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Ramadan kicks off amid rise in Islamophobia
Published: 12 August, 2010, 00:38
Edited: 13 August, 2010, 03:16
It is just another day of the week for most us, but for Muslims worldwide, it’s the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Ibrahim Hooper, the spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Affairs explained, “Fasting during Ramadan teaches you generosity, because in our ordinary lives, we often go for a long time without feeling thirst or hunger, so it helps us understand the suffering of those who do feel it.”
“I am here to buy meat for when we break our fast,” said a Somali Muslim man.
Ramadan essentials like dates are selling out at the El Amana supermarket in Northern Virginia where Muslim Americans have flocked to buy traditional foods and Middle Eastern goods imported for the holy month. One of the most important foods is Halal meat, which had almost been cleared off the shelves by shoppers. People are obviously preparing for the breaking of the fast.
But it is not easy for Muslims in America, says Egyptian born Abbas Kandr
“Ramadan for us here is like a celebration but it’s also very different, it’s not the same like it is in Egypt,” said Kandr.
The Islamic holy month falls during a sensitive time for Muslims in America. The uproar over the building of an Islamic center near ground zero has contributed to a rise in Islamophobia nationwide.
“We have had cases where extremist groups have been told to lay hands on mosques or to harass worshipers during Ramadan. We have seen a number of cases where worshippers have been harassed,” said Hooper.
Pamela Gellar of Stop Islamization of America said, “The Muslims Terrorists that brought down the towers and the pentagon and were going to take out the White House were inspired by Jihad.”
In response to Gellar, Ibrahim said, “Those who harbored anti Muslim feelings in the past, sometimes kept them to themselves, now with the tea party movement, there is some kind of legitimacy for them to voice their feelings and that is a very disturbing trend.”
One man outside the White House told RT, “After slavery, Americans were very racist, now its Islam’s turn.”
Back at Al Amana, the anti-Islam campaigns and actions around the country are not bothering these Muslims. The only thing on their mind is family, food and gearing for the first day of the most sacred month of the year.
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29 comments
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Bill Have you ever bothered to ask at this moment how many American boots-be they Blackwater mercenaries, American soldiers, corporate workers, CIA operatives are in Muslim lands? The U.S has been routed from much of Latin America. In reality, the U.S controls or seeks to control the Muslim world, in central Asia [Eurasia] Africa, ME. Of course, the U.S wants to control the Muslim world primarily by military means. I suggest that you take a look at recent poll done by the University of Maryland about the Arab middle class views of the United States. The Mosque in Ground Zero is a clever PR move designed to restore U.S image in the Muslim world. I do not think it will change many hearts and minds in the Muslim world as long as the U.S continue with its aggressive support of dictators, military interventions and regime change as the primarily means of communicating with the Muslim world.
Muslims are US best friends since the mid 70's and starting in 79 fighting there proxy wars for geo-political advantage. Simple fact is that today’s Islamic insurgency in Muslim and non-Muslim land with non ties to at least British intelligence are in oil rich resource of transit areas outside of western control. @Bill Giving them Bosnia and Kosovo and the even more disastrous idea of giving them the North Caucasus and Central Asia is the biggest gift to Islamic extremists which in return has been the base of every major terrorist attack since 93 WTC bombing. As Tom Lantos said: "Let me just raise a few items, Mr. Secretary. The first one: just a reminder to the predominantly Muslim-led governments in this world that here is yet another example that the United States leads the way for the creation of a predominantly Muslim country in the very heart of Europe. This should be noted by both responsible leaders of Islamic governments, such as Indonesia, and also for jihadists of all color and hue. The United States’ principles are universal, and in this instance, the United States stands foursquare for the creation of an overwhelmingly Muslim country in the very heart of Europe." You should research and check of covert support for terrorist in the Balkans and North Caucasus especially in regards to 9/11.