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There has been a history of discrimination against minorities in the United States. Iranian-Americans as a minority have also been subjected to stereotyping and discrimination in the U.S. After September 11, 2001 there has been a sharp increase in hate crimes and incidents of bias toward Middle-Easterners and Iranian-Americans. The New York Times reported, “Since the attacks, people who look Middle Eastern and South Asian, whatever their religion or nation of origin, have been singled
out for harassment, threats and assaults.”1 Of almost a thousand Arab, Muslim and South Asian descent New Yorkers surveyed by the City Commission on Human Rights, some 69 percent said they felt subjected to discrimination or harassment due to their ethnicity. The largest types of incidents, 37 percent, consisted of bias-related harassment, primarily verbal but also menacing, threats, and physical assault.2
In a study conducted in California, 60% of Iranian-Americans surveyed felt that they have been victims of racial or ethnic discrimination on a more frequent basis than before the events of 9/11. 42% of Middle Easterners surveyed felt less secure going about their daily life after 9/11.3 It goes without saying that discrimination may effect the youth more than adults because the youth has not developed the necessary tools to deal with discrimination.
Studies show that there is a direct link between discrimination and self-esteem. Specifically, they show that “group discrimination had a negative effect on ethnic self-esteem, which in turn was related to personal self-esteem.” Also, “perceived personal discrimination had a direct negative effect on personal self-esteem as well as an indirect negative effect stemming from reduced sense of control.”4
In order to overcome the effects of discrimination, it is important for Iranian-Americans to recognize discrimination and learn and utilize the tools necessary to counter bias and discrimination. In light of the recurring discrimination in past several years, the Commission on Human Rights recommended the participation of people from Muslim and Middle Eastern communities in civic and political activities (e.g., police councils, block associations, school leadership teams). Through
appropriate training and leadership-building programs, Iranian-Americans, especially their youth, may neutralize the effect of discrimination, excel in their communities and serve their communities. |
