In "Behind the Backlash," Peek described the sheer magnitude of the events on September 11, 2001 as part of the reason for the backlash against Muslim Americans. As people tried to understand the disaster, lines were drawn between "us" and "them." Muslims became outsiders, and could not join in the collective grief felt by the rest of the country. Collective grief is normal response in a community affected by disaster. As outsiders, while they felt the same devastating emotions, their grief was dismissed "illegitimate."