Talat Hamdani’s Fight Against Islamophobia Is Personal

In many ways, Talat Hamdani’s family embodies the immigrant dream. Her family emigrated from Pakistan more than 30 years ago after her husband was posted to the United States as a photographer. Impressed by the opportunities at the time, the family settled down and raised children.

Her son, Salman, grew up like a typical American teenager, playing football and watching movies. And when 9/11 happened, like many Americans he rushed to downtown New York to offer assistance. Salman Hamdani, an EMT, died from the falling debris, making him one of very few Muslims killed in the terrorist attacks. According to figures from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), 32 Muslims were killed during the events of 9/11.

But, if that was not bad enough, the local media smeared Hamdani’s name, and accused him of being involved in the terrorist attacks when his body was not found. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) praised Salman Hamdani during the House Committee hearings on Muslim radicalization. Now, almost 10 years later, his mother is an activist for Muslim rights in a country facing growing Islamophobia.

Hamdani, who is a member of the 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrow, says that today’s America is a very different place from the country she arrived in 32 years ago.

“There were no negative feelings [toward Muslims] at the time,” she says. “We believed if you worked hard you could accomplish anything you wanted. At that time faith was not a factor, it was race. If he (Salman) were alive, he would be very sad. He was very proud and happy to be an American.”

Post-9/11 America became a hostile place for Muslims, especially just after the attacks, but in the past year, the situation has gotten particularly bad.

“After 9/11, many families chose to go back (to Pakistan) especially the ones who had recently arrived and the undocumented,” she says. Hamdani says the post-9/11 political climate made many Muslims question whether their rights as American citizens would be challenged. But Hamdani said her husband, who has now passed away, opted to stay and fight for religious freedom in his adopted country.

“My husband said we have to stay and fight because this is our country too,” she says. Hamdani, very critical of Rep. Peter King (R-NY), who led the House Committee hearings on the radicalization of Muslims says, King is the tip of the spear of Islamophobia. She adds that the King hearings have in effect turned into a prosecution of American Muslims. She worries about the rising anti-Muslim tide.

“We are one step away from the persecution of Muslims,” Hamdani says. “Every American Muslim is concerned.” She also adds that King’s hearing and anti-Muslims sentiment is a smokescreen to divert people away from the real problems facing the country.

“There is so much unemployment, companies are not hiring, and the housing market is down,” Hamdani says. In addition, the United States military is now involved in conflicts in three foreign countries. “This is tax payer money going abroad,” she said. “They are taking away our livelihood and sending it abroad.”

Hamdani also took King to task for being hypocritical and called him “racist.” King’s hearing accused the American Muslim community of being a breeding ground for terrorism, yet he had ties to the Irish Republican Army (IRA), and even raised funds for the organization, which the U.S. and British governments consider a terrorist group.

Many critics accuse King of ignoring the incidents of domestic terrorism by non-Muslims, including the FBI arrest of a white supremacist in connection with a bomb planted at the Martin Luther King Day march in Spokane, Wash.

According to Hamdani, King is targeting Muslims to help bolster his political career. Unfortunately, many people in his district agree with his views, she says.

Islamophobia is not only coming from the political arena. It has also trickled down to the public schools, according to Hamdani. She adds that Europe has seen several virulent anti-Muslim protestors who have traveled across the Atlantic and found American allies such as Pam Geller, who led the protest against Project51, the so-called Ground Zero mosque.

Hamdani says that news media such as FOX News is also propagating anti-Muslim sentiment. “FOX News is a propaganda tool,” Hamdani says. “Unfortunately it is successful and very powerful.” She says that just after 9/11, FOX News was eager to have her on, but now that she is a Muslim rights activist, they no longer call her.

One good thing to come out of the current political situation is that it has forced American Muslims to become politically active. Hamdani says political activism is the only tool to fight the religious and racial prejudice directed at Muslims. She is lobbying her senators, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

“Muslims have to contact their congress people,” she said. “Get involved, learn how the system works. Call and file a complaint with your senator, they will take action.”