The Impact of Islamophobia in the United States

1-1 Statement of the Study
The term "Islam- phobia" is one of relatively modern terminology trading in the field of knowledge, in particular, on the relationship between Islam as a political, economic and social systems and western countries. It is a term carved from the knowledge of Intellectual disorders to express the phenomenon of phobias´-or-Islam-phobia.
On that basis, the phenomenon of Islam- phobia in the United States has become one of the important issues of interest to researchers and academics in the U.S. scientific circles. This phenomenon increased after the events of September 11, 2001. Since then, Muslims have been suffering from political and social problems resulting in the need to review this issue and find out reasons that contribute to the reduction of the phenomenon of Islam- phobia. Of the reasons that led to the emergence of this phenomenon is the psychological, social and political effects left by the events of September 11, 2001. This is what led to the wrath of the American people who largely consider Islam and Muslims the perpetrators of the incident. This led to the emergence of problems between Muslims and non-Muslims in the United States. Islamic terrorist organizations announced their responsibility in the events of September 11, 2001 as a response to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
1-2 Research Question
Accordingly, this paper tries to ask the question, “Did Islam-phobia exist in the United States prior to the attacks September 11, 2001?” Throughout this literature review, this paper will explore the causes that contributed to the existence of Islam-phobia in the United States, and determine if Muslims in America are a source of fear. This paper also can ask what is the Impact of Islam-phobia on the civil peace in the United States? What is the major cause of Islam-phobia in the United States and how its effect on the civil peace in the United States?
1-3 Significant of the Study
This topic is critical because every year there are unfortunate circumstances that occur in the United States because of several misunderstanding that Americans have toward Muslims. Often times, people do not understand that many Muslims living in the United States have immigrated here for the purpose of getting away from countries where Militant Islam is prevalent . If the origins of Islam-phobia can be studied, perhaps it would positively impact the overall opinion toward Muslims living in America, exposing that many Muslims living in the United States prefer peace rather than forceful application of Sharia law.
1-4 Research Hypothesis
There are three main causes that lead to Islam-phobia in the United States----;---- the events of September 11, 2001, Muslim terrorist organizations, and the inconsistent U.S. foreign policy towards Muslim majority nations . The following pages will be an analysis of these three major causes of Islam-phobia in the United States.
1-5 Literature Review
On the morning of September 11, 2001 many Americans followed a pattern of shock, anger, and fear in response to these tragic events. First, they were shocked that such an act of terror could be accomplished on United States, soil. Furthermore, as they learned that Al- Qaeda was responsible, they felt anger and confusion. Finally, their emotions turned to fear as they considered the possibility that all Muslims wanted to wage war against the United States. Once fear took root in American hearts----;---- Islam-phobia followed quickly.
Mussarat Khan and Kathryn Ecklund define Islam-phobia as a “dread´-or-hatred of Islam.” They report in their study that prior to the events of September 11, 2001 there was an attitude of discrimination towards American Muslims, but that the events of September 11 worsened the general public attitude.” They report that the Federal Bureau of Investigation calculated a 1700 percent increase of hate crimes against Muslim Americans from 2000 to 2001. Additionally, they state that despite large differences in ethnicity, thinking, and behavior, Muslims are often perceived as being a single group, which leads Americans to associate every Muslim with terrorism. Hence, they attempt to test two hypotheses regarding the attitudes towards Muslims that Americans hold. The first hypothesis they test is that Americans will have a more negative attitude towards Muslim Americans than towards a person of unspecified ethnicity´-or-religion. Their second hypothesis is that people with non-prejudicial universal orientation would have a more positive attitude towards Muslim Americans .
Overall, the authors find that in general attitudes towards Muslim Americans varied depending on the situation. They find that Americans were nervous to board a plane with Muslims, but not nervous to board a bus that was full of Muslim Americans. There seems to be a correlation between the fears people have to board a plane with Muslim American and the events of September 11. It appears that the events of September 11, 2001 increased the fears that some Americans have towards Muslims, which has led some people to what could be called Islam-phobia .
