Civil liberties and rights of religious minorities in the United States have been a controversial issue. Indeed, Muslim Americans belong to one of the minority groups which have been historically and presently facing challenges concerning racial discrimination, surveillance, and freedom of religion. This analysis shall discuss the historical and contemporary issues in terms of civil rights and liberties that Muslim Americans face in the US. Furthermore, it will analyze a Supreme Court case that has affected or supported the rights of Muslim Americans and address the consequences of such a case for the civil liberties and rights of this group.
Historic Struggle of Muslim Americans
The struggle that Muslim Americans in U.S have had to contend with grows its root in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The sanctions under the Immigration Act of 1924 also limited the intake from Asian countries, including the Middle East, restricting immigration from countries where the majority of residents are Muslim. The discriminative policy of the US created significant barriers against the development and acclimatization of the Muslim communities in the country (Library of Congress, 2019). The date 9/11 became significant for the Muslim Americans because they watched as the life in their own country impoverished. As events linked to the aftermath of the attacks saw Islamophobia, discrimination began to grow, as hate crimes that went against Muslims became common and grocery stores or campuses that were supposed to allow Muslim women to wear Hijabs were removed. In addition, Muslims were targeted and put under surveillance by law enforcement agencies. The approval of the Patriot Act right after the attack on September 11 granted the government widespread powers to carry out surveillance, and detention of individuals suspected of terrorism connected activities, mainly focused against Muslim Americans (Library of Congress, 2019). The Muslim American community has, for centuries, consistently been faced with this set of challenges that have bound impact on their civil liberties and rights, hence, the sense of alienation, and light suspicion among the Muslims. This has, however, to some extend been difficult in their efforts to have them incorporate and participate in American society.
Over the past decade, especially following the 9/11 attacks in New York, religious minorities such as Muslims and Sikhs have encountered growing prejudices and hostilities. Discrimination based on religion remains a significant issue today, encompassing attacks on both existing and proposed religious facilities, as well as minority groups simply exercising their constitutional right to religious freedom (American Civil Liberties Union, 2024). The United States enacted two pivotal laws, namely the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to put an end to discrimination in voting, public facilities, schools, and workplaces based on race, color, religion, gender, or nationality (Witte & Latterell, 2015). These legislative measures represented a firm rejection of the nation’s previous history of racism, chauvinism, nativism, and religious and cultural bias. Ultimately, the experiences of Muslim Americans in contending with discriminatory immigration policies, post-9/11 Islamophobia, and challenges to their religious freedom, civil liberties, and rights underscore the critical importance of upholding religious freedom and combatting religious discrimination. These challenges highlight the ongoing need for vigilant protection of the rights of religious minorities and the promotion of inclusivity and equality in American society.
Problems facing Muslim Americans Today
Muslim Americans in the US continue facing numerous challenges such as persisting bigotry, Islamophobia, and policies that target their religious orientation. The increased prevalence of anti-Muslim rhetoric in politics and media has reinforced stereotypes and promoted negativities toward Muslims, thereby creating a hostile environment (United Nations Human Rights, 2010). In addition, on the subject of policies like the 2017 Muslim Ban, which limited travelers from some Islamic majority countries, Muslim communities continue to carry further the stigma and isolation. This ban was passed with certain ideological bias which was also perceived as violation of constitutional rights (United Nations Human Rights, 2010). These difficulties have had great impacts in the social, economic as well as political status of Muslim Americans which have made them feel alienated and fear, these consequences affect their ability to enjoy their civil rights.
Hebl, Cheng, and Ng (2019) note that despite efforts to reduce workplace discrimination, it remains a significant problem in many modern organizations. While laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 have banned obvious forms of discrimination, such as refusing to hire or promote someone because of their stigmatized status, they don’t fully address more systemic and subtle forms of discrimination.
Most top positions in Fortune 500 companies are still held by White men. In the workplace, older workers tend to be given this kind of disrespect and a perception that they are not as effective compared to their younger colleagues. A social blowback will be given to people with disability by their colleagues when they require accommodations (Hebl et al. 2019). Though these advanced discrimination is allowed by the rules of the federal law, significantly influence the labor activity of the problem groups’ members, and are destructive to their mental and physical condition. In general, Muslims in the United States persist in facing a great deal of hardship as the subject of discrimination; Islamophobia and policies that target their religious functions, among other things. Such challenges have a deep and profound effect on their manner of social, economic and even political life; infringing upon their enjoyment of civil liberties and rights. Although endeavors are made to limit discrimination in workplaces much more is often subtle and substantial forms remain highlighting work to be done to address them.
