Let's Can the Name Calling about Islam
Frank Cocozzelli printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Wed Jun 15, 2016 at 09:41:29 AM EST
President Obama rose to the occasion in the wake of the horror in Orlando. The president made clear in a speech on June 14th that insulting adherents of one of the world's great religions (which is being advocated by Donald Trump and too many Republicans and the Religious Right) is not only wrong, its bad politics.
      "[T]here's no magic to the phrase "radical Islam."  It's a political talking point; it's not a strategy.  And the reason I am careful about how I describe this threat has nothing to do with political correctness and everything to do with actually defeating extremism.  Groups like ISIL and al Qaeda want to make this war a war between Islam and America, or between Islam and the West.  They want to claim that they are the true leaders of over a billion Muslims around the world who reject their crazy notions.  They want us to validate them by implying that they speak for those billion-plus people; that they speak for Islam.  That's their propaganda.  That's how they recruit.  And if we fall into the trap of painting all Muslims with a broad brush and imply that we are at war with an entire religion -- then we're doing the terrorists' work for them."

But for many on the Right, the acid test for determining whether President Obama is serious about dealing with ISIS is whether or not he describes the issue at hand as "Radical Islamic Terrorism."

The phrase unfairly tars all Muslims, most of whom are good people of good faith. So for those who demand President Obama call Muslims names, let's consider some analogous situations:

When Ian Paisley and his Northern Irish Protestant "Orangemen" were murdering innocent Irish Catholics, did we describe the problem as "Protestant Radical Terrorism?"

Similarly when the Irish Republican Army was killing British soldiers and innocent Irish Protestants while simultaneously detonating bombs in British tourist locations such as the Tower of London, did we describe the problem as being caused by "Radical Catholic Terrorism?"

And when certain fringe Evangelicals fire bomb abortion clinics and kill abortion providers, do we brand the problem "Radical Evangelical Terrorism?"

When the Jewish Defense League or similar such organizations engage in violence against their enemies do we consider that part of a problem of "Radical Jewish Terrorism?"

The answer to all of the above is "no."

Fear-mongering and religious bigotry may provide grist for the short-term political gain of certain demagogues, but there is nothing in it for the rest of us. There are better ways forward. And while reasonable people may differ as to what those ways may be, most of us should be able to agree that Muslim-baiting is counterproductive at best.




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It is folly to treat all members of one of the world's largest religions as though all of them represented their worst. It was not so long ago that WASP Americans thought Roman Catholics represented an existential threat to the United States. This is one reason why religious nationalism continues to be a scourge both here and overseas.

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by MariyaDorothy on Thu Nov 18, 2021 at 06:35:22 AM EST
Parent


That's why JFK went before the Protestant leadership and assured them that he, as president, would not impose Catholic law on the U.S. or take orders from the Pope. He went so far as to tell them that if there was conflict between his Catholic beliefs and his duties as president, he would resign.

by Harold F on Mon Jun 20, 2016 at 04:16:22 AM EST

is that the Conservatives demand we demonize Islam and Muslims (especially in this uber-Christian hellhole), but when we talk about Christian terrorism, they start screaming (and threatening - and even in a few cases even making death threats).

According to them, there is no such thing.  Problem is, too many people have experienced it for that claim to be valid.  Indeed, those of us who fight against dominionism (meaning all versions of Christianity that seek or try to dominate or force their thinking on others and reject a live-and-let-live attitude) know that terrorism is the final outcome of the ideologies we struggle against.  War, violence, division, and death/enslavement of anyone who isn't "pure" is the future they will find, not the "Bible-based"  utopia they think they will bring about (a utopia that will be a living hell for a major part of the population).

The problem is fundamentalism, in ALL main religions (and most minor ones).  Fundamentalism is the root of the terrorism we've experienced, it's also the root of what those in Islamic countries have experienced.  A rejection of the Other and other ways of thinking.  An insistence on "my way or the highway" so to speak.

The cures?  A rigid, adamant, and towering wall of separation between church and state.  Promotion of education over indoctrination.  Science.  Promotion of tolerance and acceptance of the Other.  Insistence on individuals (especially children and youth) learning about other cultures and ways of thinking.  And most of all, enforced equality between all members of society (in other words, no more "I'm more equal than you!") and the promotion of real justice (no more "the best justice money can buy").

by ArchaeoBob on Wed Jun 22, 2016 at 11:21:08 AM EST


Totally agree about not 'painting all Muslims with a broad brush.' We'll indeed be doing the job for those extremist recruiters. Besides, this is not right. And if we were to do it, we should not be surprised by someone on the street calling the white person a racist.
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by ando on Thu Oct 20, 2016 at 04:45:59 AM EST

Islam is a religion that a lot of people in this world and practice as well and I am one of them. Top 5 Best Automatic Cat Feeder Wet Food Refrigerated Reviews 2020

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