We're with you. During President Obama's term, tremendous progress has been made in mainstreaming both LGBT and ;the Muslim religion. We Centrist ex-Republicans have grown up, sometimes abruptly. The Trump setback is real, but we'll be stronger for it in the long run. Gays are part of the system now. Our contractor is gay; one of our sales managers is gay. It's just not a big deal anymore (in liberal California areas, anyway). Re Muslims, we're learning.
3
I don't see any reason to shed tears over "Islamophobia" until more Muslims are willing to acknowledge the problem of "kuffar-phobia" within their own community. Would Omar Mateen have done what he did if he'd been raised by parents who taught him that it was a SIN and DISGRACE to despise non-Muslims in general, or to wish violence against gay people?
16
This is kind of funny. Some Muslims in the Middle East were recently tossing gays off the rooftops of tall buildings. Muslims, in general, severely condemn homosexuality, and with far more harsh consequences, than some fundamentalist Christians, who are at least forging, not murderous in their response to it. In addition, it was a Muslim who attacked that night club in Orlando, murdering homosexuals to glorify Allah. And yet, you are appalled than some people were then against Islam? You should be glad there are people actively opposing this adavistic so-called "religion" - which is, in and of itself, a blueprint for hatred of folks like you. Get real. This paternalistic ideology, which disrespects both women and gays, is not something you should be defending. Denounce it! They are not the nice little oppressed people you imagine them to be - and there wouldn't be over a billion of them today if they were.
11
Comparing foreign Muslims to U.S. fundamentalist Christians is an apples-and-oranges comparison. There are Christian nations in the Third World that are murderously intolerant of the LGBQT community.
The school could have issued a statement in support of the Muslim community on campus after the tragedy, and, in this delicate political environment, it could reconsider its commitment to professors who stoke the flames of Islamophobia.
a Muslim commits an atrocity and the University should issue a statement in support of the Muslim community on campus. that is really take advantage of a situation.
" the shooter was an American." :we have pretty loose laws what makes a person an american citizen. children born of immigrants should not be automatic citizens. perhaps they need some kind of test.
a Muslim commits an atrocity and the University should issue a statement in support of the Muslim community on campus. that is really take advantage of a situation.
" the shooter was an American." :we have pretty loose laws what makes a person an american citizen. children born of immigrants should not be automatic citizens. perhaps they need some kind of test.
2
So an Islamic terrorist massacres 49 gays at a nightclub, doing what ISIS , Saudi Arabia and Iran do on a daily basis...and this author is more concerned about stereotypes than with dead bodies? Shame in you and the entire Left. You have to feel bad for people who cover up for an ideology that is killing them. A sick form of masochism.
11
Excuse me, didn't the gunman declare loyalty to ISIS??
10
The comments here paint a clear picture. For example:
Muezzin writes, "The discomfort of Muslim students over perceived Islamophobia is presumably not that different from the discomfort of conservative students who are ritually hounded across liberal campuses."
Michael Stavsen writes, "So if Muslims are bothered by the fact that some people are ignorant about Islam and think they are all Jihadis it is up to them to get the word out that they are not."
Dlud writes, "The mainstream media have carefully and cynically promoted their self-interest and manipulated the public by offering sentimentality and political correctness over support for genuine humanity and character."
Chris: "And, yes, left-wing students are trying to block any opposing points of view on campus."
James writes, "Gay people are not marginalized, nor are Muslims. The way that Islam is practiced in most of the world is repressive."
Andrew: "50 people were murdered by a religious fanatic, but the real problem is my barber said something racist and ignorant"
jck: "The term "racism" has been so overused that it has lost all meaning."
William Case writes, "Trump has not called for a Muslim ban."
Muezzin writes, "The discomfort of Muslim students over perceived Islamophobia is presumably not that different from the discomfort of conservative students who are ritually hounded across liberal campuses."
Michael Stavsen writes, "So if Muslims are bothered by the fact that some people are ignorant about Islam and think they are all Jihadis it is up to them to get the word out that they are not."
Dlud writes, "The mainstream media have carefully and cynically promoted their self-interest and manipulated the public by offering sentimentality and political correctness over support for genuine humanity and character."
Chris: "And, yes, left-wing students are trying to block any opposing points of view on campus."
James writes, "Gay people are not marginalized, nor are Muslims. The way that Islam is practiced in most of the world is repressive."
