Activists Pushing for Federal Recognition of Muslim American Heritage Month
“Being such a diverse community, we’re not always aware of each other’s accomplishments as Americans, so it’s a way for our children to have a sense of belonging and pride,” said Robert McCaw, government affairs director for the Council for American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.
“Especially in the face of the adversity that the community has faced in the last two decades,” he added, USA Today reported on Tuesday.
Despite the common association of Islam with Arab Americans, the community is much more diverse than often assumed. Black Americans and Asian Americans make up significant portions of the Muslim American population.
In 2020, the group recorded over 6,000 reports of anti-Muslim incidents, with most of them being cases of discrimination. According to the FBI’s 2021 Hate Crime Statistics Supplemental Report, which was released in December 2022, anti-Muslim incidents accounted for around 10% of the almost 1,600 hate crimes that were based on faith.
The initiative is a component of National Muslim Advocacy Days, an annual event hosted by the US Council of Muslim Organizations. It connects national, regional, and state organizations, as well as community members, with their elected representatives in Congress. This year’s gathering is anticipated to attract about 400 individuals from 25 states.
Pew Research Center’s analysis revealed that between 3.5 and 4 million Muslims reside in the United States, comprising roughly 1% of the population. From the year 2000 to 2020, the number of American mosques more than doubled from approximately 1,200 to over 2,700.
According to McCaw, the Muslim community is the “most ethnically diverse religious community” in the United States and has resided in the country since its inception, however, the average American views Muslims as recent immigrants.
A few states, including Illinois, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, already celebrate Muslim American Heritage Month. The country already acknowledges nine cultural heritage months, which are established by law and are typically reinforced by an annual presidential proclamation.
“Muslim American Heritage Month is a way to educate not only our community but all Americans on our positive impacts in American society,” McCaw said.
With anti-Muslim violence increasing worldwide, activists are also urging Congress to pass the Combating International Islamophobia Act, which was reintroduced last week by Minnesota Rep. Omar, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey).
The legislation aims to address the “staggering” rise in Islamophobia by establishing an office within the US State Department to monitor and combat Islamophobia in foreign countries, compiling instances of physical or verbal abuse against Muslims or propaganda that incites such conduct.
Source: Agencies
