can't be anti-semitic?Well, yeah, it is, especially the fact that the user explicitly stated they didn't hear a bad word about Jews. You can question the honesty of the user (a dishonest debating move in itself), but this definitely is an argument not why it can't be anti-semitic, but that in Australia it isn't (something also specified in the post you're responding to).

On the other hand, the argument of inherent and necessary anti-semitism on behalf of pro-Palestine/Muslim activists and protestors found here is:


Here in Germany, you see neonazis demonstrating with Muslims and even leftists for the Palestinian cause, using the exactly same rhetoric.Which would make sense if you think what happens in Germany happens in Australia by necessity.

[Rosa Partizan]

I referred to "they receive blahblah". Here they are cheered, too. So the bold one is NO argument why it can't be anti-semitic.

[Slavic]

I referred to "they receive blahblah". Here they are cheered, too. So the bold one is NO argument why it can't be anti-semitic.


Well if the same speech was given to a booing and jeering crowd then you can obviously draw a conclusion of the crowd's interests.

[Devrim]

What I find interesting is that most Islamic fundamentalists are western converts and western born Muslims feeling excluded from society.

I don't think that this is true at all. It is true that there are some Westerners fighting with ISIS. The media makes a big thing about it.

However, they are a tiny minority. I'd suspect that there are more people from our city fighting for them than from the whole of the West.

Devrim

[Rafiq]

I don't think that this is true at all. It is true that there are some Westerners fighting with ISIS. The media makes a big thing about it.

However, they are a tiny minority. I'd suspect that there are more people from our city fighting for them than from the whole of the West.

Devrim

Well, I meant as far as western immigrants are concerned. It's also kind of an interesting phenomena - Is Turkey not the most westernized, modernized country in the Middle East? I have always been under the impression that Islamic fundamentalism as such usually does not derive from local rural Muslim populations (meaning that, for example, it's not actually representative of the social ills of the Muslims).

[Rafiq]

And this is an argument why it can't be anti-semitic? Here in Germany, you see neonazis demonstrating with Muslims and even leftists for the Palestinian cause, using the exactly same rhetoric. You see Arabs with nazi/Third Reich tattoos and Pali scarfs. Just because something doesn't fit together at first glance, doesn't mean it can't coexist. To them, those orthodox Jews are just a means to an end, don't get fooled.

It's also important to understand that anti semitism doesn't concern Jews on an individual level, it's perfectly possible for an anti-semite to have Jewish friends, or for there to be Jewish sympathizers (There are Jewish holocaust deniers).

Anti semitism concerns the Ideological archetype of "the jew" - you could, for example, exhibit anti-Semitic tendencies without ever even mentioning Jews. The problem with anti-semitism isn't simply that it propagates hatred toward the Jewish people as such - but that it is a form of logic which is fundamentally reactionary.

[DOOM]

Not in my experience. Here in Australia, the vast majority of Muslims I have met have been nothing but nice. I haven't heard a bad word spoken about Jewish people. At our pro-Palestine rallies, for example, the organisers always have speakers from Jews Against Israeli Apartheid give a speech, and they receive nothing but thunderous applause and cheering from a largely Muslim crowd.

Depends on how you define anti-semitism. As Rafiq said, you don't have to mention jews to propagate anti-semitic logic, which is inherently reactionary and functioning as a possible hotbed for violence against jews. Jews are the historical scapegoat of the (post-)industrial society for capitalism. So basically, everytime you identify capitalism with a person or a certain group of people, jews will almost automatically cross the mind of a reactionary. It's not just wrong to use such a regressive form of anti-capitalism, it's deeply reactionary. What is regressive anti-capitalism? (http://emafrie.de/what-is-regressive-anti-capitalism-notes-on-the-difference-between-critique-of-capitalism-and-critique-of-capitalists/?)
So for an antisemite, Israel is the political medium of the jews to control politics and economy (explaining the conspiracy-theorist's obsession with Israel and the Mossad). By longing for the singular abolition of the jewish state, you're effectively emulating the notion of eliminatory antisemitism to cripple the (seemingly huge amounf of) jewish influence in the world by crippling them.

[Anglo-Saxon Philistine]

Depends on how you define anti-semitism. As Rafiq said, you don't have to mention jews to propagate anti-semitic logic, which is inherently reactionary and functioning as a possible hotbed for violence against jews. Jews are the historical scapegoat of the (post-)industrial society for capitalism. So basically, everytime you identify capitalism with a person or a certain group of people, jews will almost automatically cross the mind of a reactionary.

Yes, in (some parts of) Europe.

In Indonesia it will be the Chinese. In Fiji it will be the Indians.

