9/11: Turning Point of Pre & Post-9/11 America & Impact on Muslim World - Essay Sample

Introduction

The 9/11 attacks that occur in the United States debatably demonstrate a turning point in shaping America into pre and post-9/11 America. Numerous changes are observed after the tragic attacks that further leave a tragic effect on the Muslim world. The attacks also affect the lives of Muslims and facilitate negative stereotypes about Islam, Arabs, and American Muslims. Therefore, it can be purported that Islam and even the Islam world had consequently become the target of President Bush's war on terror and was launched under the excuse of promoting equality. The novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" demonstrates American as a powerful nation and Changez being aware of all the opportunities that await him as he studies at Princeton and obtains employment in a respected American company. However, he then views the country from the outside as he had initially done and later got to learn directly and further realized the way America exercised its power around the globe were two different aspects. As such, after the 9/11 attacks, Changez has adverse experiences in America, ranging from hostility and racism. He experiences prejudice and racism from the fear of fundamentalism that leads him to be more critical about the United States, yet he was initially a lover. The essay will discuss the racialization of Muslim South Asian Americans after 9/11 by applying the racial experiences of hate crimes, stereotyping, and racial violence.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The beginning of the book presents how people have a tendency to judge people based on their skin color, dressing, and even behavior. The preliminary pointers of the influence of racism are shown when Changez tells the man who remained nameless "Do not be frightened by my beard: I am a lover of America" (Hamid 1). As such, Changez showed that the beard was associated with one being a criminal and even had to explain himself and clarify that he is not America's enemy but a lover instead. Changez then traveled to Greece with his friends for a holiday. When they were gathered one evening, they were asked to mention their dreams ir concerning what they would like to be currently or in the future. Changez said he "hoped one day to be the dictator of an Islamic republic with nuclear capability" (Hamid 18). His friends were shocked, and he was forced to clarify that he was joking. Only one person seemed to comprehend his sense of humor (Hamid 18). The reaction from his friends was a demonstration of racial profiling and that he was not joking about it because he was a Muslim. There was no act of disrespect here, but his friends still show that they believed since he is a Muslim and outsider and even joking about wanting to be a dictator, then it was true. Changez did not react immediately to these racism acts executed towards him but instead appeared to internalize them, leading to a trial of paired awareness.

"The Reluctant Fundamentalist" scrutinizes the actuality of the Muslim American experiences post 9/11. Changez, who was born in Pakistan from a respected family, goes to the United States to study at Princeton University, where he performs well with good grades. He acts as a striking foreigner but works secretly in numerous jobs to support himself and his family a well. As such, this was his initial familiarity with the American culture. Before the attack of 9/11, Changez had only encountered mild racism forms as he undertook his daily activities. As such, the author of the novel demonstrates throughout the book the way Changez tends to ignore the aspect of racism as he relates to people. However, it still cannot alter the examination of the racial disgraces and profiling he will get after the attack in America. Also, despite his good relations with his American friends and employers, it was still not adequate to help him from being branded a terrorist. Therefore, there is an element of double consciousness when Changez encounters indirect racism resulting in him altering his American identity.

It has been previously mentioned that Changez did not react immediately to the racism acts but internalized. The internalization is first observed when he goes to visit Erica's parents. He decided to wear something that would demonstrate his culture and thus chose a kurta with pants. Nonetheless, he was given a "coldly disapproving expression" shown by the face of the doorman" (Hamid 26). As such, it can be interpreted to be racial profiling since the gatekeeper's expression changed immediately he saw Changez face and clothing. He showed that he did not belong there or rather was an 'outsider.' In turn, Changez also gave a disappointing response to his class. He further believed that by portraying class, it would guard against experiencing racism.

Changez further experienced racism after being presented to Erica's parents. Initially, Erika's mother said, "Very nice" (Hamid 27) when she saw Changez. Erica then replied by saying, "Behave, Mom" (Hamid 27). As such, she was looking at Changez mysteriously, then racial stereotyped him because he of his skin color and not being a characteristic American. On the other hand, Erika's father began to say how he had employed a Pakistani, meaning he wanted to show he was the owner and thus a form of ancient racism. It may further be noted as an affirmation to the act of slavery (Hamid 27). As such, there are instances of racism that Changez experienced and later began to manifest and act on them as well. The aspect of the manifestation of the racism he had experienced is shown when they enter a taxi with Erika. Changez began saying how the taxi driver is Pakistani speaking Punjab and how he would greet him sometimes but chose not to do it on that night. There is a demonstration here of the way Changez envisaged with his paired awareness and automatically internalized the subtle racism he had gotten from Erica's parents. He then utilized it to channel his American identity and did not recognize his Pakistani distinctiveness.