Supreme Court Case and Its Impact on Muslim Americans
The Supreme Court case City of Ocala, Florida v. Art Rojas, et al. (2023) sheds light on how the courts handle civil liberties and rights for Muslim Americans. In this case, atheists sued the city and officials, claiming they felt uncomfortable participating in a Christian-themed prayer vigil organized by the police department, which they argued violated the Establishment Clause. Lower courts ruled in favor of the atheists, citing violations of the Establishment Clause (FindLaw, 2024). This case shows how religious freedom intersects with the rights of religious minorities, like Muslims, in the US. The Supreme Court’s decision affects the protection of religious practices and expressions, especially in public spaces. It highlights ongoing legal debates and challenges about accommodating religious diversity in American society.
Looking beyond the US, there’s been extensive study of the origins and consequences of religious restrictions. Historical evidence suggests that religious tolerance in most colonies arose out of necessity rather than principle. The eventual promotion of religious liberties was driven by an alliance of political rationalists, like Thomas Jefferson, and religious sect leaders like the Baptist pastor Isaac Backus. This alliance, though fragile and short-lived, illustrates the mixed motives behind supporting religious freedoms (Finke, 2013). Deregulation of religion can have far reaching effects. It has created freedom over there without any negative consequences such as punishment or increased cost. For religious institutions, it’s provided them with a playing ground and the level of the startup cost is relatively low with high opportunities for innovation. Second, it has resulted to increased pluralism, which is now able to cater for diverse needs and religions. Aggregately, the religious freedoms have enhanced the availability of religion through religion producers and consumers incentives and opportunities, as Finke termed the ‘churching of America’. In order to expand this appreciation, research at the broader level, truthfully the international spectrum should be launched to understand the connection between freedoms of religious belief and social conflict. Although many claim religious freedoms are inherently American in nature, the more one restricts these basic freedoms in the name of religious liberty, the more conflict one will encounter. Such understanding of these dynamics is necessary to get a full understanding of the world religion, restrictions global impact.
Conclusion
Opportunity concerns and issues regarding civil liberties and rights of Muslim Americans have been an ongoing controversy within the US. Under this study, a historical analysis is given concerning the obstacles Muslim Americans have had to pass through in light of their civil liberties and rights. The case of the City of Ocala Florida v. Art Rojas, et al. 2023 is one of the most instructive cases that have shed light on the relationship between the constitutional right to religious freedom and the rights of US religious minorities, like Muslims The supreme court judgments in this case firmly highlight the serious consequences for the protection of religious practices and expressions, especially in public surroundings. This plays out the numerous legal infighting and quandaries as regards to the incorporation of diversity of religion in development. Outside US, studies on the cause of origins of religious trammels as also on implications have shown the changing nature of religious tolerances and freedoms from time to time. The abolition of regulation of religion through to lifting of all religious law has had wide implications in the sense that individuals would freely make their own decision for their personal use and as a result paving way for free competition among the religious bodies. Moreover, pluralism has in recent times been advanced with deregulation. The development has ensured accommodation in various religious demands. The connection of the religious freedoms and social conflict is the determining issue for an integrated analysis of the global outcomes of religious restrictions.
References
American Civil Liberties Union. (2024). Defending the Rights of Religious Minorities. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/issues/religious-liberty/free-exercise-religion/defending-rights-religious-minorities
FindLaw. (2024). CITY OF OCALA, FLORIDA v. ART ROJAS, ET AL. (2023). FindLaw. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-supreme-court/22-278.html
Finke, R. (2013). Origins and Consequences of Religious Restrictions: A Global Overview. Sociology of Religion, 74(3), 297–313. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srt011
Hebl, M., Cheng, S. K., & Ng, L. C. (2019). Modern discrimination in organizations. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012119-044948
Library of Congress. (2019). Religion and the American Revolution – Religion and the Founding of the American Republic | Exhibitions (Library of Congress). Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel03.html
United Nations Human Rights. (2010). Minority Rights: International Standards and Guidance for Implementation. United Nations Human Rights. https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Publications/MinorityRights_en.pdf
Witte, J., & Latterell, J. J. (2015). Christianity and human rights: Past contributions and future challenges. Journal of Law and Religion, 30(3), 353–385. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2015.29
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