what can ordinary non-Muslim Americans do to be better neighbors to American Muslims?

Question

In America, non-muslim Americans are gathering in neighborhood groups to protest the construction of Mosques, American Muslims are being shunned, and verbally and physically assaulted. There is so much fear and misrepresentation of Islam in America. As a non-Muslim American, how can i help to change this?

Answer 1

Just get to know people! I have friends from all over, and many are Muslim. Learn more about the faith as well, and if someone says something derogatory, tell them it offends you. When they ask you if you're Muslim, tell them no, but you know that what they say most assuredly isn't true. Backing things up with facts helps too. A great place to start is www.cair-net.org.

If you see someone being treated badly for being Muslim, stand up and say something as well. A friend of mine in college was called a terrorist simply because he was Saudi, and let's just say the person who said that was blushing within a minute of saying something that ignorant. Half the class stood up for him.

It's a great thing you want to stand up and help people who are being treated badly.