Islamaphobia: The Anti-Semitism of Today
By Gorcon
@Gorcon (320)
United States
July 29, 2008 4:48pm CST
There is so much hatred and prejudice against Islam and Muslims today. And if you're to disagree with me, just watch the news...which perpetuates lies, misinformation and slander about Islam and Muslims. Oh yeah, not to mention the Danish cartoons...
We as a nation (snd nations) need to start educating ourselves about other cultures and religions (not only Islam). Half of us don't even know where Iraq is on a map. Seriously, before someone says "Go back home Muslim," please understand that the person you're telling that to is probably born and raised in America...so how exactly can they go "home" when America is home for them?
Just to illustrate the ignorance of some in America, Sikhs were attacked and brutally treated after Sept. 11. The turban holds no religious significance in Islam and is merely a cultural/traditional headpiece used by Arabs. And again to show the ignorance of some in America, most believe that the all Muslims are Arab. Actually,the majority of Muslims are not Arab, they're actually South-Asian. I could go on, but for brevity sake I'll just mention those two examples.
Unfortunately most Americans' primary source of information is the news/media. Few ever go to libraries, talk to Muslims, or even educate themselves on other cultures. If we are ever to make this world a better and more tolerant place everyone needs to educate themselves from unbiased sources and stop listening to mistruths, misinformation and lies perpetuated by those with political agendas.
I guess in America and all over the world, every minority is deemed the blacksheep of society and eventually needs to establish itself wherever it is located. In America it was first the Native American, then the Irish, then the Chinese, then the African-American, and now it's the Mexican and Muslim who are demonized in the media.
We just need to look back in history to see how racism, bigotry, anti-semitism have been on-going trends in society and unfortunately society keeps falling into the same routine of racism, bigotry, xenophobia and prejudice seen in earlier times.
And that is why Islamaphobia is the new antisemitism of today.
3 people like this
6 responses
@worldwidewadi (277)
• Singapore
3 Aug 08
On the subject Danish cartoons, it does not help that the fact these cartoons just provoked the anger of Muslim community further. It's a shame that the mockery of Islam is done based on freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is meaningless if these acts are done irresponsibly. Freedom of speech has its limits.
I got to know that the council of Muslim Ulamas in Singapore sent a delegation to the Danish embassy requesting and explanation and demand that the offensive cartoons and the controversial video be removed and banned. The Danish ambassador response was that why should they be responsible for the people who published the cartoons and videos. Their stand is like a parent shouldn't be held responsible for the child's mischief. This arrogant attitude of theirs just fuel more anger in the Muslim world. And I wouldn't be surprised if Geert Wilders get assassinated or Denmark gets hit by terrorism. They create a new level of Islamophobia. They choose to be irresponsible. Simply to say, they are asking for it. Now if that happens, Muslims aren't gonna take responsibility for actions of the extremist. That's for sure.
Anyways Gorcon, I congratulate you for your attempts to correct the image of Islam. You done it better than I possibly could.
2 people like this
@urbandekay (18278)
•
8 Aug 08
worldwidewadi, what rot! Either it is free speech or it is censorship. Seig Hiel Mien Furher!
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
9 Aug 08
lawfully speaking, here in America there are laws that protect people against slander and libel.
Further, how come whenever African-Americans, Jews and Gays, whenever someone says anything against them it's seen as racist/libel slander? Is it not free speech when someone says "Israel is an oppressive state?" Oh of course not, that's clearly ANTI-SEMITIC. And I ask you how?
Is it not free speech for one to say they hate gays? Was it not during the 1950's that Nazi-sympathizers marched through Skokie, Illinois? However, when it comes to Gays, Jews and African-Americans it's not considered freedom of speech? Also, was it not freedom of speech (symbolic) during the Texas v. Johnson case that was established as lawful? Yet, when people criticize the US government, they're seen as un-Patriotic, "helping the enemy," "un-American"---all of which we've heard during the Red Scare.
I do not believe that slander=free speech. There is a distinct difference.
