A new documentary from Al Jazeera Investigations, Islamophobia Inc., is shining light on the disturbing trend of violence and discrimination against Muslim Americans. Over the past three years, membership in anti-Islamic organizations has tripled, indicating a growing fear and mistrust of the Muslim population in America.
This film takes an unflinching look at the sources of this hatred and the tools used to spread it. It also boldly asks how much President Donald Trump and his administration are to blame for contributing to islamophobic sentiments. The investigation implicates ACT for America, a prominent organization that has allowed fear-mongering ideology to take hold among its members and demonize Muslims as attempting to take away constitutional freedoms and threaten Christianity.
Unfortunately, these attitudes have led to devastating acts of violence against the Muslim community including targeted shootings, beatings, and bomb threats in their places of worship. Despite this blatant display of prejudice, the current White House administration has been slow to act or even address these issues with meaningful policy solutions. Further exacerbating this problem are wealthy donors who use their financial power to campaign against any Muslim political candidates.
However, there are still those fighting back against these hateful beliefs through education and social outreach initiatives. Islamophobia Inc seeks to raise awareness about this intolerance while challenging viewers to consider how it violates basic American values. It is an essential watch for anyone wanting to understand more deeply how hate movements can take root in our country today.
