What have been the impacts of and reactions to discrimination and vilification?
“I had a friend who took off the hijab because of fear.” “I was questioned once about whether or not I consider myself to be Australian. I said yes and the lady asked me ‘Then why do you wear that scarf?’ I said ‘Because I am also Muslim and when you see me this is what you see. I am Australian but I am also Muslim and Arabic speaking and this is who I am. I am still me; I can’t put one of them aside because if I do then it’s not me anymore.’” Apparently Arabic radio and press advised community members against retaliation and making complaints in the wake of 11 September. “When the events started happening they put on television and on the radio, Arabic radio, that if you experience anything against you like any discrimination then nobody say anything to [the perpetrators] because they are already anxious and their blood is already boiling. They [community media] told us that if we experience any attacks ‘don’t respond to anyone’. On radio and on television the announcers advised us no
