Muslim Americans hope OBL death will ease tension

DEARBORN, Mich. - Mohsen Amen came here from Lebanon 41 years ago, married Lila and worked for three decades building American cars at Ford. They raised four children, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.

But for this Muslim family the specter of Osama bin Laden and 9/11 has shadowed their lives.

"Sometimes you feel uncomfortable because people give you a look," said Mohsen. "For me, it's not as much as for my kids."

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We spoke with his children, Suehaila, a court administrator, Bilal, a public high school teacher and Shadia, a local health worker.

"Personally a lot of people didn't know I was Arab. So if you see me out and about, not too many people do," said Shadia. "But once they find out, the entire demeanor changes. Everybody closes up, gives you a different look, and it was uncomfortable."

A kind of guilt by religion. A general slur. A stain.

"I mean we've become, exactly that," said Shadia. "Now that's the stereotype."

"And that's hard," chimed in Suehaila."It's been very frustrating to have to deal with."

As Muslims, they too celebrated bin Laden's demise.

"We were just as happy," said Shadia. "I don't look at him as a Muslim. Islam does not promote what he did, and never has."

"It felt like something being taken off your shoulders," said Bilal.

Dearborn is a city of 100,000 people and 40 percent of the population is Arab-American -- the highest concentration of any American city.

Some believe with bin Laden gone, it's safe now to reach outside their community.

"It's time for us to listen to each other -- get out of the you know, behind the barricades, you know and behind defense lines, you know, and pointing fingers at each other," said Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab-American News.

The Amen family says the finger pointing should stop for a very good reason.

"At the end of the day we are Americans," said Suehaila. "We were born and raised in this country. This is our home. Yes, we trace our roots back to a different nation, but this is our home."

Just like other Americans.

[John_Rational]

by mswolfestock May 5, 2011 3:10 PM EDT
". . . I never thought it was all that "rational" to lecture people - you need another user name."

I presented well-established objective facts of reality and rational conclusions based on those facts.

by mswolfestock May 5, 2011 3:10 PM EDT
"We-all are exercising our Constitutional right to free speech."

Yes and you-all are doing so in an extremely irresponsible fashion which harms our nation.

by mswolfestock May 5, 2011 3:10 PM EDT
"You can entertain the opposing opinion but you have no right to tell anybody what to say or what to think or what to do."

When people sabotage the war effort with bigoted half-truths it is not merely my right, it is my duty as an American to do so. Besides under your theory of free speech I have the right to say or write absolutely anything no matter how it might effect others.

by mswolfestock May 5, 2011 3:10 PM EDT
"I myself just wish they would leave the U.S. and go back to their own country. I promise I will stay out of their countries, too."

About 95% of American Muslims were born in this country, and I'm sure they would appreciate it if you would go back to your country.

[BobbyC1]

The subject is Muslims, not Arabs. 40% of Arab Americans are Christians; with Mulims in second place at 24%. It is obvious that Dean Reynolds does not know that. Note too, from this video, that the assertion that Islam mandates hijab is obviously not shared by every Muslim.

And for those commenters clinging to the notion of a 'radical' Islam; there is no such thing. There is Islam. As most Christians are selective in their compliance with Christianity's teachings (think artificial birth control methods by Catholics), Islam has its 'moderate' Muslims. A moderate Muslim's failure to comply with Qur'an's every word does not negate those words.

Every Muslim--even Dearborn Muslims--knows that the Qur'an commands the amputation of a thief's hand(s). Somalia's al Shabab Muslims do just that. The 'extremism' we hear so much about is actually literal compliance with Qur'an and other documents that most us us have never read.

As Muslims, where on the planet are Islam's divinely mandated punishments--like those amputations--morally acceptable to that Dearborn family and to other American Muslims? It's their religion, after all.

Would their answer be the same if they lived in Somalia? Or Afghanistan?

[John_Rational]

Liberal and moderate Muslims believe in the notion of Radical Islam. A good number of them are fighting beside US against radical Islam. The Old Testament says to execute witches. Christians who advocate executing witches are nevertheless extremely radical Christians. Different kinds of Christians, Jews and Muslims disagree greatly on the correct way to interpret and apply scripture. Many even disagree on which books should even be included in their holy volume. 1.61 billion Muslims don't all think as one.

[usadvisor101]

Flush all these lunatic religions down the drain, all of them,not just Islam.....then the world can finally find peace.Its always one religion or another that starts the problems in the world today. they are all made up of fairytales and manmade stories.

