Rana, Arora, and Heems' "Soup Boys"
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For African Americans, the identity of "Muslim" served as a liberatory identity due to its role in resisting oppression and asserting cultural autonomy. Rana writes "Islam represented a liberatory identification for African Americans" because it offered a means to reject the pervasive racism and dominance of white Christian supremacy (Rana, 28). Embracing Islam allowed African Americans to redefine themselves outside the constraints of racial hierarchies.
The concept of "Muslim" as a liberatory identity also directly challenged the status quo of white supremacy. This identification was perceived as a threat to "white Christian supremacy," prompting efforts to further racialize and marginalize both Black and immigrant Muslims. By converting to Islam, African Americans could assert a new sense of self and community, free from the historical and ongoing prejudices imposed by the dominant and white racial system.
Moreover, the process of racializing Islam involved "placing biological and cultural determinism in a contradictory logic", meaning that while Islam provided a powerful tool for African Americans to resist and redefine their identities, it simultaneously led to intensified racialization and scrutiny (Rana, 28).
Anti-Sikh violence can be seen as Islamophobic because it stems from a racialized ignorance that conflates Sikhism with Islam, particularly due to visible markers like turbans or beards. In the aftermath of 9/11, many Sikhs have been mistakenly targeted as Muslims by those motivated by Islamophobic sentiments (Arora, 1). This conflation demonstrates how hate based on appearances can lead to violence against any group perceived to be Muslim, even if they are not.
In response, Kamal emphasizes solidarity between Sikhs and Muslims, especially those who wear visible symbols of their faith, like turbans or hijabs. She refuses to distance herself from Muslims by saying "I am not Muslim" to justify avoiding hate, instead promoting unity against all forms of racial and religious hatred (Arora). Kamal speaks out against racism, even in small daily incidents, showing resilience and a commitment to standing up for all minority communities, not just her own, reflecting her belief in chardi kala—keeping in high spirits and resisting hate with kindness and strength (Arora, 4).
In Soup Boys, Heems’ references to mosques and temples symbolize the vulnerability and marginalization of South Asian and Muslim communities in immigrant-heavy areas like Queens. When he says, “They’re throwing stones at the Mosque,” and later, “They’re throwing stones at the temple,” these lyrics directly reference acts of violence and hostility toward these sacred spaces. Both mosques and temples become representative of the physical and emotional attacks that these communities endure.
Heems' decision to include both a mosque and a temple suggests that, regardless of faith, these communities face shared struggles, uniting them in their experiences of racial and religious discrimination. Moreover, the collapse of distinctions between different South Asian communities and Islam results in collective vulnerability, as those from different faith backgrounds are often viewed through a single lens of prejudice and Islamophobia.