by Alaa Alharbi

Have you ever felt like everyone has judged you just because you dress differently? Well, I have. The first time I traveled to the United States, my family and I arrived at the airport and I could tell that everyone was looking at me just because of the way I was dressed. At the time, I did not really have a problem with it although I found it a bit disconcerting.

The second time I came to the U.S., I was alone with only my daughter, who was still an infant. I was carrying several bags and my daughter was in the car seat on the stroller as I was walking to the security checkpoint. Once I got there, the security guard directed me to put all of my luggage in the baggage area, even my daughter`s car seat. I picked up my daughter and held her in order to follow the guard’s directions but I couldn’t do it all on my own. I needed help. I asked him to help me but the guard refused. I became so upset because I knew that if I left my daughter unattended to store the luggage and car seat, I would be criticized for leaving my daughter alone, but if I held on to my daughter and ignored the guard’s directions I would be yelled at for delaying the line behind me.

Other incidents have also happened to me at airports. On one occasion, I was traveling with my husband and his family. We walked to the immigration counter and waited patiently in line. The official checking our passports and forms stared at me the entire time in a most disturbing way. I did not feel comfortable. Once our turn came, he checked everyone else’s passport and left mine for last. This official was not friendly at all. He did not smile at all and he treated us badly. When he checked my forms and passport, he told me that my name did not appear in the system. He then informed us that something was “wrong” with my forms. He ordered me to go the immigration office so the matter could be investigated. At first, I was not worried because I knew that all my formal papers were accurate. But when I got to the office, I was asked to wait until my name was called. While I sat waiting, I witnessed a man being investigated. He was clearly nervous; several officials were accusing him of being an illegal immigrant. After an hour, however, they suddenly told him that he was all right and he had no problems, so perhaps they were just trying to frighten him. I became more nervous after witnessing that episode.

After an hour and a half, my name was finally called. A woman holding my papers in her hands asked me, “How are you?” I could not understand her because the woman who escorted me to the office was also talking to me at the time. So I told her, “I’m sorry I did not hear you.”

She said in an angry manner, “I asked you how are you?” I replied that I was fine.

The woman then asked me, “What brought you here to the office?”

“The man working at the immigration counter told me that I have something wrong with my papers,” I responded blankly, thinking she should know what was going on. The woman gave me a quizzical glance and gruffly told me that my papers were in order and there was nothing wrong with them. After almost two hours, I was free to go.

I believe that racism and discrimination toward Muslims have started to increase among Americans since the events of 9/11, even though it was just a few individuals that caused the events of that day, not every Muslim or Arab in the world. Moreover, it is obvious that after 9/11, things have been different. Airport security has become stricter in every state. Honestly, I do not blame the U.S. government. It had to be stricter in its security policies after what happened. However, sometimes the federal agents go beyond the limits of decency with foreign travelers. It would be nearly impossible to count how many travelers have complained about their mistreatment when entering the U.S.

Nowadays, almost every woman who is Muslim and wearing a scarf on her head (Hijab) is body searched by a female security official. This guard will check every part of the body in a very intrusive manner. I know, for I have experienced this very thing every time I enter or leave the United States. Security officials have also made me put my hands up and spread my legs far apart in an electronic booth just to make sure that I am not carrying anything dangerous on my body.

The U.S. government is trying to protect its citizens from unsavory outsiders. But this does not justify the mistreatment of so many Muslims who wish to visit the United States. Security officials should be more understanding and try to respect every person. Also, I don’t mind the full body searches but can’t the officials do them in a more polite manner? This is an issue everyone should be more aware of so that perhaps some changes could be made to improve the process and stop the discrimination.

Discrimination occurs when a group of individuals judge people from other cultures who have dissimilar qualities such as skin color, a different appearance, and even different clothing. Racists see others in a mean and disrespectful light, but they forget that we all are the same. We all are human beings. These people believe race is a genetic trait while in fact it is a social construction.

Another factor that increases discrimination is the mass media. As we have grown up, mass media has become the most important outlet in our daily lives. In the U.S., some people do not involve themselves with outside reality; they get all their information from the media. And some in the mass media seem to want to attack other cultures, especially for their different religions. In this way, too, racism is able to grow inside the minds of these people.

In the end, racism and discrimination will continue in our world. Even as we discover new commonalities every day, some people cling to the same old beliefs about different group of people. But by recognizing the common thread of humanity within each of us, small changes can be made. For example, the government workers in airports in the U.S should be friendlier with travelers from foreign lands who have the right to get that respect in return. Almost all human beings share the same basic values; therefore, we are all practically the same. So the next time you see me in an airport, struggling with my luggage and my child, don’t just look at me as a foreigner.

See me as a mother, too.