LaHood argues that the source of Islamic terrorism stems from ancient history when a group of religious leaders exploited concepts in order to impose religious hegemony through violence. LaHood mentions examples of some Arab countries that conform to the idea Islamic speech Jihad, which allows the use of violence and declare all-out war on the non-Muslim world. Such countries include Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Palestine, consenting that their religious movements use armed violence as a means to impose its control on the political system of the country. The author believes that because of the attacks of September 11 the Muslims of the world specially in the United States face huge challenge of reviewing Islamic history and answering questions of what the religion has become a way to kill innocent people, which became threatens world peace as Islamic terrorism threatens the United States politically and economically. This negatively affects the Muslim community and creates fear .
In this regard, Muedini conducts interviews with twenty Muslim students who live in the United States. Study period was from April 2006 to March 2006 . During this period, the author asked Muslim students those studying in America questions to measure the impact of the events of September 11 on the Muslim community in America. Resulting from the study, the student mentions that actions toward Muslims in America are on the rise due to terrorist events that have occurred on September 11. The Muslim community worries people that who are non-Muslims view them at a glance, and are unable to differentiate between moderate and radical Muslim. The 9/11 attacks produced new laws in the United States. These laws led to a reduction of civil liberties, which affects not only the Muslims, but also affect, the citizens as a whole. Moreover, the terrorist attacks in Washington and New York increased the fear of Muslims and non-Muslim. This isolation occurs because of the fear of Muslims a religious source of life-threatening routine. Specialists in this field believe that this situation causes Muslims to go about religion more than ever. In contrast, Muslims want to reduce fear by demonstrating that not all Muslims have aggressive and radical ideas .
Furthermore, Many Muslim terrorist organizations instigate problems around the world by their violent actions. Because of these malicious actions, many Americans have a fearful attitude towards all Muslims. These terrorist organizations come to power, often times, because they make promises to protect Muslim countries from Israel´-or-other Western nations. This further enhances the negative image that the West has towards Muslims. When these violent organizations come to power by force, and mandate Sharia law it causes fear in the general public, as they imagine what would happen if Sharia was imposed on their own culture .
Additionally, Keeney carry out a study on Islamic terrorist groups, specifically Al- Qaeda after the influential attacks that occurred in United States and United Kingdom. Terrorist groups were able to kill so many innocent people because of their belief that they can make economic instability in Western countries and instill fear in the heart of the west. Keeney focuses on the study of the organizational structure of Al- Qaeda and the goals of hostility to the West. He uses books, the Internet, interviews at Guantanamo Bay, stories, and video clips recorded for the base as key sources for the purpose of providing a precise look at these terrorist movement .
Keeney in a section of the study classifies the main targets of terrorist organizations to strategic goals, which leads to achieve the main objective of the terrorist organization. In this regard, Keeney discovers the influential role of the clergy in inciting people to engage to fight against Western countries, especially the United States. Al- Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, decided to fight the United States as an enemy of Islam, support the Zionist movement, and declare war on Afghanistan and Iraq. Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda’s main goal will be the spread of Islam, through the destruction of America and Israel. Al Qaeda aims to hit the global system as announced by the United States, by ----convert----ing the entire world to Islam through the rejection of all religions, such as Christianity and Judaism. Moreover, Al-Qaeda was seeking to target public immoral places in the United States, such as bars and nightclub. They were planning to launch a terrorist attack at Frankfurt airport and Ramstein. As a result, Al Qaeda was able to instill fear in the hearts of American citizens by disabling power plants and breaking the protection wall .
