micdotcom

For many Muslim Americans, 9/11 was a double punch of tragedy and bigotry

The actions of 19 Islamic extremists on 9/11 left an indelible mark on America. Today, millions pause to commemorate the attacks’ 13th anniversary, to honor the victims and to remember that all life is special and sacred. But there’s an untold story amid the many speeches and moments of silence — one filled with a different kind of pain, grief and strong sense of loss. 

Those stories are now being told on social media

visualtraining

muslim americans as well as arab americans regardless of religious background and poc arbitrarily perceived to be arab

lalalinza

^^^ yes.

when the show 24 came out and the bad guy one season was an Arab who shared my father’s name, all his co-workers “joked” to him about his being on TV

a friend in middle school bought a pack of “terrorist trading cards” and passed them around the lunch table one day asking people to “find Lindsey’s family”

two days after 9/11 the Arab bodega owner in our neighborhood named Osama asked us to start calling him “Sam” instead and would no longer speak to us in Arabic

since 9/11 I have been randomly checked, asked extra questions, detained, or interrogated in airports almost every time I’ve flown