Publisher's Synopsis
The seven-million-strong American Muslim community - in siege since 9/11 - has responded to the post 9/11 challenges with political and social activism, media campaigns, outreach and interfaith dialogue. It is now more proactive as it believes that the best way to protect its eroding civil rights is to become more active politically. From coast to coast, Muslim and Arab-American groups are organizing as never before to make known their concerns about civil liberties. They have gone beyond sign-waving demonstrations to hold voter registration drives, meet with politicians and form alliances with other civil rights and religious organizations. Muslims are becoming more organized and vocal in their demands, petitioning school boards to establish prayer rooms in public schools for their children and turning to the courts when they believe their constitutional rights to practice their faith have been violated. Many American Muslim and Arab American organizations launched voter registration drives and campaign to encourage the Muslim voters to vote. The 2016 election campaign season has brought an unprecedented level of anti-Islam and anti-Muslim rhetoric into presidential politics. Like the previous election cycles, the Republican leaders' anti-Islam bigotry was extremely disturbing. Donald Trump has called for a ban on Muslims from entering into this country. Not surprisingly, on January 27, 2017 President Trump issued an Executive Order banning Muslim immigrants and refugees. Trump has advocated for the creation of a database for American Muslims, and has proposed shutting down mosques. Donald Trump has also brought up vivid imagery about killing Muslims with bullets dipped in pig's blood and has claimed that "Islam hates us."
