Last edited Fri Feb 10, 2012, 12:06 AM - Edit history (1)
I'm just back from the event at the Islamic Center - very delightful event. I think there is one more in the series ( http://nocmes.org/ ) I missed the first one. This is the only one that has had individuals talking about the Muslim experience in the United States - pre and post 9-11, and pre/post Obama's election. Nothing earth shattering - but it was nice to hear from people experiencing bigotry first hand that I am not imagining what I see here on DU. The speaker did a study (I wish I had access to the study) which asked questions that revealed bigotry without it being obvious that was what was being asked about. The result was that the level of bigotry was about the same before and after 9-11, but what has changed is that it is now socially acceptable to be anti-Islamic. The other interesting result was that liberals were no less bigoted than conservatives - but they were more likely to conceal their bigotry (or rationalize it away).
I chatted a bit with her after the talk - and noted how similar my experiences as a lesbian were to hers as a Muslim in connection with the last presidential election - the gathering in because he needed our support, the simultaneous distancing first by candidate Obama (most strikingly in asking two women wearing hijabs to move from directly behind him at an event) - and the acceptance of it (at least publicly) for the greater good. That is an area of interest for her - she feels our two communities are natural allies. We didn't get to fully explore that because our our status as guests (she, a visiting Muslim, and me a non-Muslim), out of respect for our hosts who don't necessarily agree.
I am curious about why/how you see wearing a hijab as a privilege, if you are willing to share more about it. I have been troubled by some of the anti-Islamic nonsense in GD, and particularly troubled by the implication that any woman who covers is not making that choice of her own free will. It would be helpful to me if I understood more so that I do not inadvertently wind up being offensive when I challenge it because my knowledge of Islam is way less than it ought to be.
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