Andrew: "50 people were murdered by a religious fanatic, but the real problem is my barber said something racist and ignorant"
jck: "The term "racism" has been so overused that it has lost all meaning."
William Case writes, "Trump has not called for a Muslim ban."
11
"would you be willing to change the rhetoric if a muslim student comes up to you and says what you are teaching is hurtful?"
"it wouldn't make a difference to me - what i am teaching is the truth and if it's hurtful i'm sorry, but it's still the truth"
see - i fixed it for you. Seems like the young graduate here is on his way to pick a position with the fake news media. The tenure that this hard working professor received is not welfare - it was earned through over 100 publications, research in developing countries plagued by terrorism and service to the US military via teaching according to his bio. And we have a graduate student who probably hasn't done any research at all being given a platform on "national paper of the record" to malign, vilify and probably take the guy's livelihood away. And to have this atrocity perpetrated while pretending to support the people who lost their lives in an islamic attack! Shame on you nyt.
"it wouldn't make a difference to me - what i am teaching is the truth and if it's hurtful i'm sorry, but it's still the truth"
see - i fixed it for you. Seems like the young graduate here is on his way to pick a position with the fake news media. The tenure that this hard working professor received is not welfare - it was earned through over 100 publications, research in developing countries plagued by terrorism and service to the US military via teaching according to his bio. And we have a graduate student who probably hasn't done any research at all being given a platform on "national paper of the record" to malign, vilify and probably take the guy's livelihood away. And to have this atrocity perpetrated while pretending to support the people who lost their lives in an islamic attack! Shame on you nyt.
12
"would you be willing to change the rhetoric if a muslim student comes up to you and says what you are teaching is hurtful?"
So if a Jewish student says criticism of Israel is hurtful to them should it be curtailed? The idea that avoiding Muslim hurt should be what everyone's life revolve around shows that the rightwing wingnut claim about Muslims trying to impose Sharia Law has more than a little truth to it.
So if a Jewish student says criticism of Israel is hurtful to them should it be curtailed? The idea that avoiding Muslim hurt should be what everyone's life revolve around shows that the rightwing wingnut claim about Muslims trying to impose Sharia Law has more than a little truth to it.
2
The piece does not aim at Iraq or any other state. It is aimed at
devotees of a religion. In your case of the Jewish faith and and those who worship, the equivalent would be antisemitism,
devotees of a religion. In your case of the Jewish faith and and those who worship, the equivalent would be antisemitism,
2
Hate is always wrong. But let's be clear about the source of the hatred of homosexuals. It is Christianity and Islam. Let's not let these bad ideas get a pass in our zeal to protect those who believe them. We can, and should, stand behind Muslims and Christians and their right to practice whatever crazy thing they want, but let's not extend that to staying silent about the unethical nonsense they preach.
It is critical, and this massacre shows why: religion can turn the children of moderates into radicals, especially when they feel extreme religious guilt.
It is critical, and this massacre shows why: religion can turn the children of moderates into radicals, especially when they feel extreme religious guilt.
6
ok, here's the sad deal:
people who are mean, or ignorant, or frightened, or just out of the box stupid carry hatred for people not like themselves- perhaps gays, perhaps Jews, perhaps blacks... it has to do with the hater, not the hated. it is real, but irrational animosity, based on nothing.
but realistically, Muslims (or those who might appear to be Muslim or Middle Eastern) have a different row to hoe, because some Muslims have acted in a way that causes people to hate and fear all Muslims. in that way, you coud say they brought it on themselves in a way you could not about other shunned groups. and as for the majority of Muslims who are not Islamists or terrorists? did they do much at all to stop the radicals from tarnishing their own reputations? there is a germ of reason, which is more than you need when to comes to human tribalism.
people who are mean, or ignorant, or frightened, or just out of the box stupid carry hatred for people not like themselves- perhaps gays, perhaps Jews, perhaps blacks... it has to do with the hater, not the hated. it is real, but irrational animosity, based on nothing.
but realistically, Muslims (or those who might appear to be Muslim or Middle Eastern) have a different row to hoe, because some Muslims have acted in a way that causes people to hate and fear all Muslims. in that way, you coud say they brought it on themselves in a way you could not about other shunned groups. and as for the majority of Muslims who are not Islamists or terrorists? did they do much at all to stop the radicals from tarnishing their own reputations? there is a germ of reason, which is more than you need when to comes to human tribalism.
