As election day approaches, islamophobic rhetoric and action is increasing. This is happening at the national level with the federal government targeting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, raiding her home, and instigating ongoing attacks on her privacy and security. Congresswoman Omar has repeatedly been the target of islamophobic attacks throughout her time in Congress, while many leaders from both parties stay silent. In addition, the president and vice president of the United States make continued derogatory remarks about Somali immigrants and have targeted Somali-American communities with increased ICE operations and removing Somali immigrants Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Candidates for office like Adbul El-Sayyed are also the target of racist attacks simply because they are Muslim. This was on display when El-Sayyed was questioned by a GOP operative in the audience about whether he would disavow the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. El-Sayyed deftly made the point that the only reason he was being asked to disavow terrorism was because he is Muslim and that these sorts of questions would not be asked of non-Muslim candidates.
Islamophobic actions are taking place here in Colorado too. Earlier this month, a Muslim woman was the victim of a hate crime in Denver’s Washington Park, when she was assaulted in broad daylight by a man who reportedly had been yelling anti-Muslim slurs. She and her family are still scared to go to Washington Park for fear of being attacked again.
In Douglas County, there was a campaign event held in early October for Victor Marx, the Republican candidate for governor. The published advertisement for the event stated the following:
“Colorado ballots will be mailed Oct. 2nd, and the threats to our Colorado way of life are real with Communists taking office and the invasion of Muslims moving here. Have you seen the Islamization of Dearborn, Michigan and the 300+ mosques built in TX? This is not happening by accident.”
This was followed up by a clearly false statistic stating that “10% of Churchgoers Vote; 97% of Muslims Vote; 100% of Radical LIberals Vote.” As a final call to action, the advertisement asked “Shouldn’t we at least keep up with the Muslims?”
While all of these as individual events can be seen as racist, misguided, and harmful as singular acts, together they point to greater and more troubling dangers facing our Muslim friends and neighbors. When people at the highest levels of power feel empowered to target marginalized people while so many others in power either stay silent, or even worse take part, then it is inevitable that a culture of Islamophobia will seep down into our local communities and everyday lives.
When the U.S. The Secretary of Defense rallies around the idea of a public execution of a Muslim person—something that has not been done in almost a century, it is a sign of growing fascism and that the foundations of democracy continue to crumble. Islamophobia shows up as racist rhetoric in the media, hate crimes targeting people, and at its worst as lives taken—as seen in the deadly shooting at a Mosque in San Diego earlier this year. For these reasons and more, it is imperative that we show up for our Muslim friends and neighbors; our fellow humans.
Call to Action
As election day approaches, the Colorado Clergy Alliance, representing over 160 multispiritual and multifaith clergy, encourages everyone to show up for our fellow humans. In these times of rising fascism we are called to believe in and work toward new visions of democracy. That means not only voting, but showing up and investing in one another’s well-being in all facets of life.
Fascist systems mobilize the people against “problematic” others, building power against the “other.” We need to understand the intentionality of what is happening and stand with those who are being targeted. We share a common humanity and your liberation is tied up in my liberation—it is our liberation that we must cocreate and protect.
If there is any hope of democracy reaching its fullest potential in this country, it has to start with all of us collectively standing up for the rights, dignity, and livelihoods of those being marginalized and oppressed. This is how we live out the truth that all life is truly sacred.
The CCA is committed to building trustworthy relationships across the diversity of our spiritual and faith traditions. We ask you to join us.
Join us by intentionally learning about Islam; speaking up to your family, friends, and coworkers when they make harmful comments about Muslims; use your sphere of influence to embrace and share about Islam and directly address islamophobic rhetoric; and preach a counternarrative and lift up Muslim people, stories, and learnings.
