>> Jason: IT WAS THE DAY THAT
CHANGED EVERYTHING. MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL MUSLIM
MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL MUSLIM
COMMUNITY ARE SHARING HOW MUCH
THAT DAY HAS IMPACTED THEM AND
WHY IT CONTINUES FOR TWO
DECADES. FOR MUSLIM AMERICANS, IT’S A
FOR MUSLIM AMERICANS, IT’S A
STARK REMINDER OF HOW THINGS
CHANGED FOR THEM.
>> Kim: WHETHER SHOPPING,
COMMUNITY WORK OR TRAVELING,
MANY FEEL SCRUTINIZED AND PROFILED BECAUSE THEY’RE MUSLIM.
PROFILED BECAUSE THEY’RE MUSLIM.
PAULA TUTMAN LOOKS AT WHAT IT’S
LIKE TO BE A VISIBLE MUSCLE
POST-9/11.
>> Paula: IF YOU SAW HE IN PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME YOU
PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME YOU
MIGHT MAKE A JUDGMENT, THERE’S
PAULA TUTMAN FROM CHANNEL 4.
OR YOU MIGHT SAY THERE’S A
WOMAN, A BLACK WOMAN, A SHORT WOMAN, OR A NOISY WOMAN.
WOMAN, OR A NOISY WOMAN.
BUT HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE, FOR
INSTANCE, IF I WORE THIS AND COVERED MY HEAD WITH A HIJAB AND
COVERED MY HEAD WITH A HIJAB AND
YOU ARE SEEING ME FOR THE FIRST
TIME AND DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING
ELSE ABOUT ME.
WHAT WOULD YOUR JUDGMENT OF ME
BE?
WHAT WOULD YOUR PERCEPTION OF ME
BE?
>> IT’S THE WAY THEY LOOK AT YOU
AND THE WAY THE HEADS TURN.
>> THEY SEE IT IN THE EYES AND
FACES OF SO MANY NON-MUSLIM AMERICANS.
>> YOU HEAR THEM MAKE COMMENTS.
>> Paula: SHE REMEMBERS
SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001 WELL. SO DOES HER MOTHER LILA.
SO DOES HER MOTHER LILA.
>> I WOKE TO MY OFFICE AND BROKE
DOWN.
>> Paula: AND SHE IS FROM THE
ISLAMIC CENTER IN DEARBORN AND LIVING IN COLORADO AT THE TIME.
LIVING IN COLORADO AT THE TIME.
I WAS TAKING MY CHILDREN TO
SCHOOL AND THE TV WAS ON.
AND I LOOKED AT THE TV AND THE
FIRST PLANE WENT INTO THE BUILDING.
SO BY THE TIME I TOOK THEM TO
SCHOOL AND CAME BACK, THE WHOLE
WORLD HAD CHANGED. >> Paula: IN THEIR SHOCK AND
>> Paula: IN THEIR SHOCK AND
GRIEF LIKE MOST EVERY OTHER
AMERICAN THAT DAY, THE PAIN, THE
NUMBNESS, THE DISBELIEF, THEY
EXPERIENCED SOMETHING IN ADDITION... WRATH.
ADDITION... WRATH.
>> MY HOUSE WAS ATTACKED.
MY CAR WAS ATTACKED. PEOPLE BEGAN THROWING PIG’S
PEOPLE BEGAN THROWING PIG’S
BLOOD, PIG’S HEAD, AT THE
ISLAMIC CENTER.
IT WAS PANDEMONIUM.
>> LIFE WAS A LOT EASIER TO MOVE
AROUND, A LOT EASIER TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS WITHOUT BEING
CARE OF BUSINESS WITHOUT BEING
LOOKED AT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
>> Paula: THE 20 YEARS SINCE
9/11 --
>> WE WOULD WALK IN WITH OUR
HIJAB. >> Paula: AND BOARDING A PLANE
>> Paula: AND BOARDING A PLANE
WAS AN ORDEAL.
>> AND TURNING HEADS WONDERING
IF THEY WILL BE SAFE.
WHEN YOU’RE A MUSLIM, PEOPLE PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO YOU WHEN YOU
CLOSER ATTENTION TO YOU WHEN YOU
GET ON THE PLANES.
YOU SEE SIDE EYES.
>> Paula: WHEN SHE SAYS GOOD-BYE TO HER DAUGHTER, IT’S A
TO HER DAUGHTER, IT’S A
DIFFERENT BE SMART, A DIFFERENT
BE SAFE.
>> THEY SEE YOU AS SOMETHING
DIFFERENT, AS SOMEONE WHO
DOESN’T BELONG. WHEN I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE
WHEN I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE
AND I DESERVE TO BE HERE JUST AS
MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE DOES. >> AND ALL THOSE MASS SHOOTINGS
>> AND ALL THOSE MASS SHOOTINGS
THAT TAKE PLACE IN OUR HIGH
SCHOOLS AND MALLS AND COLLEGES,
WHAT DO WE CALL THEM?
WHY DON’T WE CALL THEM TERRORIST ATTACKS?
BECAUSE OUR MEDIA HAS THIS LABEL
READY ONLY FOR MUSLIMS.
IF SOMEONE IS NON-MUSLIM IS
ENGAGED, NO, THEY DON’T USE THAT LABEL.
AND THAT’S HOW THEY’VE BEEN ABLE
TO BRAINWASH MANY AMERICANS BY
ASSOCIATING OUR RELIGION ISLAM WITH TERRORISTS.
WITH TERRORISTS.
>> TO KNOW HOW WE PRACTICE AND
VALUE OUR TRADITIONS, TO WATCH
SOMEBODY HIJACK OUR FAITH AND SAY THEY’RE DOING IT IN THE NAME
SAY THEY’RE DOING IT IN THE NAME
OF ISLAM WAS SOMETHING THAT
SICKENED US. >> Paula: IN THIS HOME, THERE’S
>> Paula: IN THIS HOME, THERE’S
A BELOVED CHILD AND A BELOVED
ELDER. >> AM I YOUR FAVORITE?
>> AM I YOUR FAVORITE?
>> Paula: FOUR ALL-AMERICAN
GENERATIONS, AND WHAT THEY HAVE
VOWED TO NEVER FORGET, FOR MANY
AMERICANS WHO ARE MUSLIM,
THERE’S NEVER BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORGET.
OPPORTUNITY TO FORGET.
>> I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AT THE
END OF THE DAY, WE’RE ALL
AMERICANS, WE’RE ALL HERE TRYING TO FULFILL OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE.
OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL HELP US
TO FLOURISH AND TO BE THE PEOPLE
THAT WE WANT TO BE.
>> Kim: WE’RE SO MUCH MORE ALIKE
THAN WE WERE DIFFERENT.
SO MANY BELIEVE THE 20th
ANNIVERSARY WILL BE A TRIGGER
EVENT THAT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE
THINGS WORSE FOR THEM IN TERMS