Lets Crush Stereotypes!

By:Stereotype Crusher aka Haley Diffey

Best College Project

I would like to start with some background information on why and how I began this. Im currently taking a critical thinking class on global issues and we were assigned a writing project. We had several options on what to write about, such as water issues, and same old important issues we are asked about repeatedly. Dont get me wrong they are extremely important but I wanted to be different, there was a section at the end of the assignment that said you could do your project on reducing world suck, and BOOM here I am, bringing you a way to reduce the world suck. Take my hand(metophrically, what you actually need to do is click to the next slide) and lets crush some world suck creators.

Wait, world suck creator, there is so many, which one a we talking about??Well I gave you a clue in my intro page, but I won't keep you waiting, it's those pesky

stereotypes. You know that slightly racist thought you have, accidently. It is also the thing that causes you to lock your doors in that seemingly dangerous neighborhood. They are the butt of lots of jokes, but they aren't always funny. Im sure many of you have experienced a way stereotypes have negatively effected you. A prime example of this is the amount of muslims attacked after 911 because of what happened during 911 and how people began to stereotype them as harmful, terrorist people. There is stats of about 30 muslims killed for every 1 person killed in 9/11. This isnt a joke. So I asked people to help me crush these stereotypes but the results were very different then I thought… (you know you want to keep reading.. go on, do it)

What was so suprising????

I first decided to inform my family about stereotypes on all kinds of people with information like the information in previous slides and once I shared the results I would get more people to join, but in the time we are in, with the syrian refugees and Terrorist/Religion Extremist and as a Muslim advocate, I decided to only focus on Muslims and this is how the project took a drastic turn and the reason my results are the way they are. So I created a slideshow on the basics of Muslim religion and some historical muslim figures to show to my family and friends. I did one showing with my family and one showing with my friends. There was even a drastic difference between the two groups….

We will talk about how it went with my family….(next slide)

Family:(

I am not happy to speak about this, but for the purpose of getting the word out I will. There was six people at this showing, Myself 18, My Mother 43, My Sister 17, My Cousin 26, My Aunt 48, My Aunts boyfriend 46. When I began to tell of what I would be showing and why I got eye rolls from everyone but my sister but I proceeded to continue a little discouraged, but deteremined to change some minds.However half way through my slideshow my cousin, after many negative comment got up and left, then my aunt, then her boyfriend. I finished the slide show and explained to people left in the group if they were willing to proceed with the action to work against the stereotypes by researching on their own more about Muslims and document their feelings towards Muslims as they began to learn more, was anyone even with me? Find out on the next slide...

One Person

Thats right One person, My sister agreed to continue with me and I explained that I would take down her opinion in muslims today and then she would continue reseaching them on her own, learning at least one new thing every two days for a month and then meeting and speaking with atleast one muslim through that month and she agreed.

My Sisters very first opinion (no filtering): “Not all of them are dangerous but they seem to be the most willing to kill then any other group of people.”

I joined my sister and my opinion on Muslims is swayed, so I choose to work on my stereotype of the other side, Muslims Hater: Uninformed and irrational people, hating people on little knowledge or interaction of people from the muslim relgion.

So What did each of us learn?Myself: I already know much about muslims and I have a love and appreciation for this particular set of people so as I said in the previous slide I wanted to learn more and maybe understand people that do not like muslims because I find myself stereotypying them as uneducated,hateful individuals when I am sure all of them are not the same. So I started with people of the armed forces because many of them have negative experiences with muslims and I wanted to know their opinions. I interviewed four men, three army and one marine, and I understand to get the most honest opinion i should ask if they wanted to remain annonymous, however I didnt even get the chance to offer it becuase they wouldnnt answer with my promise of them remaining annoynmous. Results on the next page...

Results of Armed Forces MembersSince they are Annonymous we will go with Army 1, Army 2, Army 3, and Marine Army 1.( Background information: says he joined becuase of 911, 28 years of age, has seen the battlefield in a Territory where Muslims are dominate, refuses to say location of depolyment), “ My hatred of muslims does not come from 911, it comes from my deployment. I treated them with the upmost respect, yet they spit in my face, ungrateful son of ******”

My reflection: Wowwww.. I would have assumed he went into war ready to kill muslims for 911 however he continued to tell me stories about how he would do favors for them, bring them food, water, drinks, and they would accept them then spit in his face. Still isnt a example of every muslim, however i understand his hatred.

Results Continued…

Army 2. (Background Information: A family member of mine, 20 years of age, has yet to see the battlefield, however has been deployed, but not to a muslim dominated region, Claims that he knows very much about the muslim religion becuase of documentaries), “ Muslims are killers, their relgion preachs it(I am refraining from a eyeroll at this moment) and they must be destroyed. This is why we have brave american men, who know gods word and are willing to take evil people like that down.”