1 person likes this
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
30 Jul 08
since the effects of 9/11 and the fact that it is thier aim to convert the world I will admit i mysaelf suffer greatly from Islamaphobia: and will remain so untill they act to put a stop to "radical Islam"themselves and unfoortunatly i do not see that ever happening I myself do not want to live under shiria law or follow islams idea of womenhood and for those who do let them go and live in an islamic country instead of the one i live in
2 people like this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
30 Jul 08
you need to define who "their" is. You cannot just whitewash all Muslims as "terrorist/extremists." No where in Islam does it say to enforce Islamic beliefs on others, in fact as I had said earlier in the Quran it says "let there be no compulsion in religion." For thousands of years Christians, Jews and Muslims lived in peace and were allowed to practice their respective religions peacefully under the rule of Muslim rulers.
These extremists do not hate America and their way of life. How retarded is it to claim "they hate us because of our freedoms"? You need to read a book called After Jihad by Noah Feldman. It discusses why those under regimes in the Middle East and elsewhere are frustrated and turning to terrorism in order to bring about a change.
We need to study historical trends that have brought us to what we have today and what has developed in the world. Every problem we see today in the Middle East and ultimately in all conflict regions can be traced back to imperialism, colonialism, and failed foreign policies.
People often fear that which they don't understand. If you were to read up on Islam and educate yourself about Islam you'd realize that most of the actions done by extremists today have nothing to do with Islam at all. And often what we see in the Middle East is often a distortion of Islam or merely a cultural trend that has nothing to do with Islam. You have nothing to fear from Islam or Muslims. If all Muslims were as "evil" as the media claims, why do we not hear of violent crimes by Muslims against non-Muslims in the US? Granted there are a few random individuals out there but not as rampant as in the Middle East.
And once again I stress that we study history in order to understand why things are the way they are in the Middle East.
And what do you mean by "Islam's idea of womenhood"?
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
31 Jul 08
wow, that video is something that sounds like it came out of Bush's playbook. Please don't blindly believe what's put on the internet and spewed by the media...it's best to read news from overseas from other nations, which have alternate points of views.
I swear, we need to educate ourselves and not blindly believe the media. After all there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq right? Right?
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
31 Jul 08
figures...it's a neo-con, conservative website...but that's a moot point as I was saying before Islam has nothing to do with terrorism, just as the KKK had nothing to do with Christianity.
America needs to differentiate between the peaceful Muslims and the extremists if they're ever to win the War on Terror. As long as you alienate peaceful Muslims from this process you've basically already lost yourself the war.
I can't believe neo-cons are still spewing this fear campaign...haven't they learned their lessons from their war-mongering in Iraq and Afghanistan? And I guess Osama Bin Forgotten....
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
30 Jul 08
Yes, I know. I am curious to know about all religions (knowledge should never make anybody parochial) and Islam to me, is one of the most fascinating yet controversial religions. Within my limited resources, I have surfed the net to get as much info on Islam as I could and my views have somewhat changed from Islamphobia to a better understanding of the subject. While I believe that the original thoughts, intentions, messages, practices of Muhammad were definitely well-intentioned and much needed for the Arabian plateau of that time, many of it has been distorted over the centuries for personal gains of muslim leaders. The five tenets of Islam are also understandable and acceptable, BUT what I cannot accept is the mindless violence Islam associates itself with. The view of Islam as a world-unifying religion is great, but Muslims need to understand that violence will get them nowhere and their dream of establishing a Caliphate with the Sharia may no longer be possible in today’s world. Acceptance of all religious beliefs is the only way for peaceful coexistance. And, while the Quran is definitely inviolable, the Sharia in its entirety should not be i.e laws pertaining to the tribes of the Arabia peninsula 1000 years back, cannot apply to modern society of today. Also Muslims nations need to be more tolerant of the minority communities in their countries. Also, most Muslims I know of, consider their religion above everything else, even the motherland. The Pan-Islamic identity is their most important identity and if required, they would go even against their motherland for the cause of Islam. This is kind of becoming scary for us in a multi-religious nation like India.
