At the fifth anniversary of September 11 terrorists attacks, we find ourselves in a state of profound, world-wide crisis. It is a complex, multi-dimensional crisis whose facets touch every aspect of our lives ---- our health and livelihood, the quality of our environment and our social relationships, our ideology (faith, beliefs, religion), our economy, technology, and politics. It is a crisis of intellectual, moral, and spiritual dimensions.

In the past five years Muslim communities have been erroneously stigmatized as terrorists. Many of us have personally felt the wrath of suspicion. Without going into details, it is an understatement to say “9/11 changed our lives.” There is no denying that ‘special’ treatment are afforded at the airports in America and world over are due to our name and country of origin. It is very tempting and easy to understand the conflict in Muslim-Christian/Jewish framework.

Washington’s global agenda has to do with economic power, military dominance and geopolitical positioning. As an adaptable umbrella of rhetoric, the war on terror provides superb shelter for what Martin Luther King Jr. called the madness of militarism. And of course all kinds of horrible assaults on human rights become normalized in the process.

The indiscriminate or cynical use of the term "terrorism" is also effectively criminalizing and repressing minority groups. Too often entire minorities are being labeled terrorists, in the place of effective international cooperation targeted at groups such as al Qaeda.

The war on terror has also provided a convenient cover for many countries to evade their human rights obligations and engage more easily in attacks against minorities.

The term "terrorist" has in many places replaced "communist" as means to justify suspension of the basic rights of indigenous people and to avoid dialogue over issues such as land and resources. In most cases anti-terror laws target Muslim minority groups and have resulted in an increase in arbitrary arrests, detention without charge or trial and torture of people from these communities.

Fundamentalists have facilitated isolation of Muslims. Even if one doesn’t prescribe to the extreme ‘conspiracy’ theory that Musliam fundamentalists and the oppressive governments are working together, one has to concede that these two seemingly conflicting forces perpetuate inequalities.

We must continue to remind ourselves that what happened on 9/11 was the responsibility of the Osamas of the Muslim world (even if you prescribe to alternative a.k.a ‘conspiracy theory’, you have to agree to Mullah’s participation).

Next time when you are declined visa, asked to wait at the airport for ‘clearance’, or denied a business opportunity; remember that Osama bin Laden screwed you big time.