Characteristics of Orientalism, Prejudice, and Discrimination Muslims and Arabs over the years have been placed in each other’s groups, but they are similar, but different. Muslims are a people embracing the religion, Islam, which means Muslims are part of a religious sector. Arabs are people who dwell or own the Arabian or Arab regions. This makes Arabs a nationality, where they speak Arabic and is free to choose whatever faith or religion they plan to follow. Muslims can have a native tongue or speak any language in the world; who knew these two groups were this different. After the terrorist’s attacks of 9/11, the United States placed policies that have targeted Arabs and Muslims. One new policy that was put in place was by the Department of State. The policy mandated that at 20-day hold be placed on all non-immigrant visa applications by men between the ages of 18-45 from 26 countries. All such applicants were subject to special security clearances. Another policy that was put in place was the changes in issuance of visitor’s visas. The policy awarded persons from special registration such as Iran, Iraq, Algeria, etc., visitor’s visas. The date indicates a 39% percent drop for these countries in 2002, and significant decreases for all special registration countries except Eritrea. No recognition of change over time in this groups and power relations are two characteristics of Orientalism. Orientalism and prejudice contribute to hate crimes against these groups because many people around the world blame these groups personally for the 9/11 attacks. This led to anger, and people wanting revenge against someone because he or she are the same faith or looked like the individual’s responsible for the 9/11 attacks. One thing individuals may do to promote tolerance and reduce prejudice in his or her town and city, is to show those who do not agree with their cause that you are not giving up on your mission. Going into schools and providing information on tolerance and why not to be prejudice is another way to promote these items. As Martin Luther King Jr. stated in his infamous “I Have A Dream” speech, I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.