I recently came across “24 reasons to challenge Islamophobia” at the bottom of a silly article in the HuffPo (Ca) which claims to debunk “myths about Islam” by the use of … myths (in the sense of “total fabrications”).
The “24 reasons...” just pictures with snappy captions, so I've decided to reply one by one.
As we should all know by now “Islamophobia” means “critique of Islam” as well as “anti-Muslim bigotry”.Once more let me be clear here. In what follows I am referring solely and exclusively to the “critique of Islam” part of “Islamophobia” and not the (falsely) conflated “anti-Muslim bigotry” part which I always condemn, as I'm doing here again.
Okay, with that out of the way and since all the captions start with “Challenge Islamophobia because” we'll take that as read:
#1. ...I could be your sister, daughter, friend.
Clearly the intent here is to ensure that the “sister, daughter, friend” never has to defend – or fail to - the barbaric aspects of Islam. Put another way “I'm Muslim, don't challenge me!”
#2. … we are humanity.
An interesting one. Note what it does not say, there is no “part of”. This reads like an exclusive claim to humanity which does not include the “najjis Kaffir” (filthy non-Muslim) who is lower than a microbe.Oops! Islamic supremacy leaking out here methinks.
#3. ...Muslims deserve to feel safe.
And so do non-Muslims.But I quite agree, especially from their fellow Muslims. As Muslims love to tell us kaffirs it is Muslims who suffer most from Islamic terror (#13, below).Perhaps you should try putting your own house in order before pointing the finger at anyone else.In Europe and the U.S. far more non-Muslims have been killed by Muslims than vice-versa.But why is Muslim “safety” threatened by critique of Islam? Everybody else has to defend their beliefs – or lack of them on occasion – so why are Muslims to be exempted?This speaks of the great intolerance of Islam to critique.
#4. ...Humankind is ONE and there is no place for divisions.
Following #2 perhaps this means rather less than many might imagine. Further given the Sunni-Shia split and ~1400 years of fratricidal conflict, let's see Muslims leading from the front (instead of blaming everyone else) and healing that divide, along with the divides within each of those main sects to mention but a few of the violence-inducing schisms within Islam.Implicit also is that challenging Islam's ideology is “divisive”. Yet it is Islam that denigrates all other beliefs by it's characterisation of non-Muslims, but that isn't “divisive”?Pure hypocrisy.
#5...I am a Muslim and I am just like YOU.
On one level that is true. Muslims are humans just like the rest of us – at least in the eyes of the rest of us.But why does that mean I can't critique Islam? In fact your statement proves itself an oxymoron and you have stated something false.You claim some ideas, yours, are above discussion and criticism, yet Islam challenges mine. I say none are; therefore we are not alike.
#6. ...the extremists do not define US.
Which “us” is meant? If it is “orthodox Muslims” then yes they do.If it is “modernist”, “secularist” etc. Muslims then fair enough.Second: and assuming you mean what I think you do: if the “extremists” do not define Islam, then surely Islam should be critically discussed precisely to undermine their definitions? Or is it that you fear that such a critical discussion would prove the opposite?
#7. … it is the right thing to do.
And we all want to do the “right thing” of course. But is it a (never mind “the”) “right thing” to allow Islam's barbarity to go unchallenged?Clearly the young lady thinks so but I beg to differ, with the utmost respect of course.
#8. … I should not have to worry about my Mom who wears the Hijab.
Indeed you shouldn't. But unless you live in Egypt (for example) where despite the fact that most women are hijabbed, a staggering percentage (some reports say 98%) of women are sexually harrassed, then I'm not quite sure what your point is.On the other hand, neither should anyone in Europe should have to worry about their grandmother, Mom or daughter because they are NOT wearing the Hijab. And there have been more attacks and of a more serious nature on European non-Muslim women who were not wearing hijab than there have been on Muslimas in Europe wearing hijab.
#9. … is the real Islam the Islam we see in the media?
No it isn't. But probably NOT for the reasons you are imagining. Here in the U.K. the mainstream media continually down-play the role of Islam in terror and crime. The Muslim child-grooming gangs are proof positive of this.Ironically, if what you say and in the sense you mean it, were true then Islam would have no fear of critique which would exonerate it from the purported media misrepresentation.
#10. ...prejudice is wrong.
