Why people are tweeting their #MuslimApologies

http://www.washingtonpost.com/why-people-are-tweeting-their-muslimapologies/2014/09/24/1a434bd0-d1e0-4a63-bb93-e764b931cd5d_story.html?wprss=rss_world

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sorry for Algebra #muslimapologies pic.twitter.com/5qs8d8yq9H — ناصر العنزي (@AnaziNasser) September 24, 2014

sorry for Algebra #muslimapologies pic.twitter.com/5qs8d8yq9H

— ناصر العنزي (@AnaziNasser) September 24, 2014

If you turned on the ol’ Twitter machine Tuesday, you may have noticed Muslims apologizing. Specifically, people tweeting the hashtag #MuslimApologies.

The hashtag sprung up on the same day that President Obama said before the United Nations General Assembly that "it is time for the world – especially Muslim communities – to explicitly, forcefully, and consistently reject the ideology of al Qaeda and ISIL."

Obama specifically mentioned the #NotInMyName campaign, launched by the London-based Active Change Foundation to condemn the Islamic State by saying their actions don't represent British Muslims. A number of Muslim leaders around the world have overtly condemned the Islamic State, too, from Sacramento to Germany.

#MuslimApologies represents another reaction: Frustration over the assumption of collective responsibility.

Many of the tweets express weariness about having to apologize for the actions of extremists who claim to represent Islam, a religion with an estimated 1.6 billion adherents worldwide.

Muslims in the United States, for instance, face problematic public perceptions of their religion: 50 percent of Americans believe that Islam, more than other religions, encourages violence among its believers, according to the Pew Research Center.

The tweets include quips about inventions birthed during the height of Islamic civilization, forgiveness over the mechanics of ablutions, and sorrow for general phenomena such as Vanilla Ice.

Here are a few:

I'm sorry I'm a great designated driver, but a bad flying buddy. #Muslimapologies — Elyse Claassen (@Elyse_Khadija) September 24, 2014

I'm sorry I'm a great designated driver, but a bad flying buddy. #Muslimapologies — Elyse Claassen (@Elyse_Khadija) September 24, 2014

I am sorry for DJ Khaled #MuslimApologies — KhAnZi (@HKhanZi) September 24, 2014

I am sorry for DJ Khaled #MuslimApologies

— KhAnZi (@HKhanZi) September 24, 2014

I'm so sorry for coffee, cheques, parachutes, chemistry, inoculations, soap, shampoo, cameras, etc: http://t.co/2L32h4b2d7 #muslimapologies — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 24, 2014

I'm so sorry for coffee, cheques, parachutes, chemistry, inoculations, soap, shampoo, cameras, etc: http://t.co/2L32h4b2d7 #muslimapologies

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 24, 2014

Really, really sorry about all the cars that clog up your streets for 45 minutes during Friday prayers. #MuslimApologies — Naheed Mustafa (@NaheedMustafa) May 6, 2014

Really, really sorry about all the cars that clog up your streets for 45 minutes during Friday prayers. #MuslimApologies

— Naheed Mustafa (@NaheedMustafa) May 6, 2014

Sorry for saying "may peace be upon u" everytime we greet someone #muslimapologies — Afnan (@Afnan_Tweets) September 24, 2014

Sorry for saying "may peace be upon u" everytime we greet someone #muslimapologies

— Afnan (@Afnan_Tweets) September 24, 2014

Sorry for all those awkward moments when we're caught with our feet in the sink #MuslimApologies — Rehan (@rriaz20) September 24, 2014

Sorry for all those awkward moments when we're caught with our feet in the sink #MuslimApologies

— Rehan (@rriaz20) September 24, 2014

"I'm sorry that Mufasa had to die in Lion King" #muslimapologies — Mohammad Hassanzai (@mo_afghan) September 24, 2014

"I'm sorry that Mufasa had to die in Lion King" #muslimapologies

— Mohammad Hassanzai (@mo_afghan) September 24, 2014

#MuslimApologies I'm sorry for using my hijab as a hands free device for my mobile! — Haleema Palekar (@Hals_pals) September 24, 2014

#MuslimApologies I'm sorry for using my hijab as a hands free device for my mobile!

— Haleema Palekar (@Hals_pals) September 24, 2014

I'm going to just wear this shirt every day from now on. #MuslimApologies pic.twitter.com/EuKG20tNXP — Maha Hilal (@mahmooha2013) September 23, 2014

I'm going to just wear this shirt every day from now on. #MuslimApologies pic.twitter.com/EuKG20tNXP

— Maha Hilal (@mahmooha2013) September 23, 2014