Madison Man Recognized at White House for his Efforts to Fight Hatred Against Muslims

Monday, September 19th, 2022 -- 9:01 AM

(By Leah Treidler, Wisconsin Public Radio) Nearly 40 years ago, Masood Akhtar left India driven by his conviction that the United States was the ideal place to practice his religion.

But, according to Leah Treidler of Wisconsin Public Radio, his experience in America hasn't been so simple. On Thursday, President Joe Biden honored the Madison resident at the White House for spending decades rooting out hate and fear directed at his Muslim community.

At the United We Stand Summit, Akhtar was among 15 other civil rights and faith leaders from across the country as federal officials announced new efforts to stop and respond to hate crimes.

Technology companies, including YouTube and Meta, also outlined work they'll do to combat hate-fueled violence. "Too much hate-fueled extremist violence has been allowed to fester and grow," Biden said at the summit.

"As a result, our very own intelligence agencies in the United States of America have determined that domestic terrorism rooted in white supremacy is the greatest terrorist threat to our homeland today."

That threat has been years in the making, Akhtar said Wednesday. "A lot of these people react out of fear the environment has created," Akhtar said. "So the most important thing that we can all do is engagement. Find a way to connect with these people, and that's exactly what the Muslim community has been doing since 9/11."

After the twin towers fell, violence against Muslims surged. Between 2000 and 2009, the percentage of reported hate crimes in the U.S. directed at Muslims increased by more than 500 percent.

Media created a culture of fear toward the Muslim community, Akhtar said, and it continues to fuel misunderstanding and confusion decades later.  In 2016, alarmed by former President Donald Trump's proposal to create a Muslim registry, Akhtar founded the nonprofit We Are Many-United Against Hate.

The group digs into the root causes of fear and division, especially surrounding the Muslim community, to help people and communities overcome prejudices and misunderstanding. Since then, he's dedicated his life to that work, even as he's seen misinformation and intolerance surge.

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