Islamophobia

Do you think that Islamophobia plays a significant role in western politics and foreign policy? I think that the Islamophobia rooted deep into American culture is often exploited by right-wing politicians to justify things like the PATRIOT Act, invading Iraq and Afghanistan, and creating a general atmosphere of fear. America has had Islamophobia since the sixteen hundreds when Muslim slaves were forced to enact in plays celebrating the "liberation" of the Iberian Peninsula by the crusaders but it has never really manifested itself this openly before in my opinion. How does the rest of the world view American Isamophobia is it as widely used to justify policy in other Western nations? I know in Switzerland for example, the far right People's Party has been elected and has introduced extremely Islamophobic policies such as not allowing Muslims to migrate to Switzerland, deporting Muslims already living in Switzerland, and banning minarets.

I think us Americans are just overall xenophobic. Look at United States immigration history and you'll see it one big story of "We don't like your kind around here!"

Renegade_Kautsky wrote:

I think us Americans are just overall xenophobic. Look at United States immigration history and you'll see it one big story of "We don't like your kind around here!"

It's happening right now.

At least we arnt like places like Great Briton that are being literally invaded by Muslims. Most are good but with recent Riots, Bombings, etc..it shows that sometimes Islamophobia isnt always unwarranted

Diogritor wrote:

At least we arnt like places like Great Briton that are being literally invaded by Muslims. Most are good but with recent Riots, Bombings, etc..it shows that sometimes Islamophobia isnt always unwarranted

Way to prove my point.

I think people in the US fear Islam because they only see the religious radicals. What's ironic is that they haven't looked in the mirror.

Bush speaks of Christianity and Crusades, so I think in his twisted mind, he's trying to wage a Holy War against Islam.

Renegade_Kautsky wrote:

I think us Americans are just overall xenophobic. Look at United States immigration history and you'll see it one big story of "We don't like your kind around here!"

Yep. The Chinese Immigration Act, Native Americans, Koreans, the "ChiComs", and Africans.

All of them discriminated against by the white man (sry to offend).

What I personally find SICKENING is that America doesn't even look back to it's own past before accusing other countries of "human rights violations".

So, I think America is the "British of the entire world".

Jeiro Sijakeuigwan wrote:

Renegade_Kautsky wrote:

I think us Americans are just overall xenophobic. Look at United States immigration history and you'll see it one big story of "We don't like your kind around here!"

Yep. The Chinese Immigration Act, Native Americans, Koreans, the "ChiComs", and Africans.

All of them discriminated against by the white man (sry to offend).

What I personally find SICKENING is that America doesn't even look back to it's own past before accusing other countries of "human rights violations".

So, I think America is the "British of the entire world".

Andersonville, Abu Graib (spelling?), Gitmo, just to name a few.

To claim that islamophobia is rooted in the americas since the 16th century is a little over the top. Of course spaniards were afraid of Islam as they were nearly driven out of their own country by muslims and gained Iberia back only ste by step.
Real Islamophobia is only in control since 9/11 and even that is cooling down and if you think that your great leader declared war against Iraq because of Islamophobia, then you should study your country's history better.

Voice of Reason wrote:

To claim that islamophobia is rooted in the americas since the 16th century is a little over the top. Of course spaniards were afraid of Islam as they were nearly driven out of their own country by muslims and gained Iberia back only ste by step.
Real Islamophobia is only in control since 9/11 and even that is cooling down and if you think that your great leader declared war against Iraq because of Islamophobia, then you should study your country's history better.

Of course islamophobia in America is manifesting itself now more than ever but there has always been some islamophobia under the surface of society, particularly expressed in cinema. But islamophobia does go back quite far, for example John Adams said that if the French Revolution did not have checks on passion then a madman would come to power and be like another Mohamed. John Quincy Adams, John Adam's son also denigrated Thomas Jefferson by comparing associating his approval of common sense of the masses as a democratic ideal with the Shahadah.

I don't know about these quotes, but I could imagine Adams saying this during americas war with the Maghreb states. Political Correctness wasn't around back then.

Allahu Akbar!

Jihads and Fatwas are not theological beliefs of Islam, though there are some minor sects of Shi'a Islam that would like to establish them as such. But they are, in my mind, purely political tools that several extremists use, and they use Islam as a scapegoat to defend such actions. That is why I believe this "Islamophobia" has come about.

It is also unfortunate that people cannot differentiate between a religious person and a terrorist. It would be like saying that every Catholic took part in the Inquisition.

WeiWuWei wrote:

Jihads and Fatwas are not theological beliefs of Islam, though there are some minor sects of Shi'a Islam that would like to establish them as such. But they are, in my mind, purely political tools that several extremists use, and they use Islam as a scapegoat to defend such actions. That is why I believe this "Islamophobia" has come about.

It is also unfortunate that people cannot differentiate between a religious person and a terrorist. It would be like saying that every Catholic took part in the Inquisition.

True
I grew up in the UK not far from London and had many Muslim friends,Its easier to sell anti - Muslim propeganda to groups who have no real understanding or connection with any culture other than their own. This is why I think poorly educated rural Americans are most at risk from such propeganda.

