Posted on 09/16/2005 8:26:08 AM PDT by Muentzer2005
THE DANGER OF EQUATING CRITICISM WITH ISLAMOPHOBIA
As some feel justified in denouncing Jewish use of the accusation of “anti-Semitism” to deflect legitimate criticism, however, so can Muslims use Islamophobia to deflect serious discussion about dangerous tendencies within Islam. Indeed, some define Islamophobia simply in terms of public image: “One who contributes to a negative public presentation of Islam and/or Muslims; whose political views and/or scholarship shape how Islam is presented today.” When any criticism or negative presentation of Islam becomes identified with Islamophobia, when any scholar who does not play the role of apologist can be so dismissed no matter how substantial his or her research, then the label has shifted from an important designation (and accusation) to a weapon of propaganda designed to smear opponents. In such cases, Islamophobia becomes a particularly powerful form of demopathic discourse, insisting that any criticism of Islam is a form of demonizing hate language.
(Excerpt) Read more at seconddraft.org ...
Let's call the ACLU and see what they say. (As if we don't already know)...
How about deathcultaphobe?
"Accusing someone of being an Islamophobe: is it a way of supressing criticism? I think it is."
It's not a phobia. I don't fear them. I recognize them for what they have told me they are, my enemy.
Guess another word I can add to MY resume.
Just because THEY'RE OUT TO KILL YOU doesn't mean you're ISLAMOPHOBIC.
How about Fascistphobia?
I would argue that our fear of Islam is very rational, given what we have seen of it since 9-11.
When I read of Muslim Harvard professors advocating that we should "acknowledge and address the collective reasons in which Al Qaeda anchors its acts of force," I can only assume that such Middle East experts believe that al Qaeda speaks for all Muslims. Otherwise, why would we need to treat such "reasons" as legitimate and worthy of being addressed?
If a Harvard expert obviously believes that al Qaeda is a true representative of Islam, who am I to argue?
I don't think our fear is irrational at all.
I agree with that. However, increasingly the label "islamophobe" is being used as a weapon against those who criticize some religious/cultural trends in Islam.
Only if it's true. Why would anyone fear a ragheaded, flea-infested, beady-eyed, hairy-backed, suspicious, paranoid, zealous follower of a failed religion mired in the 8th century? Hold them in contempt, yes; fear them? No.
Name calling is just what leftists do to distract people from the fact that their ideas are worthless. Not surprising that Islamists have adopted that same tactic, especially since forming their obvious alliance with Democrat Ameriphobes.
* For those of you who have never visited the "Ask the Imam" site I asure you it is a serious site and not a joke site. Even though it can be very funny in an odd way. So take a look and see what the FATWA Department is doing today.....
I'm just surprised that it's taken them this long to come up with this. There are plenty of precedents that should have suggested this to them earlier -- racist, sexist, homophobe, etc. -- all designed to deflect criticism, even when that criticism is valid.
As a Christian, I reject Islam on dogmatic grounds -- it includes Christ in its theological scheme and it teaches falsehoods about him. I'm not going to budge from that position, although that doesn't automatically mean I am prejudiced against individual Muslims.
Islam has a major PR disaster on it hands, going back a long, long time. If Muslims work on that, i.e. reign in the lunatics among them who murder innocent people and who threaten the peace of the entire world, then maybe people might begin to think a little better of them.
> Maybe someone should Ask the Imam?
Yeah, ask Weird Beard.
I don't see how any criticism of Mohamedanism could be other than a denunciation.
OK, so I will be known as an 'islamophobe'. Suits me fine.
Before I got to this thread, I read about a mosque getting blown up, over a hundred killed by a car bomb, I've listened to threats to just about every country that's not radical Islam, and sit back expecting to see much more of the same.
Shame on me, I am an islamophobe...
PS - Check my tag!
Islam's history speaks for itself.
Screw Islam. 9/11/2001.
How bout Jihadophobe?
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