When I look back on my life as a Muslim American, I often wonder why most, if not all, of my experiences were positive.

As a child I was taught that "Islam" means peace and that in order to be a Muslim, you are expected to embrace people from all walks of life, regardless of their color or creed. This foundation was not something I learned on my own, or something that was instilled by a well-integrated American Muslim. Everything I know about Islam today was given to me from two immigrants from Southeast Asia—my parents, who after more than 25 years of living in the United States are still strong in their faith and culture and are proud of being part of American society.

Yet 46 percent of Americans feel the United States allows too many immigrants to enter from Muslim countries, and the majority of Americans who feel this way are 40 or older, according to a new survey by Newsweek, the magazine's first poll on attitudes toward Muslim Americans.

The poll, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, interviewed 1,003 adults ages 18 and older. It found that 52 percent of Americans feel that U.S. Muslims—native-born (35 percent) and foreign-born (65 percent)—are more peaceful than Muslims living in other countries.

Before the 9/11 attacks, immigrants and Muslims in general mostly were accepted by American society. Now, immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants, are often cited as potentially linked to terrorist organizations or as the terrorists themselves. The poll also found that among those foreign-born Muslims who make up the majority of Muslims living in the United States today, 49 percent describe their commitment to Islam as "medium," which implies a healthy relationship with religious beliefs. The survey also notes that 52 percent of Americans are aware that the majority of U.S. Muslims are immigrants.   

As far I'm concerned, Islam is, at its core, like all other world religions, including Christianity and Judaism. My religion, like others, preaches peace. However, there is a reason Islam is considered one of the fastest-growing religions in the world, with approximately 3 million  to 6 million Muslims in the United States.

Newsweek's overall findings concluded that although 40 percent of Americans perceive U.S. Muslims as loyal citizens (32 percent feel American Muslims are not trustworthy), most Americans still hold mixed feelings toward Muslim communities. As an American, my feelings are equally as mixed. The results from this survey concerning Muslim immigrants suggest an un-American sentiment. It goes against the value system associated with the First Amendment that grants all Americans the right to exercise religion freely without persecution.

As a Muslim American, I believe U.S. Muslims, both native- and foreign-born, continue to bear blame for the 9/11 attacks and are unfairly targeted as a result. What is more unfair, however, is the assumption that because a Muslim is also an immigrant, that he or she is more likely to be identified as a terrorist.

As a child, I was also taught that the United States is a nation founded by immigrants. But it wasn't my parents who explained this to me; it was an American.

(See also: The Truth From a Small-Town Muslim American 

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