The Muslim Community in Southern California   Term Paper ID:27590 Click to get this paper

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Paper Abstract: Sociological description of the Southern California Muslim community. Paper Introduction: INTRODUCTION The Muslim community in Los Angeles constitutes a distinctive group within the larger population, a group shaped around its religious beliefs and ethnic background. Given the volatility of relations in the Middle East, the Muslim community is often faced with the need to respond to different events, and a network of groups, organizations, and spokespersons has developed for this purpose. The Muslim community in Los Angeles has established itself as an important part of the larger community, though at the same time it is not as visible a community as some. The Muslim community does not have a central business district the way the Korean, Japanese, or Chinese communities have or even a cultural center the way the Jewish community has with the Fairfax district. In this sense, the Muslim community has remained more invisible, Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. . But I believe there are people who harbor less than positive feelings about Arabs in general and if they get a chance to slam Arabs, they will do that--just as it happened for decades against black Americans, Asian Americans, and American Indians (Dart, 1996d, Metro 4).The 1993 agreement with Disney came about after a protest of the movieAladdin. Another issueis that the organization of industrial and post-industrial society createsproblems in performing such basic obligations as daily prayers or thefasting during Ramadan. (1996, August 27). She says that such depictions are "extremelyoffensive, irresponsible, and dangerous." She says that such depictionsare especially damaging for two reasons, both related to the minoritystatus of Muslims in America. Many of these immigrants hadattended Western or westernized schools and so spoke fluent English. The Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council wasone of the few groups to comment on the situation, and representative SalamAl-Marayati pointed out that the policies of both the Iraqis and the U.S.had been reckless. Arab-Net is an Arabic-language radio networkthat broadcasts in Los Angeles, among other cities (El-Badry, 1994, 26). A report on the event in 1996 noted one family from SimiValley who had been coming to the event for the last seven or eight years.The event is also held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where theIslamic Center of Southern California organizes an indoor prayer ceremony.In 1997, the leaders of the Islamic Center of Northridge hope that theirnew mosque will be open in time for the celebration. This becomes a particular concern for the Muslim communityin Los Angeles given the proximity of the media centers of power. A numbermore were Egyptians who lost their land when the Nasser regime confiscatedit. markets for food, literature, and otherIslamic goods (Rosenblatt, 1996, A31). She was appointed by Torres to theDemocratic platform committee. "Disney films insult Arabs." LosAngeles Times, Metro 4. POLITICAL LIFE The American Muslim community is most heavily concentrated in SouthernCalifornia, and it is emerging as a political and social force because ofchanging immigration patterns. "Southern California file." LosAngeles Times, Metro 5. The earlier populationwas ill at ease with English and unfamiliar with the workings of democracy. Theyidentified themselves as members of a professional class. Not all Arab-Americans are Muslims, butthey are part of the larger community that in some ways supports the Muslimcommunity as standing at the center of this diverse grouping of peoples (El-Badry, 1994, 22-24). population. There are Arab-language radio,television, and print media. Thereare also a number of social mores that conflict with the basic tenets ofMuslim values regarding sexual modesty and family authority. As evidence of the growingpolitical power of the Muslim community, Mrs. Clinton was introduced byLaila Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Women's League, and an appointeeby the White House to serve as an advisor to the U.S. This book emphasizes certain themes found in thesecommunities, including particular attention given to Iranian communities inLos Angeles. Second, given that knowledge of therichness and complexity of Islam in Hollywood and the media is low, thereis no interest in portraying Muslims in a balanced way (Song, 1996, F3). TheMuslim community has deliberately remained guarded and somewhat hidden inthe Los Angeles population given the antipathy many Americans feel tocountries in the Middle East and the stereotypes about Muslims that arealso prevalent. (1996b, September 7). One of the villains in Kazaam was a character named Malik,the Arabic word for "owner." Don Bustany, spokesman for the American-ArabAnti-Discrimination Committee, stated, I don't think there is a deliberate attempt to harm Arab Americans. The religious life of the community can be seen in the San FernandoValley in Los Angeles as thousands of Muslims each year celebrate theannual Islamic month of daytime fasting known as Ramadan. Twentymetropolitan areas are home to 48 percent of all Arab-Americans, and thethird largest Arab-American population in the United States is found in theLos Angeles-Long Beach area, where 6.5 percent of all Arab-Americans live.Among Arab-Americans, this population