Contemporary Experiences

Contemporary Experience

Name:

Institution:

Contemporary experiences Muslim Americans

The Muslim Americans have had a hard time trying to handle culture shock and at the same time trying to defend their religion which has come under sharp criticism following the 9/11 attacks. The high level of discrimination make them feel and lose a sense of belonging in America (Zhou & Ocampo, 2016).

In very few instances are the Muslim Americans even offered the opportunity to win an award or get elected to a school board because of lack of trust towards them. It was only last year (2018) when the first Muslim in the name of Mahershala Ali won a Muslim American award but probably because it was coined for a Muslim actor. The treatment with suspicion and hate on the way they dress make them feel inferior even though they are American citizens.

The Muslims are however welcomed in some regions in America having been able to make friends or get to interact with the American born Muslims. Their acceptance in some quarters have made them have some hope in the American dream and go out to seek jobs in the areas they are welcome. Stereotyping is also the order of the day as they are deemed are terrorist in some quarters. The police arrest them claiming they are plotting terrorist acts just because of the way they are dressed.

Contemporary experiences of Japanese Americans

The Japanese American communities face a myriad of challenges making it complex and diverse. The Japanese Americans were faced with a high level of discrimination in the early 1940s just when they were migrating into the United States. The Japanese were rounded up and sent into the internment camps with some of them incarcerated in holding camps within America. The Japanese community’s population has seen a sharp decline because of instances of intermarriage with the non-Japanese community thus leading to a mixed ancestry Japanese Americans.

The future of Japanese American community is likely to fade going by the trends of intermarriage with people outside their lineage. The community treasure their lineage and it would be worrying to have lost it after having struggled to maintain it since arriving in the United States (Springs, 2018).

Most Japanese Americans born in the United States tend to be Americanized and have forgotten a lot about their culture. Even though they may be Japanese by blood, they do not recognize the value of their culture because of their upbringing. It is thus clear that the Japanese have lost touch with their culture and are continuously embracing the American culture (Springs, 2018).

Contemporary experiences of Arab Americans

The Arab Americans in the United States have it rough when it comes to socializing since they are considered as unwanted by other American citizens as well as the government who introduced the travel bans for Arab Americans intending to come into the United states.

Arabs also face a high level of discrimination resonating from stereotypes on terrorist attacks by merely being Muslims. The Arab Americans also worry about their homeland because of the trends of war and the American government’s stand of always aligning themselves with those opposed to the Arab country’s activities (Zhou & Ocampo, 2016).

Differences and similarities among the three groups’ experience

Differences

The difference among the three groups is that the Japanese community have settled fairly and can freely intermarry with other communities in America. On the other hand, the Muslims and Arabs are having a hard time settling in the United States because of discrimination trends within the society.

The Japanese are worried about the disappearance of their lineage because of the trend of intermarriages between them and other communities. On the other hand, the Muslim and Arabs have managed to maintain their religion and culture despite being in a new country.

Similarities

The Muslims and Arabs have the same struggle of acceptance by the American government as they face a lot of discrimination within the society for their social standings. In addition, the Japanese also faced a fair share of discrimination during the period they had arrived in the United Stated and ended up being incarcerated and put in holding camps.

The Muslims and the Arabs have both maintained their culture and feel attached with their homes and religious cultural practices such as pilgrimage.

Impact on family development and growth

The experiences impact negatively on family development as they are forced to prepare their children for the worst whenever they step out of the house. The level of hate can make the environment seem hostile for the growth of a child in which the surrounding plays an important role in shaping them. The children are likely to end up growing up into being unhappy people within the society.

References

Min Zhou, A. C. (2016). Contemporary Asian America (third Edition): A Multidisciplinary Reader. Chicago: NYU Press.

Springs, J. A. (2018). Healthy Conflict in Contemporary American Society. New York: Cambridge University.