Foreword 13 Introduction 16. Chapter 1: What Factors Contribute to Islamophobia?

Transcription

1 Contents Foreword 13 Introduction 16 Chapter 1: What Factors Contribute to Islamophobia? Overview: There Are Four Distinct Forms of Islamophobia J. Mark Halstead There are four distinct forms of Islamophobia prereflective personal Islamophobia, which discriminates against Muslims simply because they have different beliefs; post-reflective personal Islamophobia, which justifies discrimination on the basis that Muslim beliefs and practices are inferior; institutional Islamophobia, which occurs when Western institutions simply ignore the cultural and religious differences of Muslims when setting policy; and political Islamophobia, which occurs when politicians deliberately portray Muslims as a threat to the West for their own political benefit. The Mass Media Contributes to the Spread of Islamophobia Arthur F. Buehler A partisan segment of the mass media contributes to the spread of Islamophobia by deliberately portraying Islam as a religion of violence. Islam is described as being profoundly different from western religions and values and therefore dangerous. A Small Group of Right-Wing Zealots Is Responsible for Spreading Islamophobia Wajahat Ali et al. An investigation by the Center for American Progress Action Fund revealed that the misinformation stoking Islamophobia in the United States is not broad-based but rather originates with five pseudo-experts whose work is funded by seven foundations. The misinformation they spawn is spread by a number of conservative media outlets and echoed by some right-wing politicians

2 Islamophobia Grew Following 9/11 45 Goal Auzeen Saedi The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, precipitated a distrust of Muslims that has led to a sharp increase in hate crimes and discrimination in the United States. Countless innocent and law-abiding Muslims, including young people, have been the victims of Islamophobic harassment. The Economic Crisis Has Contributed 50 to Islamophobia Rachel Slajda The year 2010 saw an increase in anti-muslim activities as politicians and members of the conservative media played on the anxiety created by the economic crisis to stir up Islamophobia. The Perceived Oppression of Muslim 54 Women Is Used to Justify Islamophobia Leila Ahmed After September 11, 2001, many feminists, politicians, and members of the media expressed outrage over the status of Muslim women, portraying the war on terrorism as also a war on the oppression of Muslim women. In reality, these concerns were motivated by Islamophobia and were voiced to elicit support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Banning Face Veils Fuels Islamophobia 59 Nancy Graham Holm France enacted a law effective April 2011 that banned the wearing of full face veils in public. Muslim women who violate this law are exposed to public ridicule, creating conflict among races and contributing to the spread of Islamophobia. Chapter 2: Is America Islamophobic? Chapter Preface 64 Yes: America Is Islamophobic Anti-Muslim Sentiment Is Widespread 66 in the United States Peter Beinart

3 The July 2011 terrorist attack in Norway by a right-wing extremist could just as well have happened in the United States, because Islamophobia is rampant here. Islamophobia Has Replaced Anti-Semitism 70 in the United States Nadine Epstein Since September 11, 2001, Muslim Americans are having a harder time finding a job, are more likely to face discrimination on the job, and are more likely to lose their security clearances. Although anti-semitism was prevalent in the 1940s and 1950s, it has virtually disappeared today, with Islamophobia taking its place. Bigots Are Responsible for the Spread of 75 Islamophobia to Mainstream Americans Mosharraf Zaidi Such racist extremists as Newt Gingrich, Pamela Geller, and Terry Jones are exaggerating the threat posed by the Muslim religion and spreading Islamophobia to mainstream Americans. Otherwise decent people are accepting these lies, in part because of the anxieties caused by the perilous economic condition in the United States. Anti-Muslim Sentiment Is a Problem 82 on College Campuses Akbar Ahmed and Lawrence Rosen The proliferation of classes on terrorism and security studies in universities has contributed to Islamophobia, since many professors focus on the violent aspects of Islam. Various strategies are available to faculty who seek to facilitate open discussion on Islam and American Muslims. No: America Is Not Islamophobic Anti-Muslim Bigotry Is Exaggerated 87 Russ Smith Although some anti-muslim sentiment does exist in the United States, it is nowhere near the level claimed by such left-leaning commentators as Peter Beinart, who compare the discrimination against Muslims today to the Joseph McCarthy witch hunts of communists in the 1940s and 1950s.

