People are lumping the Muslims with 9/11 terrorists for a very simple reason. The 'rational' Muslim is doing NOTHING to prevent this attack from happening again. Clean up your own people and you won't be discriminated against. Since your Islam is more hot air than substance, why are you so surprised that we take care of terrorists our own way?
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Name : Bill, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 63, City : Taylor, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Retired, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Quite simple. The American public on average is extremely ignorant. Keep in mind that MTV and BET don't show the news.
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Name : Jess-V30762, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 16, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, First of all, I can't understand why a British subject would presume to answer a question asked of America. Second, very few people in America mistake Hindus for Muslims. Those people who do are mostly lower class and poorly educated. America is not perfect and like ALL societies we have a share of people who are happy to have an excuse to attack the 'other'. I know of no responsible mainstream source that blames Hindus for 9/11 in America. The majority of Americans are fully convinced that the Arabs/Muslims (specifically the Saudis) did it. Even so MOST of us don't even blame ALL Arabs/Muslims or Saudis for 9/11. America has a long history of doing her best to assign blame where it belongs. Does that mean there has been no backlash because of 9/11? No. But look to your own countries before you critisize us. Europeans are taking their own steps to push back against Islamic extremists in their countries. Check out the backlash against Muslims after the murder of Theo van Gogh. Does that excuse any backlash that has occured in America? Again, No. But Europeans who just parrot anti-American rhetoric without even checking facts ot looking in the mirror are starting to create a backlash against Europe in America. Everyone needs to start trying to be rational about the whole Global Terror thing. Making unsubstantiated statements that inflame and frighten people doesn't help.
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Name : Lucille Haack, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 43, City : Omaha, State : NE Country : United States, Occupation : Military, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, My southern simple-minded two cents worth is it is normal for people to be wary of certain people or places or things when a threat is present. I do not feel racism is the main reason many people are currently wary of people with a 'Middle Eastern' appearance. If I heard on the news that police are looking for a white man described as tall, medium build, with wavy auburn shoulder length hair and a mustache, I would be concerned. Should I see a white man, tall and of medium build with auburn hair that I had not seen in my area before, I would notify the police. His hair might not be shoulder length, but short, and he may not have a mustache. Could he have cut his hair and shaved to avoid detection? I would let the police find out. I do not think this makes me prejudice against white men with auburn colored hair, I consider this cautious. Another practicality: I will not travel to certain countries outside of the USA at present. It is not that I fear the known majority of good citizens of these certain countries, but because of present hostilities, I would be taking a great risk and opening myself to terrorist groups seeking to hurt Americans and gain publicity. I am truly not racist and feel that to many, for whatever reason (low self-esteem, political gain, publicity, ignorance, or attention) continue to fuel prejudice and keep it alive. Racism is too often a convenient excuse. Since childhood I have witnessed (and more importantly continue to witness) the decline of race prejudice in our society. I also believe that one day in the not to near future the common cold will have a cure!
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Name : Susan27471, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 46, City : Aiken, State : SC Country : United States, Occupation : housewife, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, Sahil - I assure you that 99.99% of Americans are not blaming Hindus for 9/11. I must assume that what your are experiencing is racial predjudice - 9/11 may just be an easy excuse for some people to express their hatred of anything different. Unfortunately, our state has more than its share of people like this. I hope this was an isolated incident for you and that it doesn't happen again...
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Name : Eric, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 34, City : Charleston, State : SC Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, I don't think any religious group caused 9/11, but rather terrorists and religious fanatics using religion as an excuse. But to answer your question as to why Hindus are being ostracized for 9/11 -- I have noticed an epidemic of people having to place blame somewhere, anywhere, when something bad happens. Add lack of knowledge of other cultures and faiths, and fear of the unknown and you have descrimination and intolerance. It is truly unfortunate and sad.
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Name : Dianni St. V., Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 54, City : Crescent City,, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, No Hindus didn't cause 9/11 and as another poster noted it is sloppy thinking, a form of xenophobia that is based on apperance and difference from the mainstream 'National Image' Muslims have not helped the situation by failing to reform the extremist so Westerners are begining to eye all non-westerners with the same eye... sloppy thinking but one brought on by the fear 9/11 caused. What you are seeing is not just an American problem. Muslim failure to accept and respect Western customs are causing even liberal European countries to lump all non-Westerners in the same groups.
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Name : Doc, Gender : M, Race : American Indian/European, Age : 47, City : Wichita, State : KS Country : United States, Occupation : Bar Manager, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, Americans, like people everywhere, tend to categorize groups of people rather than looking at individuals. These categorizations tend to lump people together on perceived characteristics that may or may not be accurate. People everywhere are creatures of their cultural biases,and Americans have many because of their lack of understanding of other world cultures including customs and religion. Americans also have a cultural bias that 'their' culture (basically defined as white / anglo saxon /christian) is the best one (while at the same time other cultures have the same feelings about themselves). Cultural arrogance and ignorance is a world wide phenomenon, and the 9/11 tragedy happened to put the focus on this aspect of it.
