Muslim Americans receive a lot of negative comments due to stereotypes portrayed in the media and film industry, especially towards their Islamic beliefs. They are often seen in films playing terrorists wearing hijabs or associated as dangerous individuals in news reports.
Due to the generalization displayed in society, Muslim Americans receive a negative association in which people believe they are dangerous with bad intentions.
This portrays an unfair image of the Muslim community, resulting in "Islamophobia".
The media and television play a responsible role in stereotypes that are present due to normalizing racism and discrimination. Eventually, hate crimes can occur due to hate groups forming towards an ethnicity or race. As more Muslim and Islamic groups and individuals are used to represent dangerous terrorists in American media, it keeps the stereotype active.
Following 9/11 the number of hate crimes, discrimination, and fear towards Muslims increased following false terrorist reports that spread nationally, increasing the fear factor.
This poses a lot of emotional, financial, and social issues for the Muslim community. From struggling to get a job, being harassed in airports, constant victims of hate crimes, they are scared for their lives, families, and safety.
Due to Islamophobia, Muslims face discrimination from others with different religious beliefs or opinions.
Many don't recognize that someone of any race, religion, or gender can commit a terrorist act and that ethnicity or race has nothing to do with their actions. Just because someone wears a hijab and speaks Arabic does not mean they are a terrorist, they are simply of the Muslim religion and have every right to express their beliefs as every other citizen does.
As a result of 9/11, the Muslim community has experienced an increase in prejudice and has received hurtful criticism, part of offensive stereotypes, and victims of hate crimes throughout the United States.
Directly following 9/11 the Anti-Muslim hate crimes were at an all-time high. They became a target of anger and racism. Individuals were harassed and threatened and some were even held at gunpoint for merely being perceived as Muslim, Islamic, or caught speaking Arabic.
Even as the years and the country move in the future from the major terrorist attack of 9/11 and the population of the Muslim American population continues to grow, the discrimination and stereotypes for the group remain.
This is mainly due to the fact the stereotypical Muslim is still used to represent terrorists in movies or television shows which not only enforces the stereotype but teaches the younger generation as well.
According to an article by Religion News, a study conducted using media databases discovered that over 84% of articles mentioning either Muslims or Islam in the United States were perceived negatively.