9/11: Five years later Typecasting Muslims as a Race

The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | September 3, 2006 | Matthai Chakko Kuruvila, Chronicle Religion Writer

[Tamar1973]

As the war on terror heads into its sixth year, a new racial stereotype is emerging in America. Brown-skinned men with beards and women with head scarves are seen as "Muslims" -- regardless of their actual faith or nationality.

Law enforcement measures, politicians, religious leaders and the media have contributed to stereotyping Muslims as a race -- echoing the painful history of another faith.

[Tamar1973]

The article is pretty long and even if the SF Chronicle wasn't on the list of media outlets which are expert-only, I would probably exerpt it anyway.

Having said that, all those interviewed brag about how American they are but none of them speak out against America's enemies (at least not in the article.) I wouldn't be surprised if the reporter didn't even both to ask the question to give any of them the opportunity to do so.

[Dallas59]

In other words this "racial" profiling just suddenly started without reason...

[Neophyte]

It is not worth of reading after the first sentence:

are seen as "Muslims" -- regardless of their actual faith or nationality.

OK, one seldom can designate a faith just by the appearence of the person, but what has nationality to do with being or not a Muslim?

BS!

[Tamar1973]

In other words this "racial" profiling just suddenly started without reason...

If we get too tied up in racial profiling, the bad guys can easily get around that by recruiting people who don't fit the stereotype. They're doing it in Chechnya quite sucessfully, from what I've read.

[stinkerpot65]

http://jihadwatch.org/

Khatami blames US policies for terrorism while speaking in Chicago

The "Azzam" Threat: A prelude to Future Jihad in America

[Tamar1973]

Khatami blames US policies for terrorism while speaking in Chicago

Someone needs to remind Khatami that Muslims have been terrorizing Christians and Jews since before the Crusades. Our policies have NOTHING to do with terrorism.

[zimdog]

I never really disagreed with interring the japs during WWII. I think its too bad that they had to lose so much but that wasn't our fault it was the fault of the japanese who bombed pearl harbor.

I assume you're referring to the internment of Americans of Japanese descent.

I would like to know how, if the attack on Pearl Harbor "wasn't our fault" and "was the fault of the japanese", why don't you disagree with interring tens of thousands of us who weren't at fault?

[sheik yerbouty]

somehow this makes the initials GTFO come to mind..

[Ptarmigan]

Muslim not a race. Muslims do have faired skin, especially if they are from Iran, Former Yugoslavia, and Chechnya. And yes, some Arabs do have faired skin, even blonde hair and blue eyes.

[zimdog]

OK, one seldom can designate a faith just by the appearence of the person, but what has nationality to do with being or not a Muslim?

Among the Muslims of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, many are Islamists. Among the Muslims of Ghana and Albania, very few are.

[zimdog]

Christians have been terrorizing Jews since before the Crusades too. What's your point?

[Finny]

...why don't you disagree with interring tens of thousands of us who weren't at fault?

For my part, I agree with internment camps in WWII because they were necessary for the security of both the nation at war and the people being interred. At the time, it was the sensible thing to do.

[DB]

Being a Muslim is a choice.

What race you are is not.

There's nothing "racist" about being critical of Islam. Islam has declared war on the "infidel". To hide ones head from it is to commit suicide.

[Finny]

Christians have been terrorizing Jews since before the Crusades too. What's your point?

Right.

[DB]

Considering Islam is the religion practiced by Muslims it is difficult to say that some Muslims aren't Islamists. It just becomes word play at some point...

[SoldierDad]

Christians have been terrorizing Jews since before the Crusades too. What's your point?


Which Christians are those? Where are Christians doing this terrorizing? During which time period has this been going on? I have heard no stories of Christians having "terrorized" Jews during at least the past century if not longer.

[Tamar1973]

Christians have been terrorizing Jews since before the Crusades too. What's your point?

Apparently you didn't read the next line I wrote did you?! Let me repeat it: Our polices have nothing to do with Islamic terrorism. Muslims terrorise Americans because they hate us with every fiber of their being.

[Finny]

There's nothing "racist" about being critical of Islam. Islam has declared war on the "infidel". To hide ones head from it is to commit suicide.

Mark Steyn's column in today's paper was pretty sobering. Radical Islam does what radical Christianity and (laughable) radical Judaism has never done -- demands that you die, OR renounce your faith, be it Jesus Christ, Judaism, Wiccaism, Budha, whatever your religion, or atheism -- and declare your faith in Islam. Believe what they want you to or they will kill you. There are idiots who think that we can just "live in peace" with this "culture"?

To hide one's head from this is to indeed commit suicide.

[SoldierDad]

A matter of semantics for some. Islam is that religion which Muslims practice. It is the religion of Mohammad their prophet.