[John_Rational]

First prove there is not G*D then I will listen to the rest of what you have to say. Oh and PROVE scripture is a collection of fairy tales and manmade stories while you are at it. Atheism is no more likely to be correct than any OTHER _religion_. It seems you have forgotten all the trouble the communist atheists have caused in the world. A lot of old school terrorists were atheists especially in Europe. Through-out history atheists have behaved as badly as any theists. In most cases it's just an excuse to believe you are better than other people. Fanatics will abuse any philosophy.

[usadvisor101]

I did not say there was NOT a creator.its wrong to label someone as an atheist,just because they know your scriptures are man made. time has shown that all these religions are man made and the absurd fairytales and claims that many make, are absolutely false.where do I begin with all the falsehoods? thats impossible on this thread. oh yeah how about, the earth was created in how many days? flat out total joker claim.

Also, I dont have to dissprove them, given NOT A single one religion has any proof at all they are true to begin with. all written by men and your told to believe it!

[John_Rational]

Sorry about the misunderstanding usadvisor101. So you are a theist who hates all religions. OK it's rare but I have seen it before. In Genesis the Hebrew word which is translated "day" in most English language Bibles is "Yom" which Hebrew scholars say is "an unspecified time period". It can mean a day, a week or a geologic epic, etc. The written sworn testimony of witnesses is acceptable evidence in a court of law. You have no first hand knowledge, no empirical observation of, or experience of, most of the things you believe in. Religion, like all things, can be abused. But there is no natural law that says it must be.

[John_Rational]

Ignorant Islamaphobic posts such as those in this blog are the number one threat to American foreign policy, and to the US war effort today. You unwitting Taliban recruiters are sabotaging the psychological warfare battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, and harming anti-terrorist coalition building by the state department.

Here are the facts. Lest than 1/10th of 1% of all Muslims are waging war on US. Of the other 1.6 BILLION Muslims about 25% are helping US track down or kill the radicals who attacked US. The rest just want to be left along and don't give us a thought one way or the other.

If you can't help the war effort, at least keep your ignorant rants to yourself and thus refrain from harming our troops. Christ does not hate Muslims. He will not be mocked by those who do so in His name.

Stop acting like jack booted Nazis trying to prove ALL Muslims are evil. Embrace American ideals of tolerance and diversity. Your lies (even honest mistakes about Islam) benefit only Al Quida and the Taliban. Stop sabotaging our country by making US look foolish to the rest of the world.

[tsigili]

When people assume religious apparel for every single person, the religion has become too extremist for general acceptance.

Anyone with half a brain should recognize that head coverings mean nothing to any real god. Nor, face veils, nor any other article of clothing. Those things are for people.....not for god.

That in and of itself, indicates a false religion.

[John_Rational]

Only about half of all Muslims observe apparel requirements. Only about 10% of American Muslims do.

[JordanInk]

For a more nuanced view of American reaction -- or at least of American reaction to the way SOME Americans reacted to Osama's killing -- read this: http://jordanink.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/whipping-shoes-at-osama/

[krotec54]

Just like other Americans that are Christian and Jews, Muslims were to convert and assimilate to become a real American citizen. Or they could go back to their nation and feel at home there.

[Ammeh]

Oh brother. The taste is bitter, isn't it?

[slatep]

I hope these Muslim Americans are sincere.

What worries me is that there have been no demonstrations agains the Us in the Muslim countries protesting the death of bin Laden..no outcry against the infidel dogs who killed their beloved leader.

I feel like I am holding my breath just waiting for all hell to break loose when they decide to react.

I think they are trying to lull the rest of the world into a false sense of security and retribution is going to be massive, violent and unprecedented in number simultaneously.

I think it is pure foolishness on the part of the governments not to raise the security alert level.

It seems they have no idea that when the other shoe drops; it is going to be absolutely horrific.!!...and no country is going to be spared.

[John_Rational]

There has been on outcry because most Muslims think Osama was a fundamentalist nut case who gave Islam a bad name. Just as most Christians believe that the apostate priest in Florida is a fundamentalist nut case who gives Christianity a bad name. Your worst fears have not materialized because they were founded on lies. Predictions fail when theories are wrong.

[krotec54]

OBL death will not ease the tension on Muslins in America.
It is Islam that promotes violence and death as it did in the beginning, and always has.
Most Americans are very uncomfortable with Muslims in this country. This religion goes against everything what Americans is and had accomplished.

[John_Rational]

The vast majority of Muslims disagree with you, and fortunately the vast majority of Americans also disagree with you.