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
30 Jul 08
The problem is that unfortunately, some Muslims don't follow Islam correctly and often you'll see them doing un-Islamic things that have nothing to do with Islam, Some Muslims mix culture and tradition and outsiders think that's Islam.
Yes, Islam has been distorted by rulers in the Arab countries to control the masses. But that doesn't mean Islam as a religion is bad.
One thing that's often misunderstood by Muslims and non-Muslims alike is that Sharia is merely the "do's and don'ts" of Islam and are based upon Quran and Sunnah (the way of the Prophet Muhammad). Sharia applies to Muslims and as long as they follow it they're fine. They don't need to apply it to non-Muslims. Some see a utopian society under Sharia, but I don't see that as viable in the near future, there's way too much corruption in these Arab governments.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
31 Jul 08
Thnx so much for responding back. I do not think that Islam as a religion is bad but you are absolutely correct when you say ‘Some see a utopian society under Sharia, but I don't see that as viable in the near future’…not only for corruption, but world society today has changed a million times since the days the Arab were united under Islam. In order to survive peacefully, we all need to work towards democratic secular societies and religion should be kept within our homes and places of worship. Similarly, there are many ideas of the sharia which should no longer be applicable in today’s society (eg: witness of two women is equivalent to that of one man or talaq thrice is equivalent to divorce) and such. Muslims are so much an integral part of the world and the change towards modern education, technology, jobs etc should come from within the society itself and for that, the very first misconception that should be done away with is that modernization will dilute Islam…no it cannot be, Islam is not so weak. Instead modernization and assimilation will lift the Islamic world from the deep abyss it finds itself in today.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
8 Aug 08
No, the anti-Semitism of today is that practised by the likes of the leader of Iran; it is the same anti-Semitism, it is an irrational hatred of Jews.
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
9 Aug 08
Actually Arabs are considered Semites too...so Israelis could be considered anti-Semitic too since they don't particularly like Arabs...
Also, criticizing the state of Israel is not anti-semitism, it's just the same as criticizing any other nation...
And any time you mix religion with government, don't expect people to be like "oh no, we can't criticize them, they must be perfect angels, they're a RELIGIOUS government,"(religion's been distorted and used to control the masses)rather Israel is a secular nation officially, but with a Jewish population.
Zionism was a secular movement that sought to create a SECULAR Jewish state. Herzl never envisioned a religious state and never wanted Hebrew to be the official language. He sought to create a nation based upon the European model of a state.
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
10 Aug 08
I already explained the reason for "Arab aggression." And those regimes are supported by the US, how are the people meant to create democracies when these regimes are funded and supported by the US? People there are YEARNING for democracy.
And Israel is no exception to human rights abuses, that's another reason for "Arab aggression"----the bombing of Lebanon in 2006, the bombing of Lebanon in 1982, the Shabra and Shatila massacres, and the continual occupation of Palestinian lands in violation of Resolution 141.
Likewise, I'm not saying the Palestinians are angels either, they have their faults and atrocities as well, but what do you expect when you oppress a people for so long? It's similar to starving and beating a dog, would you not expect it to bite back?
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Bravo! To not have anything to add to a discussion is very rare but I completely agree with everything you have said. Oh but it you ever find the land of Muslim please let me know because it would be interesting as to where exactly it is Thanks for the great post!
@dreamssri (1796)
• India
31 Jul 08
well,answer for this simple question friend:
"dont you know that most of the terrorists in the world are muslims and are killing many people every day??"
this is the reason why people fear about Islam..
@urbandekay (18278)
•
8 Aug 08
"the creation of Israel and US support which has alienated and frustrated Arabs and Muslims alike."
Yes, frustrated Arab aggression.
"First it'd be good to start differentiating Muslims from extremists and take those moderate Muslims as allies in the War on Terror."
Let moderate Muslims first condemn their extremist fellow Muslims, until they do that they are give tacit support to those extremists.
"helping these poor Muslim nations economically would eradicate the threat of terrorism"
Many of these nations would not be poor if there rich and greedy leaders shared some of the wealth the nation produces with its population.
