The president of the University of Wisconsin’s Muslim Student Association applauded the part President Barack Obama’s terrorism speech making clear ISIS did not speak for Islamic faith followers.
“President Obama is telling people to not give into the fear,” said Hani Rustom. “That is when he said ‘that’s exactly what ISIS wants.’ I think he hit it right on the head, because ISIS wants that fear so that people have that anti-Muslim sentiment. That if we, as an American community unite against that sort of thing, I think it will go a long way.”
Rustom says for Muslim students to have their religion consistently stigmatized, and tied to terrorism, it is deeply disheartening.
“Because I feel it, because I’ve grown up here. I’m every bit as American as any other student that’s here,” Rustom said.
On the UW-Madison campus Rustom says Muslim students are denouncing ISIS actions, which President Obama called a responsibility of the Muslim community during his address to the nation.