What we’re reading: Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and interfaith solidarity

Attacks on Mosques and Jewish cemeteries and community centers are on the rise. At the same time, communities are standing together across religious lines to show solidarity and rebuild. Here's what we’re reading to learn more.

 

Desecrated cemeteries: Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Trump's America, by Alissa Wise via Truthout

"What alarms me most is the silence and even the cooperation that the Trump administration is enjoying from many in the mainstream American Jewish community. It is alarming when Trump points to support for Israel as evidence that he is not anti-Semitic, but even more alarming and sickening when it is Jewish leaders who excuse his anti-Semitism because of his support for Israel."

 

Islam on Trial, by Amna Akbar and Jeanne Theoharis via Boston Review

"Islamophobia did not start with Trump nor is it simply the purview of people willing to spout hateful things about Muslims on TV or on the street. It is a historical phenomenon rooted in the history of colonialism.  Today, Islamophobia is a widely supported, entrenched social practice invigorated by the rise of the modern national security state and the persistence of global wars against Muslim-majority nations. Trump made anti-Muslim policy a cornerstone of his campaign, recognizing the popular and legal purchase such sentiments already had."

 

What religious solidarity looks like in Trump’s America, by Jack Jenkins via Think Progress

"Tasnuva Khan, the public relations chair for the Muslim community center in Silver Spring, said the idea to send letters to the Our Saviour congregation was inspired by a similar exchange the year before. Amid rising Islamophobia during the 2016 election season, a different Silver Spring church sent letters to the Islamic community written by Sunday school children in celebration of the Muslim celebration of Eid."

 

Anti-Muslim hate crimes are spiking in the U.S. Donald Trump won’t speak up by Carol Kuruvilla via Huffington Post

"Since Trump entered the White House, mosques have been vandalized and even set on fire, a prominent Muslim civil rights leader has been threatened with physical assault, and Muslim university students have been targeted with racist fliers and propaganda.

This Islamophobia is nothing new. Last year, The Huffington Post tracked 385 anti-Muslim acts in the United States, ranging from verbal harassment to physical abuse."

 

Linda Sarsour: Muslim Americans have now raised over $125,000 for vandalized Jewish cemeteries via Democracy Now

 

"What We’re Reading" is a weekly feature on AFSC’s News and Commentary blog, where we share a curated collection of recent articles on timely issues. "What We're Reading" is meant to spark discussion, debate, and knowledge sharing, and the articles we highlight do not necessarily reflect the official organizational positions of AFSC. We encourage you to tell us what you're reading on these issues in the comments below.