Students Take a Stand Against Islamophobia

By Kayla Stoner
Monday, January 25, 2010
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On the day of the Muslim-cultural Students Association event, Against Islamophobia, members of McSA and other cosponsors wore labels on their foreheads with words like "muslim" and "terrorist." Participants say this demonstrates the irrational fear of Muslims that has been on the rise since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

U.S. Army Muslim Chaplain James Yousef Yee, formerly at Guantanamo, sited heightened TSA security measures against Muslim countries as proof of this claim.

Others say the number one cause of islamophobia is ignorance, so to combat that here on campus, McSA is fighting to implement a Muslim studies program at Northwestern.

"As a result of not having this program, we have islamophobia even within our campus," said Dolce Acosta-Licea, external relations vice president of McSA. "We have people who don't understand Islam, and that will engender not only problems here, but it will engender problems in the future."

Members of university administration say they like the idea of a Muslim studies program, but they have not yet taken steps to begin planning.