ABSTRACT
Fear and paranoia can be defined broadly as suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification. Suleman, a thirty-five-year-old naturalised American citizen born in Karachi, agreed with Chomsky that the United States is a very frightened and paranoid country. Anwar's use of the term 'normal' is nevertheless interesting and provides an opportunity to explore how this concept can be operationalised in American society. The 9/11 narrative depicts Muslims through the lens of violence and terrorism. The possibility of returning to Pakistan concerned Jabar, however, because if he were to go back it would be next to impossible for him to find a job and provide for his biraderi, or family network. Wazir aimed to combat discrimination and racism, a struggle that he expected to inevitably unfold over the next few decades. In both countries, politicians and media outlets found a new 'folk devil' – the brown Pakistani Muslim, who is invading 'Western civilization'.