4 There Was No Backlash of Anti-Muslim Sentiment After the 9/11 Attacks Jonathan S. Tobin Islamic groups in the United States have taken a few isolated events of discrimination against Muslims and blown them out of proportion. Statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation clearly demonstrate that there has been no increase in hate crimes against Muslims since 9/11. Being Opposed to the Islamic Cultural Center Is Not Being Islamophobic Rich Noyes The liberal media leveled an accusation of Islamophobia against those who opposed the building of the Islamic Cultural Center near Ground Zero. However, it is the media, not those in opposition, who are out of touch. The American public is against the building project by a margin of 66 percent to 29 percent, an ABC News/ Washington Post poll showed. False Charges of Islamophobia Are Being Used by Radical Groups to Advance Their Cause Robert Spencer Islamic supremacists charge that Islamophobia is growing and becoming more dangerous. The truth is that hate crimes against Muslims are rare and that the danger comes from Islamic terrorists and their crimes. Chapter 3: Is Suspicion of Islam Rational? Overview: Both Conservatives and Liberals Have Valid Arguments About Islam Cathy Young

5 Both conservatives and liberals have valid arguments supporting their views on Islam. Conservatives are correct in saying that Islamic fundamentalists have vowed to destroy western society and that several Muslim nations harshly punish their citizens for what the West would perceive as minor offenses. Liberals are correct that rightwing politicians and activists, by claiming that the Islam religion is fundamentally violent and that all Muslims are to be feared, are responsible for the spread of Islamophobia. Yes: Suspicion of Islam Is Rational Fundamentalist Muslims Are Violent and Pose a Real Threat Andrew C. McCarthy Islamophobia is no phobia; it is a rational concern about fundamentalist Muslims whose goal is to destroy Western civilization and impose Sharia Law. Islamic Supremacists Pose a Clear and Present Danger Mark Tapson Islamophobia is a public relations ploy created by the Muslim Brotherhood, who invoke it whenever legitimate criticism is leveled at the dangers posed by Islamic fundamentalism. No: Suspicion of Islam Is Not Rational Islamophobia Is a Bigger Threat than Islam Melody Moezzi When people think of terrorist attacks, they think of Islamists. Yet of nearly three hundred terrorist attacks in six European countries in 2009, only one was committed by Islamists. The fear of Muslims is dangerous, because the bigotry and discrimination it creates spawn resentment and alienation. An Irrational Fear of Islam Has Its Roots in the Time of the Crusades John Feffer

6 Irrational fears often have their roots in centuries-old events. Islamophobia is an irrational fear, and it is connected in the West to the ways the medieval Crusades were described in literature. Chapter 4: Does Sharia Law Pose a Threat to America? Overview: Background on Sharia Law 154 Toni Johnson Derived from the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, Sharia is a set of strictures encompassing all aspects of Muslim life. Sharia is controversial because it stipulates severe punishments such as flogging, stoning, and even execution for offenses such as adultery and drinking alcohol. Such punishments are not the norm, but they receive significant media attention when they occur. Yes: Sharia Law Poses a Threat to America There Is a Link Between Sharia Law 161 and the Support of Violent Jihad Mordechai Kedar and David Yerushalmi A survey found that slightly more than half of Shariaadherent mosques sampled in a survey disseminated literature promoting violent jihad against non-muslims, with 30 percent distributing literature moderately supporting violence. Sharia Law in the United States 173 Leads Americans One Step Closer to Islamist Conquest JanSuzanne Krasner Those who believe that Sharia Law is not a threat to the United States are ignoring what is already happening. Muslim-only towns and enclaves are being created, and courts are being asked to incorporate Sharia Law into their rulings. Once Sharia Law is established in the United States, the next step is Muslim dominance. Sharia Law Is a Danger to Civil Society 178 Cully Stimson

7 Sharia Law is sexist, exacts harsh punishments for minor offenses, and violates civil rights. As an example, under Sharia Law a man is allowed to rape and abuse his wife. No: Sharia Law Does Not Pose a Threat to America Demonizing Sharia Law 183 Is Counterproductive Reuel Marc Gerecht Some conservatives such as Newt Gingrich believe Sharia Law is the root of the Muslim terrorist threat. It is counterproductive to cast Muslim religious beliefs as the cause of terrorism. This alienates moderate Muslims and, in particular, the clergy, who could potentially unite to speak up against violent jihadism. Attempts to Ban Sharia Law Are Based 189 on Ignorance and Islamophobia Abed Awad, interviewed by Justin Elliott Efforts to ban Sharia Law in US courts are both unconstitutional a violation of the supremacy clause and the First Amendment and unnecessary. The US Constitution, and not a set of religious laws, is the law of the land in the United States. The US Legal System Would Never Adopt 194 Sharia Law Wajahat Ali and Matthew Duss The misrepresentation of Sharia Law as put forth by groups such as the Center for Security Policy is dangerous because it mistakenly identifies the imposition of Sharia Law as a security threat while ignoring very real threats. Organizations to Contact 203 Bibliography 208 Index 213