Islamophobia has no place in our democratic society

[natrlron]

We have got to counter the ongoing Islamophobia in this country. It is making life more difficult for American Muslims and that isn't right. Recently the Orange County, CA District Attorney pressed criminal misdemeanor charges against some Muslim students for heckling the Israeli ambassador during a speech. No question these charges are an example of religious/ethnic bias and a violation of the 14th Amendment. Islamophobia is another product of the right-wing demagogues who are destroying our country. Such hatred has no place in our democracy. Hatred makes rational discourse impossible, and rational discourse is the lifeblood of our democracy.

For more on this and other topics, go to my blog http://preservingamericangreatness.blogspot.com

[Teaser]

1. we should be equally afraid of all religions

.

[natrlron]

4. I agree, but

I am not a fan of any organized religion. More evil has been done over the centuries in the name of religion than any other force. But it's one thing to be on guard against religion or to criticize religion, it is another to preach hatred of a religion and those who practice it. The problem is almost always not the religion (in terms of their texts) or the average person who practices it, it is in those who lead the religion and who pervert the teachings.

[cali]

8. If it weren't done in the name of religion than it would be done in the name of something else

it's human nature that perpetrates what you call evil. After all, religion is a human invention. This is such obvious stuff. I don't get why people can't see it.

[cali]

5. nonsense. we shouldn't be afraid of religion. you want to fear, feel free

[Donald Ian Rankin]

12. In the UK I agree with you; in most of the world I don't.

In most Islamic countries, for example, or much of Christian Africa, I think that being afraid of religion is very sensible indeed.

One of the great things about modern secular liberal democracies is that - unusually for human societies over the course of history - there is no cause for people living in them to be afraid of the dominant religion or religious group.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

10. Absolutely not - there are massive differences between (and within) religions.

We should be *afraid of* different religions in proportion to the threat they pose to us.
We should *condemn* different religious positions to the extent that their teachings on moral issues are wrong.


I am far less afraid of Islam than I am of Christianity (and in the UK I'm not very scared of Christianity, although in the US I would be), but I condemn it significantly more strongly. There are very few muslims in the UK, and so they have very little power to influence my life, but on average (and never, *ever* forget the "on average" there) I disagree with Muslims much more strongly about e.g. women's rights, gay rights, crime and punishment, separation of church and state, religious liberty, freedom of speech etc than I do with Christians.

[msongs]

2. lol those students were doing a little hatred of their own nt

[provis99]

3. Islam sucks. And so does every other religion.

Nothing wrong with complaining about the stupid ideas of religion.

[natrlron]

6. I agree, but

see response above

[cali]

7. I'm not convinced that the charges against some Muslim students

is an example of bias against Muslims so much as it is bias against protesters in general

Islamaphobia like all bigotry is wrong- and that includes bigotry against religion. You're already seeing that in this thread. You'll see more of it.

[natrlron]

9. Yes, bigotry is alive and well

It's disappointing when you see bigotry expressed by people on this progressive site.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

13. What do you mean by "bigotry against religion"?

How do you distinguish it from legitimate criticism/condemnation of religion?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

11. I think there's a clear line to be drawn between opposition to Islam and opposition to Muslims

I yield to few in my utter condemnation of the teachings of Mohammed as interpreted by the majority of his followers.

That does not mean that citizens of the UK have any less right to hold those beliefs than I have to hold mine.


"You are wrong, and we will tell you so loudly and possibly rudely" is a good liberal response to religion in general and to Islam in particular.

"You are wrong, and you do not belong here" is bigotry, plain and simple.