13
Gracious, many of the comments here seem to be attacking Mr. Manno for pointing out that there is bigotry in Florida against brown middle eastern looking types, and that it's gotten worse since the tragic Pulse attack.
C'mon, folks, bigotry is unamerican. If we recognize it in ourselves with the help of pieces like this one, maybe we'll stop justifying it by parsing it as anti-religion vs. anti-race. We're in this fight together, and the the enemy is hate.
C'mon, folks, bigotry is unamerican. If we recognize it in ourselves with the help of pieces like this one, maybe we'll stop justifying it by parsing it as anti-religion vs. anti-race. We're in this fight together, and the the enemy is hate.
7
Thanks to Trump's platform and his ascendancy into the presidency, racists and haters are now coming out of the woodwork or the frame of democracy. They want everyone to know that Trump, aka the president, has affirmed their rights as Americans to hate anyone who is different from them. Anyone who makes them uncomfortable or fearful.
Trump is chock full of hatred, bigotry, arrogance, and unreasonable fears based upon ignorance and a lack of interest to learn any better. He is not FOR anything, but AGAINST everything other than promoting his businesses, using his presidency to amass even more billions for Trump coffers, and promoting a distorted and decidedly untrue self image. He is an uncaring shallow shadow of a man and a one dimensional figure.
I am not always comfortable with the differences of others, or their beliefs, or how they live their lives, but I respect them as I hope they respect me. THIS is what everyone has been coming to America for during the past 241 years, and this is what Trump wants to destroy.
I am sorry for your experience and I wish I could change it. The rest of us Americans will all be Trump apologists until he is removed from office.
Trump is chock full of hatred, bigotry, arrogance, and unreasonable fears based upon ignorance and a lack of interest to learn any better. He is not FOR anything, but AGAINST everything other than promoting his businesses, using his presidency to amass even more billions for Trump coffers, and promoting a distorted and decidedly untrue self image. He is an uncaring shallow shadow of a man and a one dimensional figure.
I am not always comfortable with the differences of others, or their beliefs, or how they live their lives, but I respect them as I hope they respect me. THIS is what everyone has been coming to America for during the past 241 years, and this is what Trump wants to destroy.
I am sorry for your experience and I wish I could change it. The rest of us Americans will all be Trump apologists until he is removed from office.
3
"A Mason-Dixon poll found that 21 percent of Central Floridians held views on Muslims that were "more negative than before the shooting." "Incidents of bias against American Muslims increased by more than 50 percent nationwide." Gee.......who wouldn't be more negative if bias against you, your family, and friends increased by even 10%, when you can't even go into the 7-11 to get a coke without having to endure some snide remark. Every minority knows what this is like. Us or them. While I don't have the statistics at hand, I suspect that the percentage of criminal acts measured by the number of white and minority groups will be close to those measured by Muslims. What?.....there are no white criminals? It is so convenient to have a minority group ready and waiting as a target for the anger and hate precipitated by seven guys who destroyed the lives of 3000 people. What would the feelings be if those seven guys were white Christians?
1
I feel strongly that no tenured professor should ever be fired merely because his conclusions are unpopular. Tenure is necessary to enable our best thinkers to have the freedom to speak the truth to power. Far too many people on the left (usually mostly radical students) have abandoned this important principle.
Nevertheless,the speech made by the professor at the linked video is a very different matter. It is full of factual errors and cherry picking, as well as broad sweeping statements about Islam that attribute claims made by a few extremists to all of Islam. The problem is not what he says, but rather his violation of the principles of scholarship. This guy sounds more like Limbaugh or Coulter than a serious scholar. His responses to the author of this article show he is clearly more interested in stirring up hatred than in rational dialogue. He is clearly creating the most inflammatory sound bytes he can so as to generate more publicity for his books.
If his published work is this bad, an inquiry into his tenured status would be justified. At the very least, the University should hire someone who can provide a balanced rebuttal to his views.
Nevertheless,the speech made by the professor at the linked video is a very different matter. It is full of factual errors and cherry picking, as well as broad sweeping statements about Islam that attribute claims made by a few extremists to all of Islam. The problem is not what he says, but rather his violation of the principles of scholarship. This guy sounds more like Limbaugh or Coulter than a serious scholar. His responses to the author of this article show he is clearly more interested in stirring up hatred than in rational dialogue. He is clearly creating the most inflammatory sound bytes he can so as to generate more publicity for his books.
If his published work is this bad, an inquiry into his tenured status would be justified. At the very least, the University should hire someone who can provide a balanced rebuttal to his views.
