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The dislike of, or prejudice against, Islam or Muslims (Islamophobia) is alive and well in the United States. The aftermath of September 11, 2001 terrorist attack and the ISIS directed and inspired attacks around the world, have given rise to a growing Islamophobia in this country fueled by the hate rhetoric by the GOP presidential candidates. 

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the U.S., especially among African-Americans. Nearly 80 percent of the more than 1,200 mosques have been built in the past 12 years. Not all Muslims are terrorists and all terrorists are not Muslims. Thus, it is important for Americans to try to understand this religion and countries with a Muslim majority, especially since this is the world’s current hotspot. Fear oftentimes follows lack of understanding or misunderstanding, which can lead to prejudice, which in turn can lead to violence. As FDR said in his first inaugural address while the U.S. was deep in the depression, "Only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' 

We have visited Syria, Jordan, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, Zanzibar, and Iran. When asked why we have traveled to these predominately Muslim countries, our reply is that as the fastest growing religion in this country, it behooves us to learn more about this religion. 

Hate crimes targeting Muslims, their mosques and businesses, tripled in 2015. For example, as of December 2015, there have been 38 anti-Muslim attacks in the U.S. since the deadly Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris. Since 9/11, the annual rate of anti-Muslim hate crimes in the U.S. has been five times higher than it was before. Muslims are the only target group that experienced an increase in hate crimes. The most recent tally was 154 incidents: far fewer than the number of hate crimes against Jews, but more than 70 percent higher than the number of hate crimes against Christians. 

Remember, the phrase "driving while Black, a phrase that refers to the racial profiling of black drivers. The phrase implies that a motorist might be pulled over by a police officer simply because he or she is black, and then questioned, searched, and/or charged with a trivial offense. Now we have a new phrase -- "flying while Muslim" -- that refers to the problems those with Muslim-sounding names or speaking Arabic or even looking Middle Eastern have on airlines since 9/11. 

The anti-Muslim rhetoric from our leaders or would-be leaders encourages hate crimes in the U.S.; it is like throwing gasoline on a smoldering fire. Consider that Donald Trump, the leading GOP presidential candidate, said, "I think Islam hates us" and added "And we can't allow people coming into this country who have this hatred of the United States." Trump's solution is to bar all Muslims from entering the U.S. 

Ted Cruz, another GOP presidential candidate, called for law enforcement to step up their policing of Muslim neighborhoods in the U.S. in the wake of terrorist attacks in Brussels, comparing it to police boosting their presence in areas with known gang activity. He had previously argued that the U.S. should shut its doors to Muslim refugees from Syria, only allowing Christian refugees to seek asylum in the U.S. 

At least John Kasich has criticized Trump and Cruz on their anti-Muslim rhetoric. 

In his first visit to a U.S. Mosque President Obama summed up nicely why Islamophobia must stop, "We can't be bystanders to bigotry," Obama said. "Together, we've got to show that America truly protects all faiths. As we protect our country from terrorism, we should not reinforce the ideas and the rhetoric of the terrorists themselves."