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
9 Aug 08
ok....
Point #1: Muslims have condemned the terrorist acts...they just haven't gotten air time because the media loves action-packed, fear-filled news stories
(similarly, should the entire US population apologize for the unjust Iraq war?)
Point #2: Do you SERIOUSLY think these regimes have the people's well-being in their hearts? And it's really REALLY not helping that the US is propping up these oppressive dictators/regimes.
Point #3: NO ARAB NATION, has yet to attack Israel, so far it's been empty threats.
And let me emphasize NATION, not organization, terrorist group, etc.
I beg to differ on the "Arab aggression" statement. Do you really think that if, hypothetically, Texas were to become an independent Mexican state, American's would be particularly happy? And all white-Texans were to be either forced out and placed in neighboring countries in refugee camps, those states would be happy? Or if they were forced to live in certain areas of Texas and not allowed to move between them? Do you really think white-Americans would be happy with the treatment of the white-Texans?
I think not...thus, Arabs were frustrated with the fact that a new nation was being enforced upon Arab populations and caused a mass exodus of Palestinians and caused there to be massive refugee camps to be built in neighboring countries. That really doesn't make people happy, when they have an influx of people they need to take care of, who are not a part of their country and becomes another economic burden upon them.
1 person likes this
@Gorcon (320)
• United States
31 Jul 08
I've already answered your question in another post. Terrorism is not exclusive to any one people or religion. There is nothing, as I have told you before in the Quran or sunnah (way of Muhammad) that encourages terrorism.
Your glib question of "why are all Muslims terrorists" is not taking into account years of history. It is such an ignorant question, before you ask that question you need to study the trends of Middle East history.
First things first, you need to ask yourself a few questions:
1)Why is there so much Terrorism and hatred towards the US?
---This is not a recent phenomenon, look back at Middle East history and you'll find your answers, one of which is the creation of Israel and US support which has alienated and frustrated Arabs and Muslims alike. Not to mention the terrible job the colonial powers did in drawing the borders of these nations, why do you think there's civil war in Iraq and Lebanon?
2) Does Islam have or support terrorism?
---See Quran (5:32)
---also, Muhammad disapproved of and condemned any killing of innocent civlians (see hadith for more details)
3) So then if Islam does not support terrorism, what is these extremists' motivation?
--It's a combination of misinformation, misinterpretation of Islam (and mixing of culture/tradition with Islam) and also economic and political troubles in the Middle East. Most people in the Middle East are frustrated, poor and disgruntled with their oligarchies and monarchies they live under. And also failed economies, huge gaps between rich and poor and how they perceive US foreign policy.
Most actually, you may find surprising want democracy and want a positive change to occur with democracy(to rid themselves of their despots). However, as there is no support from the US to encourage this in their nations, they resort to violence and ultimately they see the source of their troubles as the US and it's allies as supporters of these despots, oligarchies and monarchies.
4) How can we rectify this problem?
---First it'd be good to start differentiating Muslims from extremists and take those moderate Muslims as allies in the War on Terror. And touting around these terms "Islamist," "Islamofascists," "Islamic terrorism," aren't exactly the most flattering of terms for moderate Muslims as they feel they're being whitewashed as terrorists/extremists as well. Also, good foreign policy would be to promote democracy and capitalism in Muslim countries through economic means and not so blatantly (i.e. through military means) as that only furthers/supports the extremists' cause and they essentially build a larger following as they say "I told you so, the US is against us." Peaceful and economic ways are possible to promote democracy and capitalism.
Also, helping these poor Muslim nations economically would eradicate the threat of terrorism as most of the extremist recruits come from poor, disgruntled and frustrated peoples. If people have jobs and are well-off, and educated it will create a stronghold against extremist influence.
It's analogous to the ghettos here in the US. If you were to educate and get those living in ghettos into schools and get jobs, they'd be less likely to commit crimes.
So we need to look to history first and look at events in context before we draw conclusions and make assumptions. We need to study US foreign policy, Middle East history and the US involvement there and study trends to fully understand what has brought things to what they are today.
1 person likes this