During the visit to the Philippines, most Americans had begun to believe that Muslims were terrorists and did not deserve to live or even work there as well. Besides, it was the time he was in the Philippines when the bombing of Twin Towers occurred and marked the beginning of more undeviating racism. Muslims began to be viewed as terrorists and criminals. Changez hoped that his status quo would protect him from being a victim of racism. Nevertheless, this was not the case. At one point, Changez went to purchase food at the Pakistani Deli in the Philippines, and they used their American Express card to pay, but desolately, the transaction was unsuccessful since it was rejected (Hamid 34). The card in this context is a symbol of class privilege but was declined to show Changez that his status quo cannot guard him. His hope of experiencing life with ample chances, wealth, and success was negatively altered due to the attack on America.

The attack marked the beginning of a more direct and even violent form of racism in American to the foreigners and especially the Muslims. When he was returning from the Philippines, Changez was escorted into a room by armed guards where he was forced "to strip down to his boxer shorts" (Hamid 35). As a result, he was the last person to board the plane. Being forced to remove his clothes was a clear act of racial violence against Changez, which took place because America had been bombed and was thus being treated like a terrorist or criminal. When he got to the plane, Changez depicts that he received many strange looks from the other passengers. He thus notes that he flew to New York "uncomfortable in my own face" (Hamid 34). Changez felt more acts of racism as he was aware he was being held as a suspect and even began to feel guilty.

Upon getting to America from the Philippines, Changez continued to experience racist stereotyping when he was alienated from his team at immigration. He queued at the one with the foreigners while they were at the one for American citizens. He was then questioned, "What is the purpose of your trip to the United States?" (Hamid 35). Despite answering that he lived there, he was sent to another room for another inspection, "where I sat on a metal bench next to a tattooed man in handcuffs" (Hamid 35). On the other hand, his friends had already left, which was an indication that he was being considered a possible suspect simply because he was a Muslim and non-American. They had come from one destination and as such, would have undergone the same process as Changez, but they did not and just underwent the standard procedure. As such, this was an indication of racial stereotyping. Moreover, Changez was criminalized when he was taken for the second inspection and put next to the man in handcuffs.

Changez experiences another form of racial violence when he leaves his job in New Jersey. Two people approached him and began to unveil attacks at him with racial insults. They also mock him using Arabic even though he is Pakistani, which are other forms of racism. There is racism against the Islam religion and another where it is indicated "Fucking Arab," (Hamid 67) which can be observed as American Islamophobia. There was a chance for the person to be a racist when they referred to Changez as fucking Arab. As such, this is also another depiction of racial stereotypes. After the Twin Towers attack, it was evident that Americans held the belief of all Muslims being Arabs. The element of orientalism was also employed to criticize Islam and not other religions, hence viewed as racism.

On the other hand, when Changez goes back home to see his parents, he portrays the aspect of paired awareness. As such, he starts to critique his house as he is judging it from the point of a foreigner and untitled American, which is his American identity. Through racism, Changez comprehends his real distinctiveness. When he grows out his beard, it is a suggestion of dissenting his American identity (Hamid 69). As a sign of racialization, Changez did not want to blend in with his co-workers. He had been blinded to racism for quite long, but he was finally beginning to see things differently. Also, at this point, he began to view and further experience the real impact of the criminalization of the beard.

The paper has critically assessed the racialization of Muslim South Asian Americans after 9/11 through the application of the racial experiences of stereotyping, hate crimes, and racial violence. Changez has shown that having a beard was linked with him being viewed as a criminal and even having to explain and clarify that he was not an American enemy but a lover. Also, when the Twin Towers attack occurred, most Americans began to believe that Muslims were terrorists and did not deserve to be in their country living or even working. He was in the Philippine when the attack occurred. Changez experienced racial violence and stereotyping after the attack. He was accompanied into a room by fortified guards where he was obligated to remove his garments and only stayed with his boxer shorts. Racial stereotyping continued to e experienced when he got to America from the Philippines when he was first separated from his team at immigration. The first inspection did not reveal anything strange about him, and he had to undergo a second inspection where he was placed next to a man with handcuffs. As such, 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' bears a message where Americans view of Muslims altered after the Twin Towers attack.

Works Cited

Hamid, M. (2007). The reluctant fundamentalist. 1st ed. pp.1-73.