Interviews with SLA Students of Philadelphia
A few students at a magnet high school were asked to answer the following questions:
- What are some of the biggest challenges with globalization in your daily life?
- How do you cope with these issues and challenges?
- Have you changed or adapted your life because of globalization? How so?
- What are the negative /positive effects of globalization in your life?
- How does globalization affect the perception of the people around you?
- What is the difference in globalization here versus your home town?
- Do you believe that globalization destroys how sacred a religion is or can be?
Their responses were thrilling to collect. While most of the information in general was known, it is always refreshing and interesting to hear from the perspective of someone who is Muslim in America, and a fellow student at my school. Below, there is an excerpt of some of their responses.
"The growth of Islam is one of the biggest. It may sound weird, but with the way it is growing it's hard to tell who is following and who is just in it for the ride. Some people throw on a hijab, or niqab an call them Muslim. These people might be accepted while another girl who does more and follows it better could be shunned.
Another thing is the idea that all Muslim people are all terrorists. So many people have it inside of their heads that anybody with a beard, scarf, or kufi is a terrorist in the making. People actually shy away from me in the trolley or the mall or anywhere when they see me. It's like i'm a leper.
In both situations I try to educate the person. I don't agree with the statement "ignorance is bliss" because when you don't know anything and try to become an expert on it. If that doesn't work ant they seem to just shut their mind off to anything that might get them to a better light, I just drop it. I can't try to force someone to accept something when they clearly believe they are right.
I have had to drop my accent so I could "fit in" with people. I wasn't born in America, so I came here with no knowledge of English. I have also had to make excuses as to why I wasn't eating at school that day. It isn't like I could say "I'm fasting" to someone without them getting the idea of my religion is barbaric"
- Hikma
Two people. Two different experiences. One religion.
"There are some people out there that do scrutinize me in silent manners. Maybe someone on the street may look at me and think I'm so improper and think I don't know anything about my religion.
People also start judging when you are trying to follow your religion. I am thinking about wearing my hijab, and there are friends who are great supporters and then there are some people who are unhappy of my decision, but I will do what I want/need to do."
I was born and raised in America so I know how everything goes around here. However, in my motherland of Bangladesh globalization has to more with technology and western culture. Western culture has spread there so much that there are new things like credit cards, KFC restaurants, bowling alleys, etc. that are developing there.
(Response: Does globalization destroy how sacred a religion is?) Yes, I do. I say this because technology, or wrong perceptions/ideas,policies destroys how sacred a religion is. For example, in France is is outlawed to wear the Niqab which women choose to wear to follow Islam and to protect their bodies/face and treat it with respect. The right is taken away from them and destroys a part of that sacred religion."
-Myrna