Comments on: Ben Marshall on Runnymede and Islamophobia

By: Godefroi de Boulogne

Godefroi de Boulogne — Tue, 30 May 2006 20:32:32 +0000

I’m not sure that “Islamophobia” is an accurate term. Phobia is defined as “an irrational fear.” I don’t fear Islam; and my negative opinion about that version of Islam spouted by Bin-Laden and his supporters is hardly irrational.

By: Bikhair

Bikhair — Tue, 30 May 2006 18:05:45 +0000

Shamil,

Seriously, and I hate to talk about people like that but if you have ever seen a wino- a drunk, all red and greasy looking Chris Hitchenson is definately it. Make dua for his liver. Dying from cancer of the liver from abusing alcohol is no joke, I’ve seen it myself. I guess we all pick out poisons though.

By: Shamil

Shamil — Mon, 29 May 2006 21:04:22 +0000

an import from your side of the pond in Christopher Hitchens.

More like a refugee than an import.

There’s no way he could work here while being as well known as he is in America. He’d become such a figure of ridicule no one would be able to take him seriously.

It seem’s that Americans are easily intimidated but the mix of intoxification and an imperial British accent.

By: Umar Lee

Umar Lee — Mon, 29 May 2006 18:11:45 +0000

Very good article and we are dealing with many of the same secular humanists hostile to the deen from the likes of comedians Bill Maher and George Carlin, to Tucker Carlson on the secular-right, to an import from your side of the pond in Christopher Hitchens.

By: Thersites

Thersites — Mon, 29 May 2006 11:27:24 +0000

The only problem is, Mr Marshall isn’t an islamophobe actually. He dislikes islam on perfectly reasonable grounds.

By: UmmZaid

UmmZaid — Sun, 28 May 2006 19:29:11 +0000

Salaam ‘Alaikum

It must also be pointed out that the same editor who commissioned those miserable cartoons refused to publish much more tame cartoons of Jesus (peace be upon him) three years ago, for fear of the outcry they might provoke. So much for the “spirit of free inquiry,” then.

Perceptions of “Islamophobia” (not a perfect term) may differ… it definitely exists here in the US, but I think the economic and social situation of the Muslim community overall is much different than it is in the UK. Then again, people wanting to claim their rights isn’t such a bad thing, particularly when they are being subject to illegal or borderline strictures that others aren’t facing, because of their religion.

We also have to acknowledge that anti-Muslim / Islam hatred is very often tied up with racist hatred as well. As a Muslim, I am just as much a target of anti-Iranian, anti-Arab, etc. hatred, b/c the people spouting this nonsense mistakenly believe that Muslim = Persian or Arab. When someone talks about camel jockeys, he means me as much as he means our Lebanese Christian neighbor. Is it the same in England where Muslimness might be equated to Asianness?

By: Ismaeel

Ismaeel — Sun, 28 May 2006 17:31:29 +0000

Yusuf,

good article mashaAllah, but do you actually think this concept of Islamophobia is a useful one. As you have shown it is used by the left as meaning racism directed towards ethnic minorities who happen to be Muslim, it helps them to manipulate the Muslim community as they attempted with the Danish cartoons affair to seeing this as a racist attack when it was rather an attack on our religious beliefs. See Alan Thornett’s article on http://www.socialistunitynetwork.com for instance. Also this concept of Islamophobia has also generated the problem of a severe victim mentality in much of our community, that combined with incessant demands for “rights”. I think none of this is beneficial for our community or for our message.