Thaindian News

By Madhuri Dey
Sep 14, (THAINDIAN NEWS) A recent report claims that there has been a resurgence in the discrimination of Muslim workers at workplaces in America. The anti-Muslim sentiment at workplace that set in just after the horrific the 9/11 attack back in 2001, but subsided eventually, has once again reemerged due to the controversy surrounding the building of the mosque near Ground Zero.

As per the reports of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, while the discrimination was reported by around 697 in 2004, it rose to 1,304 in 2008 and escalated yet further to 1,409 in 2009. It is interesting to note that the figure of the last year is even higher than what was registered in 2001 when the attack was carried out. Although it is difficult to point out a particular cause behind the discrimination, Mary Jo O’Neill, regional attorney for the Phoenix district office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said to a media source that there has been an increase in “open hatred” towards the Muslim folks of the country. She added that there is an increased lack of tolerance among the American citizens for the Muslims. Mary Jo O’Neill maintained that she has seen an increase in number of complaints in regions like Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

Mary Jo O’Neill opined that “the mosque in Manhattan seems to be a flashpoint” behind the hatred. However, she added that perhaps it has only tapped the deep rooted feelings that already was present. Mary Jo O’Neill maintained that what is more dreadful is the fact that the majority not only bears the feeling of not accommodating the practices and beliefs of the Muslims but also ridiculing them for it.