Modern Day Witch Hunts Analysis

During the Witch Trials, Parris’ teachings also revolved more around Satan and a person’s sinful ways. Lastly, the final effect of the Salem Witch Trials was that it affected many individuals personally. Reverend Parris’ reputation became so horrible, they voted him out of the church. Then, John Procter was convicted of witchcraft and hung. Meanwhile, Abigail was driven out of town and thought to have become a prostitute in Boston.

Therefore, strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them". But this is an ironic thing to think as the Bible has 842 verses that are cruel or violent (roughly 3%). Christians feared the Muslims because of this teaching calling for war against non-believers and as a result of this teaching Muslims were killing Christians and other religions in the Middle East. So the first justification was that the Christians should retaliate and kill them in return. The second justification was that these “barbarians” had taken territory belonging to the Christians especially holy sites such as Jerusalem.

Before we talk about the modern-day witch hunt of Muslims, what is a witch hunt “A campaign directed against a person or group holding views considered unorthodox or a

For example, the well known leader of India’s independence movement, Gandhi, was assassinated by, “a Hindu extremist who objected to Gandhi’s tolerance for the Muslims, “(History.com, 1948 Gandhi Assassinated). The main reason for his assassination was that someone was intolerant of his tolerance for the Muslims. This portrays another time in which intolerance led to death. Also, the assassination of Gandhi is similar to that of Martin Luther King Jr., the main civil rights leader in the United States during the sixties who often protested the unfair treatment of blacks in America. His assassination is obscured by conspiracy, as to whether or not his convicted assassin really acted alone or if he conspired with others.

During WWII, the anti-Semitic Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler emphasized purity of race and opposed any forms of variation in the racial distribution of his country. To achieve his goals of racial purity, Hitler began to unfairly assert that the reason for the humiliating defeat of Germany was the betrayal of the Jewish population in the country. Through his memoir and propaganda, he provoked the public to discriminate against the Jews, or even eliminate them completely in the country. In addition, Hitler utilized many unethical and unjust means against the Jews such as destroying all the books written by Jews, and shutting down all Jewish-owned business. He even enacted the law to humiliate the Jews, and make them to become the targets of the public by forcing them to wear a yellow star mark.

Trump!” and “Build a wall! Build a wall!” (Kristof). It is even mentioned that in another school “a fifth grader told a Muslim student ‘that he is supporting Donald Trump because he was going to kill all of the Muslims if he became president’”

A phobia, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is an extremely strong dislike or fear of someone or something. Since the history of 9/11 terrorist attacks in the USA., a specific phobia has gripped in the Western population, which is Islamophobia. Many Americans grew up with the negative idea about Arabic speakers. However, Wajahat Ali’s “Inshallah is Good for Everyone,” published on April 22, 2016, in The New York Times shows a different perspective. Ali is a Pakistani American writer who was born in a Muslim family.

Anissa Janine Wardi’s “Terrorists, Madmen, and Religious Fanatics?: Revisiting Orientalism and Racist Rhetoric” presents a very detailed description about racism in America. She frames her argument by focusing on how certain members of the media immediately attributed the Oklahoma City bombing to “Arabs.” As well, Wardi describes how popular culture (movies) is reinforcing racism in America. Wardi examines both the reasoning behind such assumptions as well as the effects that such assumptions can have on a very specific group of American citizens: Arab Americans.

In 1989 Salman Rushdie became Muslim enemy number one after “the publication in 1988 of The Satanic Verses ” . In this book Rushdie made several veiled and open references to the Islamic religion that depicted it in what many Muslims perceive as a negative way. In response Muslims around the world protested the book and in some cases publicly burned it. In several Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, India, and South Africa the book was banned. All of this culminated in the issuing of a fatwa by Ayatollah Khomeini, the Muslim religious leader of Iran.

For instance, Amenabar’s portrayal of that era shows religion being used to justify throwing a man onto fire, almost burning him. Religion is also used by characters in the film to validate the persecution of pagans, as well as the heartless destruction of the Library of Alexandria. As the movie comes to an end, religion is used to justify violence and the murder of Hypatia – a dedicated scholar who thought independently of religion. One of the most poignant scenes in the movie is the destruction of the Great Library of Alexandria after Emperor Theodosius orders that

The killing of the Al-Qaeda leader, which is a Radical Islamic Terrorist Group, founded in the 1980 's by Osama Bin Laden, was a huge justice in the U.S. and other countries. Bin Laden posed a global threat to the countries where Islam is not implemented, he was responsible for the September, 11th attacks back in 2001. He orchestrated it, and had it planned for months, he was planning more attacks on the U.S. after 9/11 as well. ("The World Trade Center History.")

People assume all Muslims have terrorist affiliations, alienating and outcasting them. Many followers of Islam cannot walk in the streets without being subjected to the burning glare of their fellow citizens. Mosques become targets of vandalism and violent anti-Islamic acts. “Muslims in America say they are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators” (Blank). In an interview with CBS, nursing student Sameya Omarkheil recalls the treatment she received after the tragedy in Paris.

One of the biggest issues in our country today is terrorism. Many Americans are surrounded by fear of potential attacks and many more have ideas and perceptions of Muslims rooted in their mind. Yet these thoughts play a major role in racism and islamophobia, thoughts that could contribute to more terrorism, and more harmful impacts on our Muslim brothers and sisters. Muslim communities have been under intense surveillance, mapping and identifying neighborhoods where many Muslims preside. Kamalakar Duvvuru, who teaches the New Testament in India, says, “In 2007 the Los Angeles Police Department [LAPD] launched an extensive mapping program to identify Muslim enclaves across the city.

Peter Beinart, in his article, America’s Most Prominent Anti-Muslim Activist I Welcome at the White House, talks about the positions Brigitte Gabrielle takes regarding Islam and her relationship with the members of the new administration. Brigitte is originally a Maronite Lebanese, anti-Islamic activist. The background of the activist seems to be very important for Beinart to explain her opposition to Islam. He seems to criticize her position because it is supported by a historical personal biased background. This criticism is obvious by using the terms “distorts” and “bigotry”.

Before 9/11, 28 hate crimes attributed to Muslim religious were reported. In 2001, that number soared to 481 (FBI, Schevitz). One group we is blamed for the actions of its extremists. Imagine blaming Christians for the crusades. It’s hardly fair, is it?