The war on terror disrupted ordinary youth for young Arab Americans

Evidence

What does it mean to be young and Arab in America today? The popular image we hold of American youth in general is one of carefree innocence, living out a time of breezy self-indulgences and creative self-inventions. This is a stage of life to be treasured, we are told, because it lies far away from the pressures of adult responsibilities and the burdens of politics. But the stories here suggest that being young and Arab in America can never be so simple, as the “war on terror” encroaches on young Arab and Muslim Americans and complicates their lives in ways that are often invisible to the general public. — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 968