03/30/2016 As A Muslim, I Don’t Believe Monitoring Muslims To Prevent Terrorism Is Islamophobic.
Source: Independent Journal Review
In the wake of every terrorist attack, a national discussion always ensues on what can and should be done to prevent further attacks. While this knee-jerk reaction is understandable, it is a symptom of the problem, not a step in the right direction. These conversations may make public commentators, policymakers and media personalities feel like they are creating solutions – but the reality is that cure for the cancer of radical Islam must be identified and targeted at its source: the ideology of Islamism, or political Islam; and that can only be done from within Muslim communities.
As I have argued for decades, the problem of Islamism is deep-rooted, widely spread across the earth, and backed by some of the most money-rich and ruthless governments on Earth. While far from all Muslims are Islamists, and even fewer Muslims are violent Islamists, the fact is that these bad actors exist and are a force to be reckoned with in our communities – and many Muslims to be sure have been intimidated, brainwashed or otherwise pressured against exposing them.
Recently, presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz came under intense scrutiny for suggesting that Muslim communities be secured and monitored in order to identify and address radicalization. The backlash he faced is not unfamiliar to me – but as a Muslim, I’ve come under a particularly vicious type of attack for making similar comments.