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Posted on 12/07/2004 11:37:26 AM PST by kattracks
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Countering a surge in anti-Islamic bigotry requires urgent action by Muslims as well as non-Muslims, governments, the media and educators, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday.Muslims must condemn and isolate extremists who target and kill civilians in the name of their religion and governments must make good on commitments to protect Muslims from discrimination, Annan told a seminar on Islam and intolerance at U.N. headquarters.
At the same time, others must recognize that anti-Western feelings of some Muslims have been fed by a history of colonialism and domination by the West and fanned by unresolved conflicts in the Middle East, Chechnya and the former Yugoslavia, he said.
"The reaction to such events can be visceral, bringing an almost personal sense of affront. But we should remember that these are political reactions -- disagreements with specific policies. All too often, they are mistaken for an Islamic reaction against Western values, sparking an anti-Islamic backlash," he said.
Annan's comments came during a day-long U.N. seminar on "Islamophobia," the second on combating religious intolerance. The first, on anti-Semitism, took place in June.
"When a new word enters the language, it is often the result of a scientific advance or a diverting fad. But when the world is compelled to coin a new term to take account of increasingly widespread bigotry, that is a sad and troubling development. Such is the case with Islamophobia," Annan said.
While the roots of intolerance toward Islam dated back centuries, a recent resurgence has been fed by rising tensions between the Islamic world and West, flawed media stereotypes and expanding Muslim immigration to new corners of the world, speakers said.
It is inevitable that different cultures would have their differences while living in close proximity, but "that cannot justify demonization, or the deliberate use of fear for political purposes," he said.
"Islam should not be judged by the acts of extremists who deliberately target and kill civilians. The few give a bad name to the many, and this is unfair," Annan said.
"Muslims themselves, especially, should speak out, as so many did following the 11 September attacks on the United States, and show a commitment to isolate those who preach or practice violence and to make it clear that these are unacceptable distortions of Islam," he said.
When did "Christophobia" enter the UN's lexicon?
Islamophobia implies that people are afraid of it. In fact people are not afraid of it they just don't like the death cult and don't want it anywhere near them or their families.
What about the Muslims preaching Death to America? We never colonized them! Where is Annan getting his history?
Until ALL STINKING Muslims SPEAK OUT and CONDEMN ALL TERRORISTS ACTS, then I will continue to think that Muslims are not bad...
EVERY alligator ought to own at least four or five.
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Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal.
Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.
Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.
Egypt -Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.
Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution.
Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.
That's the U.N.'s brand of tollerence, don't you know.
Good list there. Thanks.
Meanwhile, Herr Kofi completely ignores the rise in anti-semitism across Europe and elsewhere.
ATTN KOFI: There is no "anti-Islamic" bigotry. There's only anti-terrorist sentiment. And if you'd been paying attention during 9/11, you'd have noted that the overwhelming majority of the world's terrorists are (drumroll) ISLAMISTS!
Bump to that! Good job.
Annan is "coming out of the closet" with his anti-christian, America-hating agenda. This guy has to be pressured out of the UN. He is totally irresponsible.
We probably would not have an "Islamophobia" epidemic if they did not think that blowing things up and killing as many innocent civilians was an acceptable form of protest!
When did believing ones's eyes and ears become "bigotry"?
At the same time, others must recognize that anti-Islamist feelings of some non-Muslims have been fed by a thousand-year history of brutal conquest, subjugation and bloodlust perpetrated by Islamists against the civilized world.
The only "speaking out" by Muslims after 9/11 was about how America deserved the atrocity. Kofi makes up his history to suit his views, I see. I so wish we could get rid of this boil on humanity along with his entire organization.
"Annan is "coming out of the closet" with his anti-christian, America-hating agenda. This guy has to be pressured out of the UN. He is totally irresponsible."That is truth! Thank you
I am starting a one man campaign to send this clown several hundred copies of Orianna Fallaci's book...
At the same time, Kofi should recognize that anti-Muslim feelings of some Westerners have been fed by a history of Jihad and terrorism by the Islamists and fanned by their antisemitism and murder of Jews in the Middle East, murders of Christians in Nigeria, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, Europe and America, the murder of Buddhists in Thailand, the murder of Hindus and Sikhs in India, the murder of Russians, their beheadings of captives, their sermons of hatred, their abuse of their own women, their intolerance of other faiths.... all while howling "Allah Akhbar"
Oh no, it's because they have brown skin and wear funny clothes.
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