Anti-Muslim Rhetoric in the American Media: Sustaining a Culture of Fear

Abstract

Islamophobia is a concept that has been instilled in society by means of historical reinforcement of stereotypes surrounding Islam and Muslims. This has consequently created a pervasive fear of “terrorism” that has consumed the United States prior to 9/11 and, especially, after the event. Coincidentally, this sensationalized hysteria exploded right after the perpetration of 9/11, evident in a poll conducted on the night of the 9/11 attacks which found that 58% of Americans were “somewhat” or “very” worried that a member of their family might become a terrorist attack victim. The British think tank, Runnymede Trust, lists eight characteristics of Islamophobia that identify the assumptions Westerners make about Islam.