It's like, you have a point in the sense that a vague "anti-capitalism" is often used by reactionaries as code for ethnic hatred, but why focus on the Jews to the exclusion of everything else? Yeah, we both live in Europe where it's usually the Jews (although the Chinese have been making inroads) but you're not talking about Europe, you're talking pretty generally.

But as I said - right - why "anti-capitalism"? Socialists are more than "those blokes what are opposed to capitalism", particularly since "capitalism" can mean generalised commodity production, wage labour and the private ownership of the MoP - or it can mean "consumerism" and whatever bogeyman people imagine is guilty for church attendance dropping and people getting it up the arse. "Anti-capitalism" has always been a cover for "the left" to get in bed with priests, mullahs and worse.

[DOOM]

Yes, in (some parts of) Europe.

In Indonesia it will be the Chinese. In Fiji it will be the Indians.

It's like, you have a point in the sense that a vague "anti-capitalism" is often used by reactionaries as code for ethnic hatred, but why focus on the Jews to the exclusion of everything else? Yeah, we both live in Europe where it's usually the Jews (although the Chinese have been making inroads) but you're not talking about Europe, you're talking pretty generally.

But as I said - right - why "anti-capitalism"? Socialists are more than "those blokes what are opposed to capitalism", particularly since "capitalism" can mean generalised commodity production, wage labour and the private ownership of the MoP - or it can mean "consumerism" and whatever bogeyman people imagine is guilty for church attendance dropping and people getting it up the arse. "Anti-capitalism" has always been a cover for "the left" to get in bed with priests, mullahs and worse.
Yeah I should've been clearer, anti-semitism is a pretty western phenomenon (which doesn't mean we aren't able to export this reactionary non-sense). The Asian Crisis showed us how other cultures have other boogeymen.
Indeed, anti-capitalism needs to be far more than anti-consumerism. Anti-consumerism is wrong and inherently reactionary, it's the moralists' anti-capitalism, which explains why reactionary groups of people, whether they're priests or nazis, are able to have distrust in "capitalism". Feudal socialism is the catch-word, I believe.

[mojo.rhythm]

By longing for the singular abolition of the Jewish state, you're effectively emulating the notion of eliminatory antisemitism to cripple the (seemingly huge amount of) Jewish influence in the world by crippling them.

This seems to me to be little different from saying that the annihilation of apartheid South Africa can only spring from an "anti-white" desire to see all white influence expunged from the African continent. Or have I misunderstood you comrade?

[mojo.rhythm]

Comrades, just a gentle reminder about the original premise of this thread I started: if any real-life activists have decent suggestions on how to decisively respond to the following right-wing arguments about Muslims and Islam, then please by all means do so!


"Islamophobia is a word created by fascists, and used by cowards to manipulate morons."
"It's not 'Islamophobia' if there is genuinely something to be afraid of."
"There was an actual terrorist plot foiled in this city by [insert national intelligence agency here], we need these repressive anti-terror laws to stay safe!"
"Haven't you read the Koran? It says all kinds of horrible things about hating and killing infidels, etc. So you've gotta watch out for Muslims; they're trouble!"
"You oppose airstrikes in Syria? Do you know how many Muslims are getting raped and tortured in that country? YOU'RE THE REAL ISLAMOPHOBE!"
"Islam is NOT a religion of peace!"
"I totally oppose the demonization, harassment and unfair treatment of innocent Muslims in our country, BUT..."

Cheers! :)
Mojo

[Rafiq]

Are Chinese seen as nationally baseless conspirators? Do Indonesians feel they need to beat the Chinese out of them?

Having ethnic groups which are discriminated against does not constitute anti semitism. In Lebanon decades ago, and Saudi Arabia today the rural Shia population is discriminates against, but it isn't an archetype of the Jew of anti semitism.

[mojo.rhythm]

Comrades, just a gentle reminder about the original premise of this thread I started: if any real-life activists have decent suggestions on how to decisively respond to the following right-wing arguments about Muslims and Islam, then please by all means do so!


"Islamophobia is a word created by fascists, and used by cowards to manipulate morons."
"It's not 'Islamophobia' if there is genuinely something to be afraid of."
"There was an actual terrorist plot foiled in this city by [insert national intelligence agency here], we need these repressive anti-terror laws to stay safe!"
"Haven't you read the Koran? It says all kinds of horrible things about hating and killing infidels, etc. So you've gotta watch out for Muslims; they're trouble!"
"You oppose airstrikes in Syria? Do you know how many Muslims are getting raped and tortured in that country? YOU'RE THE REAL ISLAMOPHOBE!"
"Islam is NOT a religion of peace!"
"I totally oppose the demonization, harassment and unfair treatment of innocent Muslims in our country, BUT..."

