American Muslims have faced increasing challenges because of the negative perceptions of the Muslim community in a post-Sept. 11 world, panelists said in a discussion last night at the Silver Center's Jurow Lecture Hall. In the discussion — titled "American Muslim Communities: Security Risk or Source of Hope?" — three panel experts discussed the complicated situation facing American Muslims and the importance of answering "tough questions." The event was a part of the series "Dialogues: Islamic World-U.S.-The West" and was moderated by series founder and director Mustapha Tlili. Panelist Naheed Qureshi, an American Civil Liberties Union national field organizer, said many Muslims have been detained in violation of their civil rights for "minor immigration violations" since Sept. 11, while Muslim immigrants have been called in for questioning or threatened with deportation. The FBI confronted Muslims at their home or workplace to conduct approximately 500,000 so-called voluntary interviews, she said.
"Not one has produced information related to 9/11," she said. "[This] is not effective law enforcement."
Qureshi criticized the "provocative" title of the event, and said the American Muslim community is not a "monolith that acts together, makes decisions together and, through working together, could be seen as a community risk."
"It would be difficult to use that title for any other group without being called a racist," she said.
Panelist Daniel Sutherland, an officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said the American Muslim community has always been an essential part of the nation's population, and the government continues to make important connections with them while balancing security with freedom.
"The Muslim American is part of the fabric of this country and has been for generations," Sutherland said. "The government is engaged with Muslim Americans and will deepen its level of engagement in following years."
Sutherland said the government is responding to civil rights complaints — which include racial profiling and "No Fly" lists — despite the pressure to turn the situation "into an us-versus-them scenario." He added that there have been various studies published that show that Muslims have felt more animosity towards them in Europe.
"The American Muslim community polices itself," he said. "They don't want extremists."
Muqtedar Khan, a University of Delaware political science and international relations assistant professor, said American Muslims were concerned with sustaining their religion before Sept. 11, not about the government's involvement with their civil rights. After the attacks, Muslim Americans experienced a "backlash" from the government despite support from the American people, he said. To prove their unity with other Americans, Muslims should have condemned terrorism and specific terrorist groups more openly after Sept. 11, he said.
"America's prosperity is what attracted me to be American," said Khan, who was born in India. "It is in my interest to sustain American preeminence."
Muslim rioting in reaction to last month's controversial Danish newspaper cartoons depicting Muhammad only hurt the American perception of the Muslim community, Khan said, adding that there are better ways to such publications.
"I'd tell the editor to go on a hunting trip with our vice president," Khan said.
Anamaria Castillo, a New York resident who works at the UN, said she found the panel interesting because of the diverse views on the subject.
"Very interesting — these kinds of forums should be encouraged," she said.
Raphael Richman, a Manhattan resident who works in marketing, said the panel was one of the best he has attended.
"There were three different voices, and that just makes it exciting because they don't necessarily all see eye to eye," Richman said. "So that helps those of us in the audience who are confused to get a little sense of perspective."
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