9
'A Night of Terror, a Year of Racism'
The title does not begin to adequately describe the tragedy - 49 people died & more than 50 injured. It was the worse mass shooting ever in the US. Terror is an understatement and the maiming and scars that the injured will endure will last a lifetime, as will the grief for the survivors of the 50 loved ones tragically lost. It was not restricted just to one night, and it is not an isolated incident - witness San Bernardino, Boston Marathon, Chelsea NYC / New Jersey, Chattanooga, Minnesota mall, Ohio State Univ.
Also, as many commenters have pointed out, Islam is not a race, so those who are afraid of Islamic jihad attacks, (and who is not?), are not correctly referred to as racists!
The title does not begin to adequately describe the tragedy - 49 people died & more than 50 injured. It was the worse mass shooting ever in the US. Terror is an understatement and the maiming and scars that the injured will endure will last a lifetime, as will the grief for the survivors of the 50 loved ones tragically lost. It was not restricted just to one night, and it is not an isolated incident - witness San Bernardino, Boston Marathon, Chelsea NYC / New Jersey, Chattanooga, Minnesota mall, Ohio State Univ.
Also, as many commenters have pointed out, Islam is not a race, so those who are afraid of Islamic jihad attacks, (and who is not?), are not correctly referred to as racists!
28
The discomfort of Muslim students over perceived Islamophobia is presumably not that different from the discomfort of conservative students who are ritually hounded across liberal campuses.
The academia exists precisely to allow students to reach their own conclusions about what they feel and why, and the discomfort is a crucial ingredient of education. Mr. Manno is now perfectly positioned to champion religious and personal liberties, perhaps by superposing western (Napoleonic, Roman) canons and social liberties/strictures with those of the sharia.
The academia exists precisely to allow students to reach their own conclusions about what they feel and why, and the discomfort is a crucial ingredient of education. Mr. Manno is now perfectly positioned to champion religious and personal liberties, perhaps by superposing western (Napoleonic, Roman) canons and social liberties/strictures with those of the sharia.
10
There you go keep telling the worlds Muslim there is no problem, not expecting help in removing a problem with Islam today, I am sure those thousands of people killed in the name of not Islam will be fine with that? Keep telling yourselves that.
19
Encouraging to know there are young people like you!
4
The writer here cites the fact that after the Pulse shooting a poll found that 21 percent of Central Floridians held views on Muslims that were “more negative than before the shooting".
Now 21% is not a major percentage. What is shows is that when a Muslim commits and act of mass murder in the name of Islam, close to 80% of people understand that most Muslims do not share his interpretation of Islam, and 21% were ignorant of the fact that not all Muslims agree about how to interpret Islam.
However the writer blames instead the fact that "The national coverage linking Islam to the massacre was inescapable". He also blamed Trump's tweet "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism” for placing the focus in radical Islam, and not instead on gun reform.
Now the thing is that the story about the Pulse shooting was allot bigger than somebody shooting up a nightclub. There are these Muslims who believe that killing western civilians in cold blood is the loftiest thing their souls can accomplish on earth. And over the past 2 years or so they have been striking all over the western world. And lately these types of Muslims are inspired by ISIS. And so when Muslim who swore alliance to ISIS shot up Pulse the story was that once again these Jihadi types of Muslims struck again.
So if Muslims are bothered by the fact that some people are ignorant about Islam and think they are all Jihadis it is up to them to get the word out that they are not.
Now 21% is not a major percentage. What is shows is that when a Muslim commits and act of mass murder in the name of Islam, close to 80% of people understand that most Muslims do not share his interpretation of Islam, and 21% were ignorant of the fact that not all Muslims agree about how to interpret Islam.
However the writer blames instead the fact that "The national coverage linking Islam to the massacre was inescapable". He also blamed Trump's tweet "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism” for placing the focus in radical Islam, and not instead on gun reform.
Now the thing is that the story about the Pulse shooting was allot bigger than somebody shooting up a nightclub. There are these Muslims who believe that killing western civilians in cold blood is the loftiest thing their souls can accomplish on earth. And over the past 2 years or so they have been striking all over the western world. And lately these types of Muslims are inspired by ISIS. And so when Muslim who swore alliance to ISIS shot up Pulse the story was that once again these Jihadi types of Muslims struck again.
So if Muslims are bothered by the fact that some people are ignorant about Islam and think they are all Jihadis it is up to them to get the word out that they are not.