Michal and Rosenthal conduct a study on Al-Qaeda and other Islamic organizations. The authors conclud that al-Qaeda still pose the greatest threat to U.S. national security . Al-Qaeda and other organizations are seeking to fight against America, Israel and Russia in order to bring down the Western hegemony over the Arab region. Al-Qaeda focused on America in its war against the West because the United States supports the Christians and Jews over Muslims. They also announced a war on parties that deal with America, such as the United Nations, Arab political systems, multinational companies, non-governmental organizations and international relief agencies as these parties are helping United States of America against the Islamic nation. This study reveals the existence of other organizations advocating armed struggle in order to reach their goals, such as Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon, even though they differ from Al-Qaida, but they have the same long-term objectives of fighting Western nations, especially the United States. The authors conclude that al-Qaeda waged a war on the Soviets in 1989. This organization of the Islamic faith has taken her platform as the former Soviet ----union---- infidel state, but after the collapse of the Soviet ----union----, Al-Qaeda turned to fight America, European countries and Israel, based on the Islamic principles to see an end of the U.S. territories and the Jewish presence in the Middle East .
Jackson classify Muslim’s into two types. The first kinds are those who use the teachings of religion in order to murder and intimidate. They want to apply the principles of religion by force and use terms like (Jihad, Dar al-Islam, the house of war), and other expressions that indicate an imposition of Islam by force, and instill fear in the hearts of the people. This is proof that terrorism maybe part of the Islamic public culture. Those who support this method are the Islamist radicals who believe state religion should impose its orders by force and intimidation. They regard people who don’t share this idea´-or-support their views as enemies of Islamic State. Radical Islam distorted Islam through violence, vandalism, and indiscriminate killings. This distortion led some people to believe that destruction and murder is part of the Islamic culture because of the terrorist attacks that threatens several regions of the world, including the Islamic region. Jackson mentions the names of Islamic organizations and movements that resort to the use of violence as a source of proselytizing: (Wahhabi movement, the Salafist groups, Al-Qaeda, Ikhwan Al-Muslimin, Hezbollah and Hamas movement) .
These movements for religious reasons and sacred aim to destroy United States, Israel and the West countries and the Arab political system in Islamic countries, territories, and the return to the world of Islam and the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate. On the other hand, the author shows that the speech of Islamic terrorism is to build and maintain a national identity. Islamic terrorism plays a decisive role to maintain the internal and external borders of the Islamic architecture .
Moreover, Zackie conduct a study on Islamic radicalism and how leaders of radical Islamic movements influence on their supporters to continue fighting continuously. Zackie mentions the name of Al-Zarqawi and distinguish between jihadists and non-jihadists. Through his study, Zackie concludes that the radicals are using religious beliefs and political ideas to support their ideas to continue the fight against countries including the United States, Britain and Israel, as communities in these countries because they are corrupt societies----;---- they allow drinking alcohol, sexual relationships and drug abuse. Islamic radicals have an absolute conviction that they will be able to bring down the state through the American belief that jihadist have a fixed belief that the State of America need to be patient medication They consider the medicine is to impose Islam on Western societies, especially America .
Jihadists are planning an attack on America and they think when the U.S. system falls Muslim world can the Palestinian territories, the sacred and the expulsion of Israel from the Middle East. The author refers to the controversy between jihadists and non-jihadists as the non-jihadist Muslims believe that the idea of jihad is a bad idea because it leads to destruction and vandalism .
Third reason, The United States regularly says that it supports human rights and democracy around the world, yet inconsistently applies their foreign policy. This inconsistency is expressed by occasional support of dictators, even though they suppress human rights, and democracy. Often times the United States will act in the best interest of itself, and not necessarily in the best interest of Middle Eastern nations, specifically in the case of Israel, but not only. Because of inconsistent application of foreign policy, many desperate individuals in the Middle East have turned to terrorism as a way to express their desperation, in hopes that they might be heard. This terrorist activity of course naturally leads to greater expression of Islam-phobia in the United States. The problems caused by terrorists create a cycle, which causes more trouble for the United States, and in turn causes greater fear of United States citizens towards Muslims .
Davidson shows the United States foreign policies in the Middle East were not correct. The United States foreign policy was supportive of dictatorial governments in the Middle East and prejudice in resolving the Palestinian issue. In addition, this was because of ignorance in foreign policy opened the average American to manipulation of the media and the government, which would now focus on Muslim hostility toward the United States .
