Islamophobia within the United States has been an ever-rising issue since the horrific terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, with the U.S. government passing numerous pieces of legislation that indirectly allowed Muslims-Americans to face an increasing amount of discrimination from various government organizations, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
I experienced discrimination first-hand at John F. Kennedy Airport during a vacation trip to the United Kingdom. After clearing security, I was randomly selected for an additional security check which involved an additional bag check and questioning of my past and future travels, not just to South Asia but all over the world. I was asked why I was going to the United Kingdom so soon after having just come back to New York a few days ago from Pakistan, something that I felt was unnecessary as the two trips were completely separate.
Nevertheless, I was forced to explain my travel itinerary to a TSA agent that had no care or regard for my flight departing soon, or the fact that I was an 18-year-old college student traveling alone during my winter break. I had no real reason to be questioned besides the fact that I have an Islamic last name and am a person of color.
Although this was not the first time I have had to undergo extra security steps at the airport, this was the first time I was separated from the general public and questioned in-depth with just a single TSA officer, a scenario that is not comforting in the slightest.
I was scared of the many possible negative outcomes, ranging from simply missing my flight and having to buy another ticket, to being forced to take a hand swab test and having my hands tested for any explosive residue, or even having to be strip searched all because I happened to have a different skin tone than the individuals at the TSA.
The TSA was created to replace private security in airports in a post-9/11 world. Originally a righteous idea created to protect and keep American citizens safe from another potential threat on American soil, it has warped to become a discriminatory organization that is incompetent, regularly falsely flagging individuals and causing a sense of fear in airports. Passengers are always on edge, fearing that they have done something wrong and will suddenly have to deal with TSA while they’re running late for their flight, causing them to miss the flight, buy another ticket and lose time and money.
Islamophobia is an issue deeply rooted within American society, with many citizens afraid of all immigrants from South Asia and the Middle East out of fear that ordinary people would take their lives due to the actions of a handful of Muslims almost two decades ago.
The worst part is that the Muslim immigrants want to get by in American society in a quiet and peaceful manner, not wanting to cause trouble for themselves or anyone else. Unfortunately, a peaceful and quiet life is near impossible in modern America.
Talha Siddiqui is a junior sociology major and a Multimedia Editor for The Chronicle.
