The Dangerous Myth of a Muslim ‘Takeover’—And Why Americans Must Reject It
We’ve seen it rise again: the tired myth that Muslims want to “take over” America. In just the last election cycle, over 30 candidates amplified this conspiracy—from debate stages to viral feeds to mainstream media—all to stoke fear for political gain.
Lived Realities Behind the Rhetoric
The impact of this narrative is concrete; it’s highly personal and intensely felt. You have teachers being questioned by parents regarding their “loyalty,” and students have faced harassment on campus. Families have literally been followed from mosques and have endured online abuse. In 2023, CAIR documented 8,061 anti-Muslim complaints—a 56% increase over the prior year, with over 600 reported hate crimes and incidents. FBI data shows anti-Muslim hate crimes rose 18% in 2024, making it the second-highest year for documented hate crimes since national records began.
We’ve Seen This Playbook Before
The blueprint is old, but the harm is real. In the 1920s, Catholics were accused of loyalty only to Rome. In the 1940s, Japanese Americans were labeled “security threats” and sent to camps. In the McCarthy era, Jewish Americans were accused of communist infiltration. After 9/11, even Sikh Americans were murdered in hate crimes fueled by ignorance and paranoia. Every generation, the targets change, but the rhetoric remains: they’re not like us, they can’t be trusted, they’re ‘taking over’.
The Myth Falls Apart Under Scrutiny
No Subversive Bloc: Based on the latest Pew Research, roughly 65% of American Muslims identify as Democrats, with most of the rest independent or Republican—mirroring America’s own political diversity, no formation of a “fifth column”
Sharia Law Scare Tactics: The ACLU, ADL, and other watchdogs verify that “sharia law” in the US appears only in voluntary civil cases, like private family or business disputes—this mirrors other religions, like within Jewish and Catholic arbitration. Another key point is that no coordinated subversion exists, and there is no counter-evidence.
Who’s At Risk? Muslims are overwhelmingly victims—targeted most acutely during spikes in fear-based election rhetoric and legislative pushes. They are our neighbors, our colleagues, our fellow Americans—and their rights are ours to defend.
Why It Matters Now
These lies are the first step in total exclusion, surveillance, and violence. As of this moment, states are advocating for new “anti-Sharia” bills, and candidates are embracing them. Their constituents have fallen for the rhetoric, and they are immorally weaponizing anti-Muslim fear as a significant part of their platform going into the 2026 midterms. It’s a weed. Every day, the conspiracy spreads, and we can add another neighborhood that is left more divided and anxious.
What We Must Do—Right Now
I recently came across an X post by an account that had over 1.2M followers that claimed Imam Omar Suleiman was planning to replace the Constitution with Sharia. The irony was that he was quoting Mike Huckabee, who wanted to replace it with the bible. Religious rule is perfectly acceptable—as long as it’s their religion.
Here’s how we fight back:
When you see this conspiracy on social media or at work, name it directly: “This is the same conspiracy theory used against every minority group in American history.”
Contact local media when they uncritically platform these voices.
Support Muslim-owned businesses and attend community events—make your solidarity visible.
Stand with neighbors at city council meetings when anti-mosque zoning or harassment campaigns emerge.
Donate to CAIR, the ADL, SPLC, or similar legal defense and advocacy organizations.
If you have influence in any capacity—whether as a teacher, manager, or community leader—create spaces of truth and speak up directly when bigotry surfaces.
We’ve seen this before, and we know where it leads. The only way to break the cycle: make solidarity public and unwavering—until the myth is finally erased.
Sources:
Pew Research Center, “Muslim Americans: Faith, Freedom, and the Future,” 2023–2025 https://www.pewresearch.org/
FBI Hate Crime Statistics, “2023–2024 Records” https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes
CAIR, “2023 Civil Rights Report” https://www.cair.com/reports/
ADL, “Islamophobia in U.S. Elections,” 2024 https://www.adl.org/
ACLU, “Religion and Arbitration in U.S. Courts,” 2024 https://www.aclu.org/