also ranks fourth in median householdincome (El-Badry, 1994, 24-25). Changes were made in the textbooks, and Hamdan later continuedto work with Torres on other issues. This followed the pattern set by other immigrant groups who hadcongregated in ethnic ghettoes, primarily in cities of the East Coast.Over time, the community grew larger. Both Christian andMuslim leaders chose to remain silent, for the most part. The religious element in the Muslim community is only one of theelements that characterizes that community. The community is held together by a number of media through which newsand information can be disseminated. Grace Song, a member of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in LosAngeles, finds depictions of Muslims to be hateful even on the news, whereshe notes instances in which fanatic terrorist activity is juxtaposedalongside mainstream Mulsim practices such as prayer, reading from theKoran, and speaking the Arabic language. First, America is arguably a Judeo-Christiannation in which knowledge of Muslims in society at large is low. (1995, October 1). This is a $2 millionfacility in Granada Hills (Dart, 1996a, B1). THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY The Muslim community in Los Angeles was recently host to the FirstLady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who spoke at a luncheon sponsored by theMuslim Public Affairs Council and the Muslim Women's League at the BiltmoreHotel in downtown Los Angeles. Mrs. Clinton is the only first lady toaddress U.S. A number of political andsocial organizations have been created in Los Angeles to accomplish thesetasks. Syrians fled a country overthrown by revolutionaries, while Iraqiroyalty escaped from republican regimes. Muslimsbelieve in integration regardless of race or social status, for instance.There is a common emphasis on secular problems, as can be seen in a recentissue of Minaret, the magazine of the center, with a cover story on theMuslim perspective on child abuse. A recent book on thesubject is divided into different sections that point to some of theparameters of this community, such as Religious Communities, IslamicCommunities in Metropolitan Settings, and Ethnic Communities inMetropolitan Settings. Political action can be a problem for Muslims given the strongattitudes in America toward events in the Middle East, and Islamicorganizations are often called on to comment on issues raised in the MiddleEast and perhaps to defend the actions of Islamic countries in that part ofthe world. Rosenblatt, R.A. Earlier this year, forinstance, Los Angeles Muslim leaders sought to develop more contacts withfilm studios for two reasons: 1) to improve marketing strategies in Islamiccountries; and 2) to help avoid inaccurate portrayals of Muslims in movies.The Islamic Center of Southern California held a three-hour seminarorganized by the Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council, and theCouncil also holds annual awards programs to highlight films showing astrong social and religious understanding (Dart, 1996c, Metro 5). She had been concerned about stereotypes being perpetuatedin school texts. A new generation of native-bornMuslim Americans came to overshadow the first-generation immigrants. At the same time, though, there remains in the Muslim community aperception that Muslims are not authentic Americans, that they are stillsemi-foreigners in a secular land. To speak out is to seem to give tacitsupport to Saddam Hussein, something few want to do. This attitude changed after theIranian revolution, and since that time there have been studies of thediverse characteristics of Muslims in America, and considerably more ofthis information has been disseminated to the public. CONCLUSION The Muslim community in Los Angeles constitutes a religious and socialcommunity with a growing political involvement. Arab-Americans already fight against stereotypes of what Arabs are like in anysetting, and part of the social and political effort of Muslims in theUnited States is to counter such stereotypes and to promote the reality ofthe diversity within the Muslim community. (1996, April 1). Americans who heard the termAmerican Muslims probably thought of black nationalist movements such asthe nation of Islam until about fifteen years ago because knowledge of andinterest in other Muslims was rare. One of the stereotypes she cited was an image of peoplein Arabic garb near a camel, as if this were the way Muslims looked inCalifornia. These nations do differ somewhat in terms oftheir cultures and traditions, but the common ground is an "Arabicheritage" and the Arabic language. Amongthe Arab-Americans cited as suggesting a very different image by El-Badry(1994) are consumer advocate Ralph Nader, singer Paula Abdul, disc jockeyCasey Kasem, heart surgeon Michael De Bakey, athlete Doug Flutie, SenatorGeorge Mitchell, and Secretary of Health Donna Shalala. Hanania, J. Arab-Americans aredefined by the Census Bureau as people who trace their ancestry to thenorthern African countries of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Sudan, andEgypt and to the western Asian countries of Lebanon, occupied Palestine,Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UnitedArab Emirates, and Yemen. Muslims, Christians, and Jews share a common ancestorin Abraham, Hamdan notes, and she further suggests that an increasinglypolitical American Muslim population could combine with its Jewish-Americanand Christian American counterparts to help renew the push for peace in theMiddle East (Hanania, 1996, 2). (1996, September 1). It is more diffuse thansome of the other ethnic communities in the city because it has no centralbusiness district or central social setting. (1994, January). Egger, V. Hamdan sees this duality as a potentialsource of strength. After that, Arab immigration increased oncemore with people from capitalist classes, landed gentry, and influentialurban families fleeing from political turmoil in countries where theleadership had been overthrown. Most of the Arab immigrants who arrived after 1945 have beenMuslims with even more education than their predecessors. They are alsomore likely to be entrepreneurs and to be self-employed, at 12 percent forthe Arab-American population versus 7 percent for the general population(El-Badry, 1994, 26). The protesters did not callfor an American boycott of Disney, but they did ask foreign countries withlarge Islamic populations to boycott Disney products until Disney "stopsdoing what it is doing to Arabs." The Muslim leaders objected to a numberof villainous Arab-like characters in Kazaam, a feature film, and a nastyand sharp-dealing neighbor named Habib in another film, The Father of theBride, Part II. Arab-American groups picketed the studio becauseof two films they believed contain insults to Arabs. Song, G. In Los Angeles,community leaders Salam Al-Marayati and Jihan Hamdan used the Muslim centeras a location for organizing the rest of the community around politicalissues (Hanania, 1996, 2). Given the volatility of relations in the MiddleEast, the Muslim community is often faced with the need to respond todifferent events, and a network of groups, organizations, and spokespersonshas developed for this purpose. The nature of the divisions involved is evident asJewish groups took a different tack and immediately supported the attackson Hussein (Dart, 1996b, Metro 4). El-Badry, S. They are more likelyto work in sales and less likely to work in most other broad occupationalcategories, such as administrative support and service jobs. Jihan Hamdan had some political experience when she worked for then-state Senator Art Torres and helped revise public school texts dealing withMuslim culture. Muslims also have to contend with considerableprejudice shown by Americans toward their religion and their religiouspractices. One-third of all Arab-Americans live in California, New York, andMichigan (El-Badry, 1994, 25). Islam teaches that children must berespected and that we are all responsible to God and must answer in theafterlife for what we do in this life (Hanania, 1996, 2). The Sunnis, forinstance, are deeply divided in terms of generations, between second- andthird-generation Muslim immigrants who have found comfortable, butgenuinely religious, modes of assimilation into American society and newly-arrived immigrants who are shocked that certain rituals and customs are notkept here as they were in the home country. InSeptember, the United States conducted military strikes against Iraq,creating a problem for both Christian and Muslim leaders who havemisgivings about such attacks. "Muslim communities in North America."Dome. MAINTAINING COMMUNITY The Muslims in Los Angeles keep in touch with Muslims across thecountry and around the world, and such contacts help keep the Muslim socialand religious beliefs alive. As recently as two decades ago, two-thirdsof the nation's Muslims were first-generation immigrants, primarily fromthe Middle East, but this is no longer the case. Other valuesprized by Muslims are also complemented by American beliefs. FIGHTING STEREOTYPES Some of the efforts of Muslims to fight stereotypes of them havealready been mentioned, and again, the fact that the Los Angeles Muslimcommunity is so near to the entertainment industry has given that communitya reason and a power to fight negative images. Thiscame at a time when there was also a rise in numbers among the radicalright, which distributed fliers and took over talk shows which oftentargeted Muslims as bomb-throwers, violence-prone, and nonbelievers. Amongthose strengths are the fact that Islam strongly prohibits the use ofrecreational drugs, and in some inner-city ghettoes, black Muslims haveorganized to bring about a sharp decline in illegal drug use. The government latercurbed immigration between 1925 and 1948 during the period of the GreatDepression and World war II. Such differences may ariseamong many new immigrants from a variety of cultural backgrounds when thedifferent groups begin attending the same mosque or when a local communityrecruits from abroad to bring in someone who has obtained an advancedIslamic education (Egger, 1995). References Dart, J. (1996d, August 23). They were also often the objects of scorn by mainstream Americans, so theytended to stay among themselves for a sense of community and a sense ofsafety. Sixty percent work as executives,professionals, salespeople, administrative support, or service personnel,compared with 66 percent for the general population. Such a setting will beprovided when the new mosque is open in the San Fernando Valley. This is first because of the widespread use inAmerican society of foods and drinks that are anathema to Muslims. Dart, J. "Local Muslim leaders express concernover election results." Los Angeles Times, B4. "The Arab-American market." n AmericanDemographics, 22-3 . Also attending this meeting were representatives fromRoman Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish groups. The first theme is the great difficulty of living a Muslimlife in American society. Immigration fromthe Middle East increased dramatically in the 196 s, and more than 75percent of foreign-born Arab Americans in 199 were found to haveimmigrated after 1964, compared with 52 percent for the total foreign-bornU.S. "Cultural Crossroads." Los AngelesTimes, B1. "A Mecca for inclusion." Los AngelesTimes, Metro 2. The Muslim community in Los Angeles hasestablished itself as an important part of the larger community, though atthe same time it is not as visible a community as some. (1996b, June 1). . INTRODUCTION The Muslim community in Los Angeles constitutes a distinctive groupwithin the larger population, a group shaped around its religious beliefsand ethnic background. delegation to theUnited Nations Conference on the Status of Women in Beijing in 1995(Stammer, 1996a, B3). Stammer, L.B. She states that she sees her role on thecommittee as the same as her role throughout her life--to dispel anti-Muslim myths and to accentuate the strengths of Muslim Americans. Islamic groups outside the White House, and she took theoccasion to encourage American Muslims to become more politically involved. Dart, J. (1996a, February 21). (1996c, September 7). "Convention gathers AmericanMuslims." Los Angeles Times, A31. It isthus difficult for American audiences to see that Muslim extremists are theexception rather than the rule. Arab immigration to the United States started in the late nineteenthcentury, when the early arrivals were primarily Christians from Syria andLebanon who established themselves as merchants. The bazaar is one of the main attractions of theconventions, and at this bazaar vendors sell Islamic products that makeMuslims less dependent on U.S. The community has come to see that if it is to makechanges and gain power, it has to assert itself. Dart, J. One of the major efforts by Muslim groups this year was directed atthe Walt Disney Company. She refers to movies likeExecutive Decision in which Arab terrorists hijack a plane and try todestroy the United States. A number of postwar immigrants were fromPalestine and were displaced when Israel was created in 1948. This largecontingent gathers on the campus of Cal State Northridge for thecelebration, including traditional mass prayers. Thismade it clear to the Muslims in America that they could no longer remaininvisible or afford to stand back from the political fray. In thiscase, it was the Islamic Center of Southern California, based in LosAngeles, whose representative commented on the election to the effect thatthis was "an ominous indication that those who oppose peace and aPalestinian state are not a small fraction" [of the population] (Stammer,1996b, B4). This is often quite unfair, given that other ethnic groups inAmerica are not called upon to defend the actions of their homeland. "The villainous depiction of Muslims." LosAngeles Times, F3. One of thereasons why Muslims tend to choose this option is because they are alreadysubject to horrible stereotyping, making them reluctant to get involved insuch arguments. Atthese conventions, Muslims from across the country are able to buy variousgoods that are difficult to find here but that they know from their owncountry and that may be necessary for their observance of Muslim religiousand social customs. She also indicated that the Muslim population can no longer be ignored inthe political system, pointing out that Islam is the fastest-growingreligion in America. The largest share, some 44 percent, came to the UnitedStates between 1975 and 198 , and one reason for this was the ImmigrationAct of 1965, which ended a quota system that favored immigrants fromEurope. Muslim leaders do comment on the world situation from time to time,and several expressed surprise and concern when the hard-liners in Israelwon the last election, making Benjamin Netanyahu prime minister. Two tents are used, onefor men and one for women, and observant Muslims would refrain fromsmoking, sex, eating, or drinking from sunrise to sunset during the monthof Ramadan. The Muslimcommunity does not have a central business district the way the Korean,Japanese, or Chinese communities have or even a cultural center the way theJewish community has with the Fairfax district. They also accusedDisney of breaking an agreement from 1993 to confer with Arab Americanleaders to prevent stereotypical portrayals. "Religion." Los Angeles Times, Metro4. Muslims in America thus face difficulty in maintainingreligious authenticity, and complicating this issue is the variety ofanswers among Muslims themselves as to what constitutes Islamic piety.There are basic disputes between the Sunni and the Shii Muslims, but thereare also more troubling concerns for believers because they are differencesamong people who assume that they are one community. ARAB-AMERICANS Arab-Americans fight against the stereotypes offered in the media andelsewhere concerning the nature of the Arab in the Middle East and in theUnited States. In this sense, the Muslimcommunity has remained more invisible, perhaps from a concern about anybacklash that might develop because of actions taken by Middle Easterncountries which would reflect detrimentally on Arab-Americans. There are also more mundane concerns raisedin the community and addressed through such things as the conventions eachyear of the Islamic Society of North America, held in 1996 in Ohio. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.