'I Am An American': American-Muslim Woman Speaks Out Against Islamophobia

Rasa - Deb Beneta was shocked when someone asked her to sign a petition demanding that all Muslims be sent back “to where they came from.”

News ID: 1409

Date: 17 October 2014 - 01:01

RNA - Beneta said she was confronted by a woman outside of a gas station in Del City, Oklahoma this week. When the woman approached, she asked Beneta to sign a petition that would send Muslims back to “where they came from.”

“I said, ‘I am a Muslim, but I’m an American, so where do you plan to send me?’” Beneta said. “It just offended me that someone would say I don’t belong here.”

Beneta added that she wished people were more educated about Islam, instead of basing their knowledge on hate and fear. She also noted that Muslims are peaceful people, not monsters.

“I think some of the most dangerous people are non-educated people who have been stimulated by hate or fear,” Beneta said.

Beneta said that she did offer to sign the petition, but that after she presented herself as a Muslim the woman simply walked away without further confrontation.

Beneta noted that there weren’t many signatures on the petition, and that the woman probably wasn’t part of a larger effort.

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