3. The Rise of Anti-Muslim Violence
After the events of September 11, there was a concerted effort by politicians, law enforcement agencies, and religious groups to highlight that Islam was largely a peaceful religion. They tried to show how the 19 hijackers and their al Qaeda overlords had twisted Islam’s true teachings to suit their destructive ideology.
Sadly, their efforts largely fell on deaf ears in the United States as the nation saw a surge in anti-Muslim violence. The first major event happened just four days after the attacks when a gunman in Mesa, Arizona went on a shooting rampage, targeting anyone who even remotely looked Muslim. The only tragic victim that day was Balbir Singh Sodhi, a gas station owner of Indian descent. As a Sikh he was wearing a turban, so the shooter assumed he was Muslim and took his life.
