Challenges facing U.S. Muslims Today

[Quintessence]

A report came out late last month from the Pew Research Center that surveyed U.S. Muslims on a wide variety of topics (see here - U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to Believe in the American Dream). The full report is quite lengthy and covers a lot of territory, and for this thread I'd like us to focus on the challenges faced by Muslims living in the United States. Many questions were asked by the researchers aimed at this issue, and there's a couple results I'd like to highlight:

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3. The Muslim American experience in the Trump era​

What do you think about the results of this part of the study? If you're a Muslim, does the above generally reflect how you feel? For everyone else, is there anything about the results that surprise you? How do we go about combating the challenges U.S. Muslims feel they are facing?

Feel free to discuss anything else in the main study related to challenges faced by U.S. Muslims - there's a lot of data to churn over. Not all of the stories that come out of the study are bad.

 

[Quetzal]

What do you think about the results of this part of the study?

I am not surprised. The media continues to promote the religion in such a way that it promotes a perpetual cycle of hate and prejudice.

How do we go about combating the challenges U.S. Muslims feel they are facing?

Embracing them as a part of our communities is a great place to start. While many of us have that hesitation and bias, we do not have to act on them. It takes work. If we are willing to promote and actively participate in that idea, I think it will face us in the right direction.

 

[Revoltingest]

The number strike me as rather positive.
So many of the problems have single digit concern.

 

[sun rise]

Those numbers make sense. Specifically having extremist Muslims in other nations as a serious problem along with the other 3 over 10% items.

I'd also put ignorance and discrimination together. Ignorance can easily lead to discrimination.

 

[Father Heathen]

The number strike me as rather positive.
So many of the problems have single digit concern.

But how many of those different problems share the same root?

 

[Kapalika]

The number strike me as rather positive.
So many of the problems have single digit concern.

Really? But it's out of 100%, that means over 90%v voted there is serious problem instead of "no problem" provided there. If there were less choices all the percentages would be higher. Instead, this is measuring what they think is the worst, not who thinks X or Y is an issue. So it's a rank of those issues not who thinks those are issues but we can tell that by seeing how many *didn't* vote "no issue".

 

[Sakeenah]

A report came out late last month from the Pew Research Center that surveyed U.S. Muslims on a wide variety of topics (see here - U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to Believe in the American Dream). The full report is quite lengthy and covers a lot of territory, and for this thread I'd like us to focus on the challenges faced by Muslims living in the United States. Many questions were asked by the researchers aimed at this issue, and there's a couple results I'd like to highlight:

3. The Muslim American experience in the Trump era​

What do you think about the results of this part of the study? If you're a Muslim, does the above generally reflect how you feel? For everyone else, is there anything about the results that surprise you? How do we go about combating the challenges U.S. Muslims feel they are facing?

Feel free to discuss anything else in the main study related to challenges faced by U.S. Muslims - there's a lot of data to churn over. Not all of the stories that come out of the study are bad.

I think it's an interesting study. The results don't suprise me and even though I'm not an American Muslim it does generally reflect how I feel as a Muslim in Europe.

I think these challenges can be combated through tolerance, respectful dialogue and clearing up misconceptions. This reminds me of a quote I read.

" People of different religions and cultures live side by side in almost every part of the world, and most of us have overlapping identities which unite us with very different groups. We can love what we are, without hating what – and who – we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings."

 

[Brickjectivity]

I am surprised anyone would consider Islam to be mainstream here. They are a minority, and their religion/political movement is extremely different from most others.

75% say there is a lot of discrimination against Muslims? They do not blend in well, so I am not surprised.

So of the approximately 3 million Muslims in the country most are not happy with the direction of the country, but it doesn't indicate what direction would be preferred. More Islamic? What direction?

What do you think about the results of this part of the study?

The main reasons that they feel it has become more difficult to be a Muslim here are probably not something I'm going to understand. They purposely don't blend in, and they want to change the direction that our country is going. Isn't that part of what being a Muslim is about? So I am not seeing discrimination but rather cultural differences. I don't think scary news reports help, but I think generally our news reports tend to be scary at all times. I don't think Muslims get singled out more than anyone else. We keep our doors locked not because of Muslims but because we are scared in general.

How do we go about combating the challenges U.S. Muslims feel they are facing?