In this regard, most of the Muslims in their country came to the United States in order to escape the policies of authoritarian governments in the Middle East, which controls most aspects of life. Islam-phobia does not represent the Muslim majority, but it represents the Islamic terrorist groups who threaten the world. In this case, Muslims are suffering from absolute generalization. In addition, Davidson found the impact of religious conflict between the three religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. These fanatics are the ones who are causing religious problems between Islam, Christianity and Judaism. “This latest round of paranoid politics, coming now in the form of Islam-phobia, was triggered by the attacks of 11 September 2001 and quickly exacerbated by American Zionist groups, both Jewish and Christian, whose dislike of Muslims also has a long history” .
Haddad conducts a study on U.S. policy in the Middle East. Author arrives at the hypothesis that the Arab world sees that America is the biggest enemy because of America s bias in absolute support for Israel. Participants in this study sample believe that the U.S. military operations on the Islamic countries does not have any moral justification and believe that America is hostile to Islamic values. Unlimited American supports for Israel and U.S. forces stationed in the Arabian Gulf have increased from the wrath of the Arab people toward America .
Haddad discusses what are the benefits of Islamic terrorist operations on Muslims people? Haddad suggests the hypothesis if the goal is profit Islam. Surprisingly, Haddad claims that the Muslims and Islam religion usually incur the greater loss as a result of Islamic terrorism. Haddad deals with U.S. support for repressive Arab regimes that lack the means that led strengthen democratic wave of Islamic extremism, such as Osama bin Laden. The United States should support democratic movements in the Arab world, which reduces the phenomenon of terrorism and militancy and work on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state because of religious extremism cannot be beneficial to America .
Yilmaz believes that American foreign policy in the Middle East has changed dramatically over time and changed for the worse. The United States has more than one policy option to deal with the crisis in the Middle East to reach a just and fair solution, and can perform certain diplomatic approach outside at the present time. Such models and shuttle diplomacy, multi - literal approach, and ----dir----ect diplomacy, secret back-channel diplomacy has effectively mobilized to get tangible results, it is now a undeniable need for the United States to re- organize and re-balance its foreign policy in the Middle East. U.S. policy makers have many options but to consider other major players in deciding on key global policy issues. For a long time, no viable´-or-desirable, and the option to the rest of the world to sit back and watch while the U.S. government determines the fates of others without regard to the historical and cultural aspirations. That the United States is one of the major players in the region, but it is not the sole´-or-main player. That the peace process in the Middle East without U.S. support is not a successful process .

1-6 Methodology
Approach
This study would be conducted under mixed method approach that includes the mixing of qualitative and quantitative data. This case study research would excel at bringing us an understanding of the impact of Islam-phobia on civil peace in the United States, which can extend experience and add strength to what is already known through previous researches by other scholars on this particular subject. This research work would emphasize detailed contextual analysis of a-limit-ed number of events connected to Islamophobia and civil peace in the USA. The mixed method approach would help the author to explore theoretical models of civil peace in the USA and real situations of Islamophobia in the country.
Research Design
This case study is qualitative in nature but qualitative approaches will also be processed to engage the extensive data in order to come up with novel approach that will contribute in to scholarly discussion about the Islamophobia in the USA.
Variables
Hypothesis of this research is “Islamophobia is threat for civil peace in the USA”, therefore Islam-phobia is independent variable and civil peace is independent variable. But, its not established, it could be change if findings of the research would reject the hypothesis.
Sample
Non-probability sampling technique would help to units from the population. In this research work, relevance-sampling technique of non-probability sampling will be used. According to the relevance sampling technique size is not fixed. In first step, using mixed method approach of research would identify population then all the required and relevant units will be acquired to inquire the research question.
Data Analysis
Data will be collected through online instruments by using the University of Bridgeport’s digital library, Internet and other available sources. Some the data will be acquired from the scholars, who contributed to this discussion in Arabic language. Author is fluent in Arabic language therefore he has advantage to use that data in his research effectively. All the collected data will be analyzed by content and context to prove´-or-reject the hypothesis.

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