My reflection: *Turns around, rolls eyes as many times as possible* Must have been watching christian documentaries because in my Muslim powerpoint I quote scritpture from the Quran in which Allah says in the language of the Quran of course, “ Killing one innocent person, is like killing all of human kind,” it goes on to say it is unacceptable in the religion, no true muslim kills innocents. I am angry at this point and I havent gained any more understanding of the opposers of the Muslims since Army 1. My stereotype defiantly fits here, but it didnt fit Army 1, so im on a journey to keep finding exceptions that prove to me, my stereotype is wrong..

Results continued...

Army 3.(Background Information, 30 years of age, has seen the battlefield in a muslim dominated region, seems interested in speaking to me, but pushes for me to promise everything with me Anonymous, after many promises he begins to speak), “ I got so caught up with my brothers and sisters(army family) in our fight against muslims that, in fact I hated anyone who looked like they may be Muslim, however I knew nothing about them at all. I hope this is Anonymous because I don't wish for my brothers,sisters, or family to know, but I have thought hard about converting to the religion after learning so much about it from locals while deployed, but I am paralyzed by the fear of rejection from my loved ones”

My Reflection: Okay, this story isnt from someone who still hates muslims, but I choose this story becuase it was not something i planned to hear at all. I was astonished and ashamed that this man, risks his life for our freedom, but he is, as he says, “Paralyzed” with the fear of people that he knows, not accepting him for finding a part of himselfs in a religion in which they know little about. (I continue to speak with him, and meet with him to study and gain courage to be who he wants to be. Amazinggggg man)

Results Continued………..

Marine 1( Background Information, 45 years old, refuses to give his depolyment locations and refuses to say if he has been deployed in a Muslim dominated region), “ They are what they are sweetie. Your age wants to see they best in people, but there are no good muslims, there are just some that have yet to attack.” I wanted to know more so i asked how he knows this.. answer: “ Havent you seen those innocent americans captured by those f*****s, you muslim lovers seem to forget that. One of them was my buddy, I will never forget.”

My reflection: I understand his hatred is driven from a personal lost but like the first story it doesnt reflect on all muslims, and I would like to use that quote again, “ killing an innocent is like killing all of human kind.” No true Muslims kill innocents.

What did I gain??

An understanding of why people have these negative feelings. I seen two people, whose hatred stemmed from a negative experience with Muslim individuals, although they should think further and try to understand not all of them are the same, I understand becuase I had a negative feeling towards them becuase they didnt think the way I do, so I know respect their opinion as long as it does not hurt muslims, even if their opnion is false. I understand some of them were educated as well, but they let their personal feelings affect their opinions of people.

My sisters results

My sister was excited for this and began research the next day.

I checked in with her each friday, and she would tell me some of the things she remember from what she learned, and asked her if her opinion has changed……….

Results from each of the weeks on the next slide.

Small ImprovementsEnd of first week 10/9/2015: Not all people from Indian, islamic countries are Muslims, in fact their are several religions such as Hundi.

“ I still know they arent all the same, however I know more about them but nothing has really changed”

End of Second week 10/16/2015: She met a muslim girl at school, named Sabrine. Learned that in fact her family didnt force her to wear the Hijab but she did it out of respect for them. Also learned more about the Quran from her new friend, including a lot of the differnce between how it preached of peace among religions.

“ My opinion has changed slightly, I have more respect for people that practice the religion and im actually kind of excited to continue to learn now. Still a bit weary about the people that claim to be muslim and create hate crimes.”

My sister and Sabrine having fun at a Haunted Huse

Results Continued..

End of third week 10/23/2015: Meets more of Sabrines family and sees how much they are like our family. Also does some more research about the 911 information i provided in my powerpoint.

“I simpathize with them, they are being hurt when a large portion of them are innocent people, they are just like us”

End of the Final Week 10/30/2015: Went to a haunted house pictured in the previous slide, had a great time and learned more about how simple and peaceful they were, listening to country music on their way to the haunted house, just like our family does.

“ I learned they arent different then us in a lot of ways, besides that they preach more peace then we do, their relgion even says to give a portion of your money to the poor. I couldnt be muslim becuase it doesnt fit me, I still love beleiveing in God and being a Deist, but they are great people”

Conclusion

We both made progress towards conquering our stereotypes of two different groups.

I think progress was made and can be continued with differnt group, such as gays, lesbians, blacks, jews, or whatever you feel you have a stereotype against.

Please join me in crushing stereotypes becuase they arent just jokes they can be deadly.

Thank you for your time