Many Muslims in America have faced discrimination their whole lives, and after the recent terrorist attacks on Paris, conditions have only gotten worse. Just because ISIS is a Muslim-based group does not mean that every man, woman, and child of Muslim descent should be feared and victimized. People have become more scared of a woman wearing hijabs than serial killers and rapists.

After 9/11, many Muslims faced severe discrimination from the public. Although people have come a long way since then, many Muslims still encounter alienation. Since the attacks on Paris, Islamophobia has greatly intensified. An article in The Santa Barbara Independent states that a mosque in Canada was deliberately burned down following the attacks. In Oregon, an anti-Muslim rally was held outside the Portland Rizwand mosque.

This sickening voicemail was left for a mosque in St. Petersburg, Florida, “I personally have a militia that’s going to come down to your Islamic society of Pinellas County and firebomb you, shoot whoever’s there on sight in the head. I don’t care if they’re two years old or one hundred.”

One Muslim student, Mahmound Hashem, spoke out against vandalism left on his dorm room sign following the attacks on Paris. Scrawled on Hashem’s door sign was a note that read, “Killed Paris.” Although Mahmound had many supporters after finding the note, the words still held a lot of meaning. These are only a few examples of discrimination against Muslims since the attacks.

In an interview about discrimination against Muslims post-Paris, Walt Whitman freshman Hibbah Mirza had many thoughts to share on the matter. When asked about her initial reaction to the attacks on Paris as an American Muslim, Hibbah said, “When I heard of the attacks on Paris, I was very sad and a bit confused. I didn’t understand what ISIS gained by killing so many innocent people. I knew because of this, Muslims would become more feared, hated, and discriminated against.”

When asked on her thoughts about the burning down of a mosque in Canada, anti-Muslim rallies, and a threatening voicemail left for a mosque in Florida, Hibbah responded by saying, “ It’s just horrible that people are burning down mosques, where Muslims go to pray and find peace. I don’t get how burning down a mosque is the solution to our world problems. It actually just adds more to the conflicts.” Hibbah’s responses demonstrated both the horror she felt as an American after learning of the attacks and how she fears increased discrimination.

Where do we go from here? If people do not take a stand, Muslims will have to face discrimination no matter their opinions on ISIS for years to come. Muslim men, women, and children should not have to walk down the street and see fear and disgust in people who look at them. It is time for people to understand that discrimination is not by any means acceptable and should not be tolerated. How does discriminating against Muslims help to further our unity against such atrocious groups as ISIS? Rather than making assumptions and judging, people should stand behind their fellow man no matter their religion. Not every Christian is a Jesus freak, and not every atheist worships the devil, so why is it O.K. to assume that every Muslim is a terrorist?