Racism In Baltimore

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Breakdown of the recent turmoil in Baltimore. What we have witnessed this past week in the city of Baltimore has caused many Americans to re-analyze the current state and condition of the inner-city standard of life and how that standard is viewed by fellow Americans. Questions have arose regarding the ever-growing gap between those living below the poverty line and the affluent. Questions regarding the educational standards set by local governments in inner cities, as well as those regarding racism in general. Equally important, many have begun to question the role that mainstream media plays in influencing the opinions of most Americans. Many of whom are often completely oblivious to realities on the ground, who swallow the stories given…show more content…
America itself is no stranger to racism. In fact, the annuals of history are full of American legislated racist policies. Many of which in southern states of America are actually still in the books of law. Much of the police brutality we have seen in the recent years has been construed as a continuation of that racist tendency. As true as this may be, Baltimore is quite different and has led many to question this narrative. Simply because Baltimore is a city in which a large number of the leading officials are in fact African American. The citizens of Baltimore themselves say, “it is not racism that we are fed up with, rather wide spread corruption.” In order to understand the situation from their perspective we must look historically at how slaves where controlled in America. Black African slaves were not only watched and monitored by white slave owners, but rather Black Privileged slaves were used to keep the rest of the slaves in line. Needless to say, the regular slaves despised the black masters even more so than their white…show more content…
They can no longer live in post September 11th America behind their money in nice suburban bubbles. They are forced to go through the passage of rights that all American minorities went through. So what must Muslims do? How will they gain civil or human rights that other minorities are also fighting for? Perhaps first by recognition that they are not white America. Secondly, by appreciation of the struggles of those who came before them. The status of elder African American Muslims in our Muslim American communities should be like that of the Companions of Badr’s status to the other companions. They deserve a degree of respect simply due to the struggles they made. Struggles that have been made by indigenous Muslims made it easier for our immigrant Muslims. Unfortunately, most African American Muslims feel extremely disenfranchised in our masjid and community centers due to a number of factors which lie out of the scope of this article. I can only hope that we realize the importance in building bridges and joining hands with those who share our common values and
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