Cheers! :)
Mojo

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

"Islamophobia is a word created by fascists, and used by cowards to manipulate morons."This simply seems to be inaccurate - it was a word created by French anthropologists about a century ago. It's contemporary popularization was with the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia, which defined the term as "[A]n outlook or world-view involving an unfounded dread and dislike of Muslims, which results in practices of exclusion and discrimination." If you look at the facts, it's hardly some sort of left-wing conspiracy.
"It's not 'Islamophobia' if there is genuinely something to be afraid of."But there isn't. This is the same non-starter as "It's not homophobia because AIDS." Well, the reality is that the Muslims collectively don't embody the fears of Islamophobes any more than every gay man has HIV. It's nonsense.
"There was an actual terrorist plot foiled in this city by [insert national intelligence agency here], we need these repressive anti-terror laws to stay safe!"Ah yes, intelligence agencies, always acting so decisively to protect us from "terrorists" and never at all acting primarily in pursuit of the strategic goals of the state. Which might, you know, have an interest in Islamophobia. No. Of course not.
"Haven't you read the Koran? It says all kinds of horrible things about hating and killing infidels, etc. So you've gotta watch out for Muslims; they're trouble!"Not like other religions at all. Careful, every church-goer could be Timothy McVeigh. Or, for that matter, it's not like European Enlightenment thought has ever served as justification for mass murder. Oh, wait . . .
"You oppose airstrikes in Syria? Do you know how many Muslims are getting raped and tortured in that country? YOU'RE THE REAL ISLAMOPHOBE!"Uh-huh. Since imperialist intervention in the region has been such a stabilizing force, historically.
"Islam is NOT a religion of peace!"Therefore?
"I totally oppose the demonization, harassment and unfair treatment of innocent Muslims in our country, BUT..."But what? Why does that statement require a "but" at the end?[QUOTE=mojo.rhythm;2791618]

[ckaihatsu]

Here's what a Muslim Medical Student does to counter hate...


Wednesday | April 26, 2017

Dear Friends,

Even before the MuslimBan I, the MuslimBan II, and the Muslim Laptop Ban, American Muslim physicians were struggling to serve their patients.

There are an estimated 50,000 Muslim physicians who save lives every day in America, except that there are no TV shows highlighting their services.

While Muslims comprise 1-2% of the American population, American Muslim physicians represent 5% of all American physicians.

A University of Chicago study found that nearly half of American Muslim doctors feel scrutinized and hostility on the job.

The main challenge American Muslim doctors face is that the patients refuse their services.

But this story of compassion takes the humanity forward.
A Patient says Something Hateful, and here’s what a Muslim Medical Student does

https://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5965/images/video_medicalstudent_islamophobia.jpg (http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=C0rE86zVjZWz%2FZJ4Qwu1s7xRKPDd4wZp)

Sara H. Rahman, a Muslim-American medical student at Quinnipiac University was taken aback when a patient told her Muslims weren't "welcome" in America. Here's what she has to say about how she dealt with the situation. (Monica Akhtar, Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

By Sara H. Rahman

“Mr. J?” I call out into the waiting room. A short, gray-haired man in his 60s staggers toward me, bracing his back with his hands. Despite his pain, he gives me a warm smile, which I return.

As I help him onto the exam-room table, he winces, squeezing my hand.

“I’m a medical student,” I begin. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to examine you before Dr. S sees you.” (I am using their initials to protect the privacy of patient and doctors.)

He nods. “Go ahead, you can learn on me — just don’t break my leg!”

We chuckle, and then I check his vitals, review his medications and ask him about his back pain.

“It’s been getting worse for the past couple of months,” he says. “I’ve been under a lot of stress with my business. And there’s so much else going on — I’ve been feeling angry a lot lately . . . .”

“You’ve been feeling angry? Why?” I ask.

“It’s the news,” Mr. J says. “ISIS and those Muslims.” His nostrils flare; his hands clench. “These Muslims think they can blow up our country!”

Heat crawls up my neck. I am a Muslim American. My parents emigrated from Pakistan nearly 30 years ago. I was born and raised in a small rural town in Western Maryland.

“I want to take care of them for good and send them all packing,” Mr. J continues. “They aren’t welcome here!”

He gives me an expectant look, waiting for me to nod in agreement. His sentiments are shared by many in the town my clinic serves. Outwardly, I don’t “look” Muslim, as I don’t wear a hijab. Because of my dark skin, I’m more often mistaken for an Indian Hindu.

Growing up in my predominantly white home town, I never really noticed any negativity from others about my race or religion — they were just a part of who I was.

