The acceptable ‘moderate Muslim’ must adopt colorblind, pro-American, apolitical stances

Evidence

Secular Racial Muslims identify as Muslim but do not practice their religion of birth, believe American culture is colorblind, and support American foreign policy. Secular Racial Muslims—commonly referred to as moderate Muslims—attempt to pass as not Muslim to avoid discrimination. The Secular Racial Muslim is the manifestation of the model minority who works hard, doesn’t complain, believes America is the best country in the world, secularizes their lifestyle according to Anglo- Protestant norms, and joins majoritarian condemnations of dissident and religious Muslims. — Sahar F. Aziz, The Racial Muslim, 86

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the Secular Racial Muslim category in the book’s typology of racialized Muslim identities.
• XREF: Extends the model-minority analysis familiar from Asian American studies scholarship on performative assimilation.