14
Extremism in religion is the real problem. When a religion requires that its adherents dress and eat a certain way, cannot receive a decent education, have no power against religious authority, and cannot limit their family size, it creates an insular, isolated community — a community that ultimately must define and control physical territory to remain in control and prevent external "contamination."
This was true of all Christianity once, and Catholicism until very recently. It's true of Orthodox Jews today, as well as conservative Muslims. The need to isolate and control the community exists whether it's a school district in Rockland County or a region in the Middle East. Eventually, it goes beyond a religious conflict and becomes a geopolitical one.
For many people, religious beliefs offer solace and comfort in a difficult world. But far too often, they foster conflict and oppression. Islam is just the latest religion to reap the whirlwind from its most extreme expression. The question is: what can moderate Muslims do to pull their faith back from the abyss?
This was true of all Christianity once, and Catholicism until very recently. It's true of Orthodox Jews today, as well as conservative Muslims. The need to isolate and control the community exists whether it's a school district in Rockland County or a region in the Middle East. Eventually, it goes beyond a religious conflict and becomes a geopolitical one.
For many people, religious beliefs offer solace and comfort in a difficult world. But far too often, they foster conflict and oppression. Islam is just the latest religion to reap the whirlwind from its most extreme expression. The question is: what can moderate Muslims do to pull their faith back from the abyss?
16
There is at least one gay mosque in Toronto and the Imam is a woman. All Abrahamic religions have an antigay bias usually dictated by geography moreso than theology when it comes to degrees of bias. Canada has 13 Muslims on government benches and 2 are Minsters of the Crown, aka cabinet members and one, a Somali refugee male, is the Minister of Citizenship. The hate ethos I see in the US makes me feel uneasy lest it drift north and become a norm it seems to be in the US over much more than just Islam. School boards, Boy and Girl Scouts along with amateur athletic teams are avoiding the US lest some members be held at the border and refused entry by reason of their origins....and yes it has happened enough to justify the ban.
1
Where is the outrage on the Left against the systematic oppression of women that is pervasive in Islam ? And how do most Muslims treat LGBT people ?
29
And women?
3
It is easy in this Trump milieu to blame Trump for every social ill that we face. Trump and his backers simply unleashed what was being suppressed and made superficially unacceptable. The problems descried in this article by Adam Manno go much deeper than Donald Trump. The mainstream media have carefully and cynically promoted their self-interest and manipulated the public by offering sentimentality and political correctness over support for genuine humanity and character. So while we continue to shed crocodile tears every time we see this kind of article, no demands are made in our culture that every individual take responsibility to help create a better society.
2
There is a way to end the Jihad against the West, of which the Pulse bombing is merely a piece, along with the San Bernardino shootings in 2015, the beheading in Oklahoma in 2014, the Manchester bombing, and all the other Islamic-inspired acts of terrorism.
It is childishly naive to ignore the fact that Islam is the basis for these atrocities. For a solid reference, read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's "Heretic". It is also childishly naive to presume that all Islamic-based atrocities are the fault of the victims' countries and their foreign policies.
The way to end the Jihad against the West is to (a) finally admit that two nations - Iran and Saudi Arabia - are engaged in war with the West, and (b) declare and prosecute a physical military war against them. Japanese and German ideologies propelled their nations to war against the West in 1939; the West successfully prosecuted war against both nations and resolutely crushed them such that neither is nor has been a threat to the peace of the world in the last 70 years. The same results can be achieved against the same problem: an ideology (Totalitarian Islam) that is a profound evil and seeks to kill everyone who disagrees with it.
For more:
https://www.theobjectivestandard.com/2015/11/ten-steps-to-end-jihad-agai...
It is childishly naive to ignore the fact that Islam is the basis for these atrocities. For a solid reference, read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's "Heretic". It is also childishly naive to presume that all Islamic-based atrocities are the fault of the victims' countries and their foreign policies.
The way to end the Jihad against the West is to (a) finally admit that two nations - Iran and Saudi Arabia - are engaged in war with the West, and (b) declare and prosecute a physical military war against them. Japanese and German ideologies propelled their nations to war against the West in 1939; the West successfully prosecuted war against both nations and resolutely crushed them such that neither is nor has been a threat to the peace of the world in the last 70 years. The same results can be achieved against the same problem: an ideology (Totalitarian Islam) that is a profound evil and seeks to kