“Many said they were ridiculed because of their beards, head scarves and their practices,” Mr. Choudhary said. “Despite being raised in the U.S. or U.K., they do not trust the law enforcement agencies and they feel more prone to being victimized because they are Muslims.” He realized the central question for many young American Muslims was how to be both authentically Muslim and authentically American. They were often asked – sometimes with hostility– whether they were Muslim first or American first. In many cases, the young men and women had found equilibrium.”
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Challenging the Silence of Others - James Estrin
Bharat Choudary is a Hindu photographer who has dedicated his time to documenting the lives of young Muslim Americans who often feel alienated and harassed by the post-9/11 society they live in. “Stress, isolation, depression, humiliation and confusion” described their experience.
This hits very close to home.
(via mehreenkasana)
Photos were bit too upper class for what I know. UK Pakistani community does have rich-poor divide within, and when looking at ‘frictions’ with white UK etc - the issues are found more on the side of poorer side of Pakistani-British. (I think Middle class and richer Pakistani communities are more able to insulate themselves from outside world - keeping busy with their own stuff.)
I hope someday someone do the real report/photo shoot.
If you visit like largest Pakistani community in West Yorkshire UK, before you get to inside of their house or mosques, what you see is mostly something like this:
(Source: jenniferlarson )
And I think most of you can imagine that it’s a big deal. And local white UK people know very well about this.
And it’s a very thorny issue to start with - before talking about 9/11 or 7/7 London etc.
All sorts of equilibrium. Far out there.
Reblogged from Aut dosce, aut disce, aut discede.
January 27, 2012, 4:19pm 103 notes