I entirely agree. Prejudice means “judging before the facts” or “a judgement or opinion formed without enough thought or knowledge”.The fact is that most westerners are profoundly ignorant about what Islam teaches, therefore anything they say about Islam is the result of prejudice.Those who have studied Islam are not guilty of prejudice no matter how negative their view may be.We may be bigots (another matter) but we are not prejudiced.The irony is that it is precisely those who instantly pour forth the tropes about Islam who are prejudiced. They are making statements with little or no knowledge of what Islam actually teaches.The problem is that far too often “prejudice” is today taken to mean “an unfavourable opinion”, which is grotesquely stupid.
#11. … variety brings education.
Huh? I honestly don't get this one. The German experience is that “variety” (if it means the mass importation of Middle Eastern and African Muslims) means, not education, but crime and a large and unemployable group of young men quite unfitted for western society and /or its jobs market.
#12. … together we are stronger.
I think this guy gets the (joint) prize for fatuity, see #23.
#13. … the group most affected by 'Islamic' terrorism is Muslims!So to prevent Islamic terrorism we must never challenge the ideology that gives it rise?
This is the sort of illogic and irrationality that pervades much to do with sustaining the “Islamophobia” tropes.
#14. … Stereotypes are lazy and dangerous.
I entirely agree.The stereotype that is most widely broadcast in the West is that “Muslims are just like us”.Were this so then there would be no Sharia Courts in western Countries, Muslims would not be self-segregating, agitating for special treatment and so on.Then there are the “stereotypes”, i.e. tropes, used about Islam to whitewash it.So 10/10 for this one, it's spot on.
#15. … as a Christian having faith doesn't make you a threat.
True. But then your faith does not command you to kill, enslave, rob etc. those who aren't of your faith.This poor lady has fallen foul of the “all religions are alike” fallacy. There's a word for folk like her - “dupe”.
#16. … we are all human.A basic fact, though why this means we should not challenge Islam's teaching and ideology I fail to follow.
This strikes me as a particularly egregious non-sequitor and again typical of the illogic needed to sustain the “Islamophobia” argument.
#17. … I grew up in a Muslim Country and was welcomed. Why can't we welcome Muslim people in the U.K.?
What this lad is missing is the fact that we have, do and will. And more than that, Islam is increasingly being accommodated in terms of what is considered “normal” in the U.K. Sharia Courts, Halal meat as default, separate facilities for Muslims etc.
#18. … religions aren't violent, people are.
Again on one level this is true. It is people who carry out the violence.But there is a diametric difference between those who enact religiously-commanded violence and those who enact violence in direct violation of their religion's (or other creed's) teachings.This one is downright dangerous in that it seeks to absolve Islam of the consequences of its own teachings.
#19. … racism and prejudice still hold the world back from becoming a tolerant place.
Oh how true my young friend, especially given the amount of racism (in the guise of Tribalism) and prejudice is preached around the world by Islam's Imams in their hate-preach.
#20. … I shouldn't be asked if I'm going to Syria at the airport because I wear a headscarf.
Even if your ticket says “Syria”? Just kidding.But I do wonder just what it was that prompted the question ...
#21. … it scapegoats a whole group.
So we must not critique Islam because doing that makes Muslims look bad.Perhaps if Muslims come to see how retrogressive Islam is they may leave it. They certainly won't if you're too busy telling them how wonderful it is and silencing anything negative about Islam.
#22. … No group should be characterised by the views of a minority.
I agree. But that is not to say that the views of the “minority” should not be dissected and discussed. Indeed, if the minority is non-representative surely that is precisely what should be done in order to undermine and contradict their views.Do we not need to understand from where the views of the minority stem?Again this is a demand that non-Muslims remain in ignorance – for good or ill and it's generally ill.
#23. … we should respect the integrity of all people.
I wonder if ISIL, Boko Haram etc. would respect the “integrity” of this young Christian woman? The evidence says otherwise.This is another meaningless buzz phrase. So I'll make her a joint winner of the fatuity prize.
#24. … as a Muslim woman your [sic] oppressed. YES BY YOUR BIGOTRY! PROUD MUSLIM Ironically true. Bigoted tolerance of Islamic misogyny is indeed oppressive to Muslim women. In particular much of the Western feminist movement is utterly silent about the same.
Then there is “Stockholm syndrome” to consider here.
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