Imported Hate: Islamophobia in Rural America | Taneeza Islam | TEDxBrookings
Fear, described as a visceral, involuntary response, is shaped by unconscious biases learned from pervasive messaging, which leads to legislating fear and hate; the speaker argues that authentic community change requires individuals to overcome these biases by engaging in personal contact with diverse people, exemplified by the author's personal journey as an American Muslim and the successful campaign against anti-Islamic legislation in South Dakota. ## Speakers & Context - Unnamed speaker (American Muslim). - Speaking about overcoming personal and societal fears, particularly related to racism and Islamophobia. - The speaker was confronted by an implicit association test result showing a preference for lighter-skinned people over darker-skinned people. - The speaker states that personal interaction with people different from oneself is what "dissipates that fear that not in your stomach." - The speaker notes that the speaker's personal experience contextualizes what it means to be an American Muslim, countering generalized negative media rhetoric. ## Theses & Positions - Fear is a natural, uncontrollable response, but how we act upon it is a choice. - Our brains process information unconsciously, leading to the internalization of biases that affect thoughts and actions. - To achieve authentic community change, individuals must deeply understand their personal triggers and biases. - Fear-mongering and stereotypes, when preached by faith leaders and officials, can be legislated into law. - The purpose of the "Islamophobic network" is to scare people into legally dislegitimizing Islam and Muslims. - Personal contact with diverse people is the mechanism that dissipates fear and counters internalized bias. - The speaker urges the audience to be "upstanders" rather than "bystanders" against legislated hate. ## Concepts & Definitions - **Unconscious biases:** Internalized biases that affect thoughts and actions, which must be identified to achieve change. - **American Muslim:** The speaker defines this identity as one that contextualizes the reality of being Muslim in the U.S., contrasting with media stereotypes. - **Sharia:** The speaker clarifies that Sharia is not a law as understood by the US Constitution or Civil Code; rather, it represents guiding principles (like the Ten Commandments) teaching good stewardship, charity, and personal virtue. - **Legislated fear and hate:** The process where anxiety about a group (e.g., Islam) is used by politicians to pass discriminatory laws. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Bias Identification:** Taking an implicit association test to reveal unconscious biases (e.g., favoring lighter-skinned people). - **De-escalation of Bias:** Engaging in personal conversations with people different from oneself to break down fear responses. - **Legislating Hate:** Introducing and passing anti-Islamic bills in states by leveraging fear-based messaging. - **Defeating Hate Legislation:** A coalition of diverse groups (immigrants, refugees, Muslims, allies) showing up to testify against anti-Islamic resolutions in South Dakota. ## Timeline & Sequence - **Since 2010:** A hundred and twenty anti-Islamic bills were introduced in 42 states. - **2012:** South Dakota passed anti-Sharia legislation, signed by the current governor. - **Since 2015:** The "Islamophobic network" has grown into a multi-million dollar industry. - **This past legislative session:** The speaker's coalition successfully defeated anti-Islamic resolutions in South Dakota. ## Named Entities - **Sioux Falls, South Dakota:** The speaker's location, noting it has only about two to three Muslims, or 0.003% of its population. - **Center for American Progress** and **the Haas Institute:** Organizations identified as part of the network funding and promoting fear. - **Act for America:** A lobbyist group identified as part of the hate-mongering apparatus. ## Numbers & Data - **98%:** Percentage of our brain that works unconsciously. - **2010:** Starting point for the introduction of anti-Islamic bills (120 bills in 42 states). - **15:** Number of states that have passed hateful laws. - **0.003%:** Percentage of South Dakota's population that are Muslims. - **14:** Centuries Islam has existed. - **$57 million:** The value of the "Islamophobic network" since 2015. - **1.5 billion:** The estimated global population of Muslims. ## Examples & Cases - **Personal Bias Moment:** The speaker felt surprised when a young Asian cashier had no accent, causing a moment of pause and self-correction. - **The Law Example:** South Dakota passing anti-Sharia legislation in 2012, despite the low Muslim population. - **The Testimony Example:** The speaker testifying against hate groups, where proponents included a lobbyist from "Act for America" and an expert calling in from Sweden who allegedly stated 90% of rapes in Sweden are committed by Somali Muslim men. - **Online Accusations:** A senator on Twitter called the speaker a "terrorist sympathizer," and a candidate for governor suggested the speaker should be tried for treason. ## Tools, Tech & Products - **Implicit association test:** Tool used to quantify unconscious bias. - **Twitter** and **Facebook:** Platforms used for the dissemination of accusations and harassment against the speaker. ## References Cited - **Bible and Torah:** Texts mentioned by the speaker as sources for penal codes, noted to be foundational to various religions. ## Trade-offs & Alternatives - **Community Change:** Choosing personal action (digging deeper) over remaining passive to biased messaging. - **Law vs. Principle:** The difference between US Constitutional Law/Civil Code and Sharia as guiding principles. - **Bystander vs. Upstander:** The choice to remain silent versus actively speaking out against injustice. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - The speaker acknowledges that the accusation of extremism/terrorism used against activists like themselves is a tactic deployed by the network. - The speaker notes that the religious texts (Bible/Torah) contain penal codes that are sometimes used to characterize Muslims' alleged desires. ## Methodology - Personal reflection and self-interrogation to identify biases. - Organizing and mobilizing community action (coalition building) to counteract legislative hate. - Legal and public advocacy to combat discriminatory legislation. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - **Personal:** Be self-reflective, identify your biases, and actively work to change your response. - **Community:** If lacking opportunity, find other authentic sources to learn about diverse people. - **Political:** Speak out against fear-mongering and hate targeting Muslims, immigrants, and refugees at both the dinner table and in the legislature. - **Action:** Support local organizations actively working against Islamophobia. ## Implications & Consequences - Unchecked fear-mongering leads to tangible political outcomes, like passing restrictive anti-Sharia laws. - Failing to address these biases allows prejudiced rhetoric to be institutionalized through law. ## Verbatim Moments - *"what does the person look like who gives you a pit in your stomach makes you cross the street subvert eye contact and maybe lock the doors in your car a little faster"* - *"I am NOT the anomaly but the norm"* - *"what happens when you live in a place where you don't have the opportunity for personal contact with someone who looks or believes differently than you"* - *"laws we are again legislating fear and hate"* - *"Sharia are our guiding principles just as the Ten Commandments and love of mercy stories of love and mercy"* - *"point zero zero 3% of our state's population"* - *"the Islamophobic network's main purpose is to have you so scared of Islam and Muslims they they want to legally D legitimize a religion"* - *"I'm ecstatic to report to you that our amazing authentically intersectional coalition defeated both of them"* - *"be an upstander and break the momentum of Islamophobia and rural America"* - *"do I scare you does this image cause surprise give you a pit in your stomach or maybe thoughts that I must somehow be a pest"*