ACLU of Oregon: Chapters

Nadia Sheikh and her parents, Nasir and Laila upon receiving the 1st place 2003-2004 Student Press Freedom Award at our annual membership meeting.

JOURNALISM AWARD

A commentary challenging stereotypes of Muslims in the U.S. was selected as the winner of the Student Press Freedom Award in Oregon for 2003-04.

The First Place essay, by Nadia Sheikh of Lake Oswego High School, gave a personal account of what it is like to be a young Muslim-American since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (See the accompanying article “Suffering for the horrendous acts of a few”). It appeared in The Mercury, published by the University of Oregon’s 2003 Summer Workshop for Minority High School Journalists and the August 8, 2003 issue of The Oregonian.

Michelle Steward of Elmira High School received the Second Place award for her article on the negative impacts of censorship on high school student theater productions, journalism and band music selections. Michelle’s article appeared in the 20Below section of the Eugene Register-Guard in March 2004.

Third Place was awarded to Josh Fishkin and Shannon Creel of Parkrose High School for their commentary expressing opposing views on reproductive freedom rights. The articles appeared in the Parkrose student newspaper, the Bronco Blaze.

In addition to certificates, the ACLU of Oregon and the University of Oregon School of Journalism & Communication funded awards of $250, $150 and $100 to the first, second and third place winners respectively. The competition was also co-sponsored by the Greater Oregon Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).

The Student Press Freedom Award is intended to encourage and recognize high school journalism that upholds the purpose and tradition of the First Amendment and the free expression guarantee of the Oregon Bill of Rights.

Entry information for the 2004-2005 Student Press Freedom Award contest will be distributed to Oregon high schools in September.

“Suffering for the horrendous acts of a few”
by Nadia Sheikh

I’m not a terrorist.

On 9/11, my world changed. I cried that day, after seeing so many people dying. I could not grasp how many children lost their parents that day.

For me, I lost a part of my identity.

People judge my dark brown hair, brown eyes and brown skin and assume too much.

When U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft warned people to report suspicious activities to the police, his words encouraged the public to scrutinize Middle Eastern and Muslim families. At the time, I didn’t realize his words could affect my life.

In early June, my 8-year-old-sister, Noor, was assigned to take pictures of “landmarks” in my hometown of Lake Oswego. Unfortunately, Noor didn’t remember her homework until late in the evening.

My dad, Noor and I drove around town taking pictures of the post office, fire station, a park and a local market. Two weeks later, we got an early morning visit from two FBI agents following up on a call about a “questionable Middle Eastern family snooping around the fire department.”

Following procedure, the agents had driven by our house a week before, only to find my sister’s chalk drawings of flowers and suns on our driveway. That helped the FBI come to the conclusion that we’re “good people.”

I remembered a Supreme Court case that ruled the FBI can wiretap phones with a court order. I wondered whether our phones were tapped. I also wondered what would have happened if a Caucasian family had taken the pictures. Would the phone call reporting us to the authorities have been made?

I understand why the agents had to do this. I know the government must do its job to keep everybody safe, including me.

The visit surprised me, though, because I don’t consider myself a typical Muslim. I don’t wear a hijab (head covering) or pray five times a day, but I do value the Islamic principles and I know how to read Arabic.

I am suffering for the horrendous acts of a few terrorists representing a minority of Muslims. In a nation where more than 2 million Muslims reside, I ask fellow Americans to look at the meaning of the word Islam: submission to Allah (God). A religion that asks its followers to pray five times a day, to fast a month out of every year, to give money to the poor and to keep family a priority, cannot promote terrorism. It’s ludicrous.

We are Americans just like everyone else. You shouldn’t rely on race or religion to determine how American you are.

As strange as it sounds, I believe good things have come out of Sept. 11 for me. For the past two years, my mom was president of the Islamic Society of Greater Portland. I joined her as a youth coordinator, helping to organize dinners that brought Muslims together with people from local synagogues and churches.

My family is lucky to have understanding neighbors and friends who accept us. As Americans, we need each other. Race and religion are not barriers, but bridges.

I want people to accept Nadia Sheikh, a citizen of the United States of America. And in case you wanted to know: No I’m not a terrorist. I’m just me.