{
  "id": 1700800,
  "title": "Islamophobia Has Corroded American Values",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/islamophobia-has-corroded-american-values",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T11:31:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/muslim-experience-islamaphobia-united-states/688277/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Every July, the reporter takes her boys back to their hometown in Indiana for the Independence Day parade. They wear American flag shirts and enjoy the festivities, including vintage cars, tractors, and a tribute to fallen heroes. However, recently the parade has included a military Humvee, a papier-mâché bald eagle, and photos of young Hoosiers who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. The shadow of September 11 and the wars that followed heavily influences the parade. The reporter reflects on the changes that have occurred in the United States and how 9/11 transformed the country's relationship with Muslims both abroad and at home. In her hometown, there wasn't initially enough money or Muslims to build a mosque, but in the early 1990s, the community raised funds to construct one. The reporter recalls feeling unwelcome in their hometown as a child, as neighbors made it clear they did not want a mosque in their neighborhood. Following the September 11 attacks, Muslim communities across the country faced harassment and vandalism. In Ohio, a man plowed his car into a mosque, while in Texas, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at another mosque. The reporter remembers how some Americans became deeply distrustful of Muslims after 9/11, and how their hometown was once known for its \"Hoosier hospitality\" but has since become more intolerant. In recent years, anti-Muslim rhetoric has grown, with prominent lawmakers openly expressing their hatred towards Islam. The lieutenant governor of Indiana even declared that they \"hate Islam\" and described it as a \"demonic death cult.\" The reporter feels that the shift in attitudes towards Muslims in their hometown has been a depressing sign of how much the country has changed in the past 25 years.",
  "summary": "Even in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Muslims weren’t treated like this.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}