The terrorist act of the Twin Towers was indeed a horrible act, and those who were responsible need to be severely punished. However, this event also instilled a fear within many Americans of other such terrorist events in the future. Unfortunately, many times fear is associated with stereotypes and misconceptions. This is what has happened in the United States. Since 9/11, there has been increased negativity and racial slurs and actions generally against Arab-Americans and more specifically against Muslims living in this country.
             In fact, in January of this year, almost six years after the September 11th event, the Arab American Institute and other key Arab American and Muslim American organizations met with met with the United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to request that the federal government help reduce the bigotry that appears to be growing in the United States. The bigotry is not only a concern with American citizens. The U.S. government's actions are also questionable. Arab-American groups charge that techniques being used against them include secret eavesdropping and surveillance, racial profiling at the nation's airports, holding widely publicized press conferences to announce "high profile" criminal charges that often disappear before ever coming to trial, and shutting down charities supporting Muslim causes as fronts for the support of terrorist organizations.
             Unfortunately, most people in the U.S. have very little knowledge about their fellow Arab countrymen. When an Arab-American high school student in Los Angeles recently asked 30 of her classmates what language Iraqis speak. Only three knew the correct answer -- Arabic. This situation in LA is not unusual. According to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, students from around the country have endured verbal abuse and racial slurs from their peers since the start the war in Iraq.
             With the history of racism in the United States, earlie...