On Sept. 11, 2001, I was in sixth grade. That day, instead of continuing our normal school schedule, my teacher turned on our classroom TV so that we could watch the news, live. My classmates and I stared, mesmerized, as the smoke rose from the twin towers. I was so naive, I didn’t see that a small group of people had hijacked my religion, claiming it as a reason to kill thousands of innocent people. That day, my race and religion stopped being simply one part of my personal identity and became a part of my political reality as well.

The tensions born that day have only intensified. Hate crimes against Muslims have surged; each time I visit my Muslim community back home, I hear another story of someone’s car or store being vandalized, or of death threats received in the mail. Similar stories are shared on Facebook by Muslim communities all over the United States. Some Muslims have decided to shave their beards or stop wearing a hijab, crucial parts of their identity, so that they won’t be easy targets. My own mother, terrified for my safety, has made me promise to stop going on my daily morning runs alone. The fear is palpable.

Now, as I listen to Mr. J, my pen slips from my fingers and falls to the floor. He keeps talking, but I can’t take in his words. I need to escape . . . to calm down and digest this shock.

“Excuse me a moment,” I mutter, blinking back tears, and walk past him, my legs heavy.

Before, when confronted with this kind of prejudice, I’ve known exactly what to do: Speak up. I’ve revealed my religious identity and have tried to show that I’m “normal,” in hopes of changing the person’s mind-set. I’ve done this countless times.

Most recently, while waiting for my car’s oil change to be done, I watched an elderly woman struggling to help her grandson with his algebra homework.

“I should call my friend Ahmad to help me,” he said.

“I told you to stop talking to him!” his grandmother snapped. “He’s Arab — probably a terrorist!”

Calmly, I offered to help, and afterward the grandmother thanked me profusely. Heading out the door, I left a note in her hand: “Just so you know, I am a Muslim. I helped you because that’s what I believe in . . . helping others. We aren’t terrorists. Just Americans who believe in compassion and camaraderie.”

But this situation is different, I tell myself. This man is my patient. He needs medical help.

Still, how can I deny the sting of his words? My mind races: As a medical student, where are my boundaries? Should I tell him that I’m Muslim? Should I tell my attending?

I decide not to share my feelings with my attending: I want to process this situation on my own.

All at once, I remember Dr. A, who worked in my college’s alumni affairs department. We met at a time when I was being rejected for internships and getting threatening phone calls because of my Muslim identity. When I voiced my concerns to non-Muslim students and advisers, no one listened — except for Dr. A. Instead of staying safely on the sidelines, she became the Muslim students’ strongest ally. She helped me to establish the college’s Muslim Cultural Center, a safe haven where we could tackle the issues that we as Muslim Americans were facing in the post-9/11 world.

Few people knew what I knew: that Dr. A’s husband had been killed in the 9/11 attacks. Despite this horrific loss, she never faltered in her support for the Muslim students. Time and again, she chose love and acceptance over hatred and revenge.

Recalling her support and generosity of spirit, I feel a surge of gratitude.

A thought arises: Maybe I can act as Dr. A did. As wounded as I feel by Mr. J’s harsh words, I can respond to them — and him — with kindness and care.

In leaving the room, I reflect, I let my reactions to Mr. J’s words override my duty to care for him. I don’t have to let that happen — I can choose to transcend the barriers that divide us.

Can I do it? Well . . . let me try.

Minutes later, I head back with Dr. S to complete Mr. J’s exam. I remain cordial with him: I make sure that he understands his treatment instructions, help him set up his next appointment and walk him out of the office.

“Good luck! See you at your next visit,” I say, smiling and waving goodbye.

Later, sharing this experience with my trusted professors, colleagues and Muslim role models, I get conflicting responses. Some believe that I was right to remain quiet; others, that I should have spoken up.

I still have many questions: What if one day I encounter a patient who directly attacks me for my Muslim identity? When I’m a physician, how will I act if this happens?

If a colleague or an attending disrespects my beliefs and heritage, I have my response ready. I’ll be respectful, but direct:

“I am Muslim. But I am also a doctor. I can offer you my skills to the best of my ability, regardless of how you feel about my identify. It’s your decision if you’re open to working with me.”

I don’t have all the answers — but I do know, now, that I can keep my emotions from derailing my patients’ care.

I may not have changed Mr. J’s perceptions of Muslims, but I fulfilled my duties as a physician-in-training. Perhaps someday he’ll find out that I’m Muslim. Maybe I’ll have a chance to change his opinion — and maybe I won’t.

Either way, I don’t regret my decision to respond not with wounded anger but with my best attempt at compassion.

Rahman is a medical student at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. This article (http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VuSrx7WosMvh0CDa%2FkbomrxRKPDd4wZp) is adapted from an essay in Pulse: Voices from the heart of medicine, where it first appeared.


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