Islamophobia?

[r3020]

snip-

Here's a thought: The 70% of Americans who oppose what amounts to an Islamic Niketown two blocks from ground zero are the real victims of a climate of hate, and anti-Muslim backlash is mostly a myth.

Let's start with some data.

According to the FBI, hate crimes against Muslims increased by a staggering 1,600% in 2001. That sounds serious! But wait, the increase is a math mirage. There were 28 anti-Islamic incidents in 2000. That number climbed to 481 the year a bunch of Muslim terrorists murdered 3,000 Americans in the name of Islam on Sept. 11.

Now, that was a hate crime.

Regardless, 2001 was the zenith or, looked at through the prism of our national shame, the nadir of the much-discussed anti-Muslim backlash in the United States. The following year, the number of anti-Islamic hate-crime incidents (overwhelmingly, nonviolent vandalism and nasty words) dropped to 155. In 2003, there were 149 such incidents. And the number has hovered around the mid-100s or lower ever since.

Sure, even one hate crime is too many. But does that sound like a anti-Muslim backlash to you?

Let's put this in even sharper focus. America is, outside of Israel ,probably the most receptive and tolerant country in the world to Jews. And yet, in every year since 9/11, more Jews have been hate-crime victims than Muslims. A lot more.

In 2001, there were twice as many anti-Jewish incidents as there were anti-Muslim, again according to the FBI. In 2002 and pretty much every year since, anti-Jewish incidents have outstripped anti-Muslim ones by at least 6 to 1. Why aren't we talking about the anti-Jewish climate in America?

Because there isn't one. And there isn't an anti-Muslim climate either. Yes, there's a lot of heated rhetoric on the Internet. Absolutely, some Americans don't like Muslims. But if you watch TV or movies or read, say, the op-ed page of the New York Times — never mind left-wing blogs — you'll hear much more open bigotry toward evangelical Christians (in blogspeak, the "Taliban wing of the Republican Party") than you will toward Muslims.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0824-goldberg-islamophobia-20100824,0,6090115.c...

[kraft-t]

Oh yeah, those poor christians that are suffering retribution in America. Next thing you know we will be feeding you to the lions.

The truth is you have equated all muslims as islamic terrorists and you are willfully objecting to the construction of a muslim center in New York. A right guaranteed by the first amendment to the constitution. You are implying that these folks are evil and public opinion should outweigh the rule of law. Discrimination pure and simple because you are blinded by ginned up rhetoric from the right.

These people are not guilty of anything, yet you are willing to oppose them because you think it is politically wise.

[schnurrbart]

Do you think any of your comrades on here are guilty of committing a hate crime against Muslims?  Seriously, do you know of or even think that someone who posts here has punched out or worse a muslim?  I don't think so but every last one of you talk about how bad they are and what should be done with them each and every day.  I think THAT is where the danger lies because the sentiment, perhaps NOT the actions, against the Muslims in this country and every other country in the world is very much against them.  Millie says that next year when he goes to the fair he will probably be "packin' heat" to do battle with the angry blacks intruding on his state fair.  What would it take to set off a violent opposition to the Islamic religion in this country.  I think it is just below the surface in many thousands of ultra-conservatives here.

[schnurrbart]

I would like to know how these guys explain the violent attacks against the world of Islam during the Crusades.  Perhaps, as the blacks here remember the days of slavery by white Americans, the Muslims remember the attacks of Christians against Muslims in those past centuries.

[Midwest1959584]

http://news.scotsman.com/news/Judge-calls-for-Sharia-law.6487672.jp

Under Islamic law retribution sentences can include eye-gouging, chopping off the hands of thieves and beheading murderers.

Yes Kraft you are right the islamic religion of peace must prevail.  We must let these peace mongers build their temple.  All proof points to the wonderful warmth of Sharia and islammic law.  Especially here in the big bad USA.  Here in the USA where torture, acid, and stonings are the order of the day.

Do you know why they are having trouble training police in the east to protect their own countries?  Most people are iliterate.  Even if you refuse to believe the lawlessness, you could at least realize their system doesnt' work cause they don't care about their citizens.  These countries have had thousands more years than the USA to get it right and still they fight amongst themselves and commit barbaric acts against their own. 

So who has it right?  Them or us. 

Evidence Kraft, evidence is why we believe islam and sharia are bad. 

[Midwest1959584]

So Schnurrbart to be on the right side (according to you) a person should not protect themselves?  And you would respect them more if they took no action, but allowed others to hurt them.

[schnurrbart]

Get a clue first and then write a response.  I didn't say or even hint at what you tried to post.

[kraft-t]

So campaign on that. The elimination of 1st amendment rights to religious freedom. Make your party the the bastion of opposition to the muslim faith and do it by constitutional change. We will see how that project goes.

This retribution against an alleged muslim terrorist faith is par for the course. Much like the ginned up invasion of Iraq a country that was of no threat to the United States. Just a fly of the handle assumption of guilt and punish the innocent. I sure as heck would want you folks sitting on a jury with the fate of one of my loved ones involved. What kind of americans are you?

[Canuck_2]

Midwest you say "Evidence Kraft, evidence is why we believe islam and sharia are bad."

And then you claim to believe in a supernatural god with no evidence.

You like to paint all Muslims with the same brush.

On the weekend we had a pig roast and even though it is Ramadan our Muslim guests enjoyed the pork and it was before sunset.

Of course that is not surprising since Christians claim to be against killing people and then advocate that same thing as a solution for many problems.

Death sentence for criminals, 'pack some heat' in case they meet some goons, bomb the civilians in other countries etc.

[r3020]

"Bomb civilians in other countries". Are you talking about 9-11? Remember? 3,000 Americans were vaporized on that day. Vaporized by islamic extremist in the name of allahu. Now they wish to build a shine near their grave. Yeah, they have the right but it will do nothing to improve relations.