When Sairah Ahmed learned of the attacks on New York’s World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., she was shocked and sickened.
Then she was nervous.
Ahmed, a spokesperson for MSU’s Muslim Students’ Association, said the assumptions that Arab or Muslim people committed the attacks, that left an estimated 10,000-20,000 people dead, had already been made.
“I know that Muslims have always had a negative stigma attached to them,” the history and secondary education senior said. “There has always been that stereotype, but never like this.”
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers condemned the attacks and said bin Laden, who has been given asylum in the country, could not be behind them.
But even as the United States waits to hear who is actually behind the attacks, Ahmed said she and other students at MSU are bearing the burden.
“This is going to harm what Islam means,” she said. “Terrorists do not represent Islamic ideology and belief. This is such a big blow to everything we’ve been working on.
“If I could, I’d go on the rooftops and shout that this is not Islam.”
MSU officials met with students Wednesday to discuss safety and methods of dispelling stereotypes.
“Everyone was just in shock,” said Fred Poston, vice president for finance and operations. “The anger will come later. We need to be careful to direct our anger into something positive. We need to get a grip on ourselves. (Violence) won’t be tolerated.
“When the unfortunate dust settles, I’m sure we will find that some of the victims were Muslims as well.”
MSU police Capt. Dave Trexler said security has been increased around campus, but no incidents have been reported.
In East Lansing, a shot was fired into the home of a Muslim family Tuesday. K-9s from the East Lansing Police Department tracked the suspect’s scent to a nearby parking lot before it disappeared.
“We know there are some concerned students,” Trexler said. “It brings a unique perspective when you have the international flavor MSU has.”
The Washington office of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee didn’t empty out Tuesday although workers knew they were near the destruction at the Pentagon.
Communication junior Diana Yacob said she was hard at work breaking down stereotypes during her second day on an internship with the committee.
“I sent out a listserve message to (MSU’s Arab Student Organization) saying don’t be frustrated,” she said. “Some communities are going to be stereotyped. Just act properly. That’s the only way.”
Norman Graham, associate dean of the James Madison College, said Michigan residents and students are likely to feel the repercussions of the attacks hundreds of miles away.
“Maybe things in America won’t be the same for a long time,” he said. “We’re just beginning to understand the magnitude of this. Violence certainly could happen anywhere.”
Amid the mourning, shock and anger felt Tuesday, child development sophomore Nicole Nelson said religions and cultures came together for support.
When she and other members of the congregation at University Lutheran Church, 1020 S. Harrison Ave., saw police cars outside The Islamic Center of East Lansing, 920 S. Harrison Ave., they invited the displaced worshipers to their service.
“Just the whole idea that you would have to have police cars at your own church to protect you - that’s the only haven you have,” Nelson said.
Computer engineering junior Fahmi Atwain, adviser for the Muslim Students’ Association, said positive steps have been taken to prevent problems on campus - but he still expects Muslim and Arabic students to notice tension.
“As a Muslim and as an Arab and as an American myself, I do condemn what happened,” Atwain said. “Every culture, they have the bad sector and good sector. We should not look at those outcasts and stereotype them to the whole culture itself.
“You can’t resolve violence with violence.”
The Muslim Students’ Association is sponsoring a question and answer forum at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 at 1345 Engineering Building.