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Name : Joel Kallem, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 62, City : Kansas City, State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : retired, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Americans are just notorious for lumping together similar ethnic groups. Ask anyone who is asian, was around during WW2, and had the wonderful privileage of being held in an Internment Camp. Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and more, all hearded up and placed in camps. Even though most were here seeking refuge, not plotting attacks. In my opinion, ignorance and fear is why people are criticizing you.
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Name : Shaun, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 25, City : Lincoln, State : NE Country : United States, Occupation : Desk Job for Non-Profit Org., Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, Growing up Asian-American in mid-west America, and listening to barrages of stupid, ignorant questions over the years has pretty much shown me that most Americans are ignorant of any other race/culture/religion outside thier own. Everyone who isn't an 'American-born, God-fearing christian caucasian' gets lumped into the column of 'everything else.' It's so sad that we live in this 'Great' 'powerful' nation, but the people are some of the most ignorant and uncultured.
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Name : Missy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Korean-American, Age : 22, City : Honolulu, State : HI Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, As an American, I believe in part, it is simply due to the fact that you are what we would consider different. Because you supposedly live on that side of the globe makes everyone suspect. I know of local Americans who like you have roots somewhere, however, since 9/11, we have treated them differently as if the terroristst trained them personally to hate Americans and try to murder our country. Even the people we are at war with did not cause 9/11, but we fight them anyway.
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Name : Susan, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 44, City : Las Vegas, State : NV Country : United States, Occupation : real estate, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, First - you are a Hindu. You didn't do 9/11 - so what did you do? My point being, you might be getting blamed for 9/11 simply because of some other 'grievance'. Second - you are a Hindu. Does that mean you are the same color as a Muslim? as an Islamist? as an Afghan? as an American? Don't confuse color with creed. If you are confusing color and creed, then don't expect any better from your antagonists. Third - I'll assume you are non-white. And that it's white people antagonizing you. When a state of war exists the easiest distinction for a threatened people to make about their adversary is to identify skin color or racial/ethnic features. This has been the basis of wars for thousands of years. Fourth - Maybe it's just you personally. If I hate you for purely inter-personal reasons that have nothing to do with your race or skin color or religion, and I choose to vent my wrath upon you, do you not think that I will call you names? Even racially prejudiced names? Hate doesn't have to have a color, but it may express itself that way.
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Name : Glenn, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 41, City : Abbotsford, State : NA Country : Canada, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class, It's important to remember that half of all people are of below-average intelligence. People also naturally judge by appearance, so when you get a knuckle-dragger who sees someone with darker skin or some cloth on his head he thinks 'Raghead!' and starts shouting his entire vocabulary, which consists of 90% swear words.
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Name : Russell Schiwal, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 35, City : Camarillo, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, I would start by appologising to all people in all places at all times for all wrongs ever done, or will be done, but the world is a rough place. Missplaced blame is one of the classic tools for coping with disaster, and the stress that follows. Unfortunatly, most average Americans, and that runs the gammut from Black, to Red, to Yellow and back again, don't know a Hindu from a Muslim to a Buddist, a Fundemental, from a Radical or Reformed. Lack of Knowlage coupled with fear, and an Enemy which wears no Uniform, follows no rules, and respects nothing, and you get a protectionistic panic response from the general populace. I hate to tell you this, but it very well may get worse before it gets better. Sorry. So your Hindu,eh? Know much about the Caste System? Talk about blaming a people for nothing!
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Name : Christopher Schroeder, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 41, City : Jackson, State : WY Country : United States, Occupation : Surgical Assistant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, I know Hindus didn't. Hindus don't cause problems in the world, might be a good model for the rest of us to follow as a belief system. One fact a lot of the apologist don't get and Bush Neo-Cons take out of context is the fact that 100% of the 9-11 hijackers were Muslim. The fine folks conducting the decapitations are all 100% Muslim. The Taliban, who helped maintain a 14th Century standard of living for their women, are and were all 100% Muslim. Where does NOW stand on this I wonder? The murderers currently killing their own country men, women, and children in Iraq are all Muslim. I am brown skined probably like you. When I don't shave, and have to fly, looks I get make me laugh inside. Either way, I understand what you are going through. All I can advise that you do is sit back and think about all of the narrow minded pin heads out there and also thank Islam and Poverty for creating such beautiful creatures like radical Muslims. I see why India has been fighting with them for this long, not the religion just the radicals.
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Name : Steve, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Age : 29, City : Omaha, State : NE Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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