We rigidly remain the way that we are and listen to none of their complaints, and we teach our kids not to listen to negative scary news all the time.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

A report came out late last month from the Pew Research Center that surveyed U.S. Muslims on a wide variety of topics (see here - U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to Believe in the American Dream). The full report is quite lengthy and covers a lot of territory, and for this thread I'd like us to focus on the challenges faced by Muslims living in the United States. Many questions were asked by the researchers aimed at this issue, and there's a couple results I'd like to highlight:

3. The Muslim American experience in the Trump era​

What do you think about the results of this part of the study? If you're a Muslim, does the above generally reflect how you feel? For everyone else, is there anything about the results that surprise you? How do we go about combating the challenges U.S. Muslims feel they are facing?

Feel free to discuss anything else in the main study related to challenges faced by U.S. Muslims - there's a lot of data to churn over. Not all of the stories that come out of the study are bad.

I feel that the biggest abuse that Muslims face is abuse imposed upon them by their own religion. I have nothing against peaceful Muslims who honestly enjoy practicing their religion and do not seek to impose it upon others. However, I feel that many Muslims are not happy, and are missing out on a lot of fun in life due to the strict requirements of their religion. Many Muslims (as is the case with all religious practitioners) are ultimately participating in their religion due to indoctrination rather than free choice.

 

[Revoltingest]

But how many of those different problems share the same root?

I don't know.

 

[Revoltingest]

Really? But it's out of 100%, that means over 90%v voted there is serious problem instead of "no problem" provided there. If there were less choices all the percentages would be higher. Instead, this is measuring what they think is the worst, not who thinks X or Y is an issue. So it's a rank of those issues not who thinks those are issues but we can tell that by seeing how many *didn't* vote "no issue".

I'm looking at the individual problems.
Note that they don't add up to 100%.

 

[Kapalika]

I'm looking at the individual problems.
Note that they don't add up to 100%.

That's because a few percentage points went to "other" or "none" is it not?

 

[Revoltingest]

That's because a few percentage points went to "other" or "none" is it not?

It's because multiple responses were allowed.
The choices are independent of each other.

 

[Kapalika]

It's because multiple responses were allowed.
The choices are independent of each other.

Oh I didn't catch that in the fine print... huh

Well then what about the fact that only 15% said they didnt know or were confused?

 

[sayak83]

A report came out late last month from the Pew Research Center that surveyed U.S. Muslims on a wide variety of topics (see here - U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to Believe in the American Dream). The full report is quite lengthy and covers a lot of territory, and for this thread I'd like us to focus on the challenges faced by Muslims living in the United States. Many questions were asked by the researchers aimed at this issue, and there's a couple results I'd like to highlight:

3. The Muslim American experience in the Trump era​

What do you think about the results of this part of the study? If you're a Muslim, does the above generally reflect how you feel? For everyone else, is there anything about the results that surprise you? How do we go about combating the challenges U.S. Muslims feel they are facing?

Feel free to discuss anything else in the main study related to challenges faced by U.S. Muslims - there's a lot of data to churn over. Not all of the stories that come out of the study are bad.

It's dead on accurate. It's unfortunate, but it has happened before. During the Cold War, people with socialist views felt similar discrimination.. and before that Japanese Americans. If tomorrow a cold war like situation develops with China, Asian Americans will face similar problems.

 

[Sakeenah]

However, I feel that many Muslims are not happy, and are missing out on a lot of fun in life due to the strict requirements of their religion. Many Muslims (as is the case with all religious practitioners) are ultimately participating in their religion due to indoctrination rather than free choice.

I'm curious, how did you come to this conclusion? And what kind of fun in life are we Muslims missing out on? And don't you think the term fun is subjective, your definition of fun might not be the same as mine.

 

[Revoltingest]

Oh I didn't catch that in the fine print... huh

It caught me off guard initially too.
Fortunately, we've sharper eyed posters here to alert us.

Well then what about the fact that only 15% said they didnt know or were confused?

I've no idea what thoughts run thru their minds.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

I'm curious, how did you come to this conclusion? And what kind of fun in life are we Muslims missing out on? And don't you think the term fun is subjective, your definition of fun might not be the same as mine.

Well, for one thing, you're missing out on eating food and drinking water during daylight for an entire month every year.

 

[LuisDantas]

I find the results unsurprising, yet disappointing, even unfair.

They do not show much indication of Muslims accepting the proper responsiblity for their beliefs. But I would be surprised if they did.