A new poll has revealed that one-third of Americans are calling for all Muslims in the military to be expelled.
This follows a recent incident at a Texas army base on November 5 when Major Nidal Malik Hasan killed 13 people. The news created a fiery debate in the United States about the role Muslims should play in the military.
“We should not allow Muslims to serve in the military and we have got to raise questions about whether we can afford Muslins to immigrate into the United States at all,” believes Bryan Fischer from the American Family Association.
Many Muslims who served in the military and risked their lives for the United States are outraged.
Haytham Faraj served in the marines for 22 years and fought in Desert Storm. During his time abroad he noticed the mistrust some Americans have towards their fellow Muslim marines.
“There is general suspicion,” Faraj says. “Not to me specifically, but it exists more at the junior levels.”
Joshua Salaam has become pretty popular traveling the world with his Muslim rap group – “Native Deen”. However, not too long ago Salaam served in the United States Air Force, and during his time there he was deployed twice to Qatar.
He says they were instructed to stay away from mosques.
“I think people misunderstand what Islam is and what its relationship to battle and jihad is. Another stereotype was about the position of women. You know, are they oppressed? Do they have to walk ten paces behind the man?” Joshua Salaam explains.
He now makes it his mission to try to educate Americans about his religion.
“We believe our music is a bridge,” he says, rapping and singing about what it means to be a Muslim in America.