CAIRO – When ten young, confident, opinionated and devout American Muslim women gathered on a panel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, hundreds of people gathered to show support and get a closer look at true Islam.

“I’m just here to learn and to show support,” Jen Repede, who staked out a small spot on the floor in front of the panel with her friend, Andrew Stocker, told Santa Fe New Mexican on Monday, January 11.

“I feel like it’s an important gathering to support people who are being so ostracized. [The idea that] ISIS is representative of the Muslim people is so far from the truth,” he said.

Repede is one of the attendants at The Forum held on Sunday afternoon at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design where 10 Muslim women on a panel were preparing to answer questions about their faith.

While a Sikh man stood guard at the door, there was no available seat at the session as Santa Fe, especially women, wanted to know about religion that has been falsely linked to acts of terrorism in US and abroad.

“I am very supportive of the people leaving Syria. It’s an absolute tragedy for the Islamic people.” Susan Munroe, who said she had taken up wearing a head scarf to show solidarity, said.

“I’m also concerned at even the thought of Muslims being stopped at our borders.”

But the big turnout Sunday didn’t surprise her because Santa Fe “is so special and open.”

The 10 women, half of whom wore head scarves, were confident, opinionated and devout.

Some were of Palestinian heritage, others were converts born in the US, a couple of them grew up Muslim in Abiquiú.

One, a former Southern Baptist, reverted to Islam after reading the Qur’an.

One young woman owns a food truck with her husband in Santa Fe, and another woman runs a coffee shop off of Zafarano Drive. Another was a lawyer from Albuquerque who married an Iranian man and reverted to Islam.

Not Islam

Debunking myths about Islam, the Muslim women stressed that their faith is one that seeks peace and empowers women rather than subjugates them.

“How does your community monitor or deal with people you know or suspect of getting radicalized?” one person wanted to know.

Sandra Akkad said they report them to the authorities.

“We are part of the American fabric,” she said, adding that many potential incidents in the US had been thwarted by Muslim-Americans.

Another panelist, Samia Assed agreed, adding that recruiting in the US is harder than people think.

“For the most part, Muslims are happy here. It’s hard to radicalize Muslim-Americans,” she said. Fatima van Hattum, who started wearing a head scarf as a teenager in Abiquiú, added that although,

“We have a good relationship [with] law enforcement, we’re also watched a lot.”

Akkad added that Islam does not advocate killing or violence.

“It’s not the religion that is killing anyone. It’s these fringe elements,” she said.

Associating the whole 1.2 billion Muslims with terrorism for the acts of a few was enraging for many Muslims.

“I don’t feel I have to answer for radical Islam. Of course, terror is terror, no matter what your color or race. But we shouldn’t scapegoat the whole community for the actions of some,” Assed said.

She said she sees those radicals as extremists and, “We feel violated. For Islam to be taken in vain is hurtful on so many levels.”