The Pain is more and real when a muslim commits a crime

This week's shooting by a Muslim soldier in Texas have reignited the suspicous way Muslim Amaricans are viewed.

Clinck here to read the report: Suspect was to be sent to Afghanistan

It suddenness me deeply when I realize that each time a Muslim American acts up, does something wrong or commits a crime we all pay the price in one way or the other.

This blanket of suspicion to all Muslim Americans has become natural as we share a faith with the accuser. This is mortifying. We are all guilty by association in the eyes of most other Americans. This is not because our fellow citizens hate Muslims, but the media sensation that covers the crime more often speculates the motive of the suspect.

Imagine how you would react if you are a regular citizen bombarded news reports every evening about the evil side of the Muslim faith. Imagine if you regularly get that prime time news every night for the past decade. You are human and that will effect your judgment.

We love America; most of us would defend with our blood. We go to work every day to make a difference in our communities, cities, states and our nation. We are part and parcel of this great nation. We benefit when this country is in good shape and we share the pain with our neighbors when the time is tough.

But the pain is more real and personal when someone that you don’t know but happen to be the same faith as you are commits crime and the rest of the country points fingers at you. The pain is real when your place of worship is under attack. The pain is real when Muslim children are harassed at school. The pain is real when you feel like you are sub-citizen and neighbors, coworkers and strangers ask you if you know the person or share politics with him.

Humans commit crime regardless of their faith but the notion that Muslims commit crime because they have ulterior motive is absurd. Some may have political agenda, but few nuts among the millions of Muslim Americans can’t be the face of the community. It is extremely unfair to live in fear when a Muslim person does something horrible.

How many brave Muslim soldiers I know are enlisted in the military or fighting to defend this country as we speak? How many others teachers, scientists, doctors, engineers, professors, nurses, police officers are hard at work at this moment trying to improve the lives of Americans.

We loathe seeing crimes or acts committed by a fellow Muslim. We become accustomed to change our daily routine, take extra precaution or even sometimes totally reduce our schedule and remain in our homes when a Muslim person commits a crime or is accused, just to avoid the spotlight. Most of the time that person is not even part of the community we live. Not even in our state and we may have never heard of what he does before that day. But simply we share a faith, his action affects our life, community and rights as American.

The perception of guilty by association is killing us, unbearable and we ask our American brothers not rush to judgment and always treat each crime separately. When a Muslim American is accused of committing a crime, please don’t assume the motive to be political or extreme ideology. Take the time to sort out what it is and make your mind after all the facts are presented.

Don’t rush to judge because your perception and judgment will affect millions and will disrupt the lives of millions of others.