ThePlayDrive
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Sounds like a pretty crappy experience. I'm glad she spoke out. It's important for people in marginalized groups to share their stories. Moreover, there's nothing prejudiced people hate more than the objects of their prejudice voicing their disapproval, particularly on such a large scale.When people demonize Muslims it can affect people other than a person of Islamic faith. Her father was born into a Muslim family, however he converted to Christianity after meeting her mother, a Catholic.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sgt. 1st Class Naida Hosan is not a Muslim — she’s a Catholic. But her name sounded Islamic to fellow U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and they would taunt her, calling her “Sgt. Hussein” and asking what God she prayed to.
So before deploying to Afghanistan last year for her second war tour, she legally changed her name — to Nadia Christian Nova.
This did not solve her problems.
Instead, matters escalated. Nova complained to her superiors about constant anti-Muslim slurs and jokes. She says they responded with a series of reprisals intended to drive her out of the Army, leading her to consider suicide.
“My complaints fell on deaf ears every time,” said Nova, 41, a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “Any time I would say something about it I was treated like I didn’t know what I was talking about or that I’m an idiot or that I was a Muslim sympathizer. It was just a very lonely feeling.”
Determined to remain in the service for at least eight years, until she is eligible for retirement, Nova recently re-enlisted. But she agreed to tell her story to The Associated Press because “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else if I can help it. It’s a horrible to feel like people are against you when you are supposed to be on the same team.”
Soldier Says She Was Harassed Because of Muslim-sounding Name