Its easier to hate the enemy when he has no face -



Wei, nin kan huayu ?

oligarch wrote:

Do you think that Islamophobia plays a significant role in western politics and foreign policy? I think that the Islamophobia rooted deep into American culture is often exploited by right-wing politicians to justify things like the PATRIOT Act, invading Iraq and Afghanistan, and creating a general atmosphere of fear. America has had Islamophobia since the sixteen hundreds when Muslim slaves were forced to enact in plays celebrating the "liberation" of the Iberian Peninsula by the crusaders but it has never really manifested itself this openly before in my opinion. How does the rest of the world view American Isamophobia is it as widely used to justify policy in other Western nations? I know in Switzerland for example, the far right People's Party has been elected and has introduced extremely Islamophobic policies such as not allowing Muslims to migrate to Switzerland, deporting Muslims already living in Switzerland, and banning minarets.

lol icelanders are so racist.

you don´t want to know.

kahnsguard wrote:

Andersonville, Abu Graib (spelling?), Gitmo, just to name a few.

abu ghraib* if you were still wondering.

Quote :

Its easier to hate the enemy when he has no face -

Well said.

Quote :

It would be like saying that every Catholic took part in the Inquisition.

Haha, also well said.

I can't really add much since most of my views have already been posted. But i will say that americans tend to buy into media and government propaganda a lot easier than other cultures. Nationalism runs rampant through our society which makes it much easier to gain control over the minds of the citizens.

The bourgeoisie are nationalist so it's not surprising that the most advanced bourgeois state, the USA is very nationalist. The ideology of the people is a reflection of the ideology of the capitalist because of biased media propaganda.

When I was a baby I was afraid of old, muslim ladies. They looked weird and once theese two walked up to me and I thought they were trying to kidnap me. Now I'm just scared of all radicalists. Radical americas, muslims, christians, etc...

Liche wrote:

When I was a baby I was afraid of old, muslim ladies. They looked weird and once theese two walked up to me and I thought they were trying to kidnap me. Now I'm just scared of all radicalists. Radical americas, muslims, christians, etc...

Then be scared of us, we're radicalist communists!

inkus2000 wrote:

True
I grew up in the UK not far from London and had many Muslim friends,Its easier to sell anti - Muslim propeganda to groups who have no real understanding or connection with any culture other than their own. This is why I think poorly educated rural Americans are most at risk from such propeganda.

Its easier to hate the enemy when he has no face -

This is quite true, however religious and ethnic brainwashing also work pretty fine and it's been seen in Yugoslavia and nowadays its starting in Russia.

More than 20 million muslims live in Russia yet there are idiotic groups in Russia fomenting Islamophobia.

I have muslims friends as-well but sometimes if im just watchin vid's on youtube and im watchin relgeos stuff i see sometimes comments like :"Islam will kill you all" and "death to USA, the islam will rule the world" and that kinda stuff .And i go to there page and i think there from iraq or something ,happpend they live in my country as well so im a little 50% about evrything.

CoolKidX wrote:

I have muslims friends as-well but sometimes if im just watchin vid's on youtube and im watchin relgeos stuff i see sometimes comments like :"Islam will kill you all" and "death to USA, the islam will rule the world" and that kinda stuff .And i go to there page and i think there from iraq or something ,happpend they live in my country as well so im a little 50% about evrything.

Yea. Most of my friends are actually muslim. I saw on the news and they said that if you fear a country when your young your more likely to be , racest. Then they also said that if you don't like foreign foods it is likely you will be racest. That made me mad, the news can be so ignorant. I don't like a lot of foreign foods, but thats just because I don't have a taste for it. For instance, I don't like indian food because the spices make my stomach churn, and for that I am racest?

Liche wrote:

CoolKidX wrote:

I have muslims friends as-well but sometimes if im just watchin vid's on youtube and im watchin relgeos stuff i see sometimes comments like :"Islam will kill you all" and "death to USA, the islam will rule the world" and that kinda stuff .And i go to there page and i think there from iraq or something ,happpend they live in my country as well so im a little 50% about evrything.

Yea. Most of my friends are actually muslim. I saw on the news and they said that if you fear a country when your young your more likely to be , racest. Then they also said that if you don't like foreign foods it is likely you will be racest. That made me mad, the news can be so ignorant. I don't like a lot of foreign foods, but thats just because I don't have a taste for it. For instance, I don't like indian food because the spices make my stomach churn, and for that I am racest?

If u don't like the food OMG that's like the dumbest thing that i heared of being a racist because u don't like the food OMFG!!
The news is becoming dumber evry day O.o!

Liche wrote:

CoolKidX wrote:

I have muslims friends as-well but sometimes if im just watchin vid's on youtube and im watchin relgeos stuff i see sometimes comments like :"Islam will kill you all" and "death to USA, the islam will rule the world" and that kinda stuff .And i go to there page and i think there from iraq or something ,happpend they live in my country as well so im a little 50% about evrything.

Yea. Most of my friends are actually muslim. I saw on the news and they said that if you fear a country when your young your more likely to be , racest. Then they also said that if you don't like foreign foods it is likely you will be racest. That made me mad, the news can be so ignorant. I don't like a lot of foreign foods, but thats just because I don't have a taste for it. For instance, I don't like indian food because the spices make my stomach churn, and for that I am racest?

HAHA! thats awesome, you foody racest

Just for te record: "RACIST" not "RACEST". R-A-C-I-S-T

The irony of the "Islamophobic" Iraq invasion is that the ruling party, the Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party, was secular. And Shariah Law was not enforced.