How Terror Attacks
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HOW TERROR
ATTACKS
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Perspectives
Words By: Radhiyyah Phillips
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I originally wanted this piece of work to be called ‘how terrorism has affected our lives’ but I didn’t want to contribute to some views that Muslims or terror attacks since 9/11 are the only ones that have ever existed. The first use in English of the word ‘terrorism’ actually occurred during the French Revolution’s ‘Reign of Terror’. In addition, while we were at school we were never taught about the ‘Gunpowder Plot’, in such a negative way. By using the term ‘act of terror’, Guy Fawkes and his followers were not subjected to racial profiling following their attempt to destroy the English Parliament in 1605. Reflecting on my mere twenty years of life I hadn’t realised how much my religion would have such an impact on other people’s lives.
From a young age, I was taught that my religion was about peace and this is something I still believe in. I grew up around my mum and other family members wearing the headscarf, it was something I was taught was so special and sacred and now it has changed – the headscarf now makes them a target for racial profiling. It was only a couple of days ago that a man mistook my mum for a Rastafarian as she covers her hair, she then informed him that she was in fact a Muslim, to which he replied “all Muslims are killers”.
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“SADLY, DEFENDING MY RELIGION, ANSWERING PEOPLE’S QUESTIONS AND BEING ASSOCIATED WITH EXTREMISM HAS BECOME NORMALITY IN MY LIFE”
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I grew up in a household that was proud to say that we are Muslims and while at primary school it was something people still hadn’t heard much about except that my mum wore a headscarf. Then suddenly once I got to secondary school, it seemed that more people knew about Islam but not necessarily for the right reasons. I was the go-to person for people to question me about “these Muslims” and why are they doing such things. As if I was the voice of knowledge when it came to “these Muslims”. But when I saw these people on TV who described themselves as Muslims I simply didn’t relate to them, I didn’t see myself as like them and I didn’t believe in what they believed in.
Growing up as a Muslim I was probably more doubtful of the media than non-Muslims from an earlier age. I knew that some news programmes and articles that reported terror attacks were not telling the truth or the whole truth about what Islam was about. I realised that non-Muslims also committing crimes in the news didn’t have any reference to religion or a country of origin when they were reported. With the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January, there was a large debate over whether Muslims should take the blame or condemn the terror attacks that took place. Rupert Murdoch demanded that “Muslims apologise for Charlie Hebdo attacks” and this sparked the consequent hashtag trends of #IamMuslimBut and #notinmyname. I don’t feel the need to apologise for my faith and what other people choose to do in the name of it. I am disconnected, and not associated to the extremists.
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As a Muslim it is a sad reality that every time there is a terror attack I wait to hear if it is an Arabic-sounding name and have to prepare myself for more hatred amongst the people I call my brothers and sisters. We then have to face the reality that this will only worsen the reputation of Muslims across the world.
However, not all Muslims will have this opinion, as this is just my personal outlook on the situation. After speaking to a friend she said “I don’t think it affects us as much because we don’t wear headscarves”. This couldn’t be a more true and sad reality of a statement, as Muslim women across the world wear their headscarves as part of their religion, yet it is the easiest thing to distinguish them as Muslims, making them easy targets for racial hatred. Many have decided to take the headscarf off since 9/11 and maybe more since the recent terror attacks due to the fear of being associated with a ‘bad name’.
Others may say that as a young girl I may not even be able to speak sufficiently enough on the topic as I do not wear the headscarf and therefore will not know how much terror attacks could have affected my life. But sadly, defending my religion, answering people’s questions and being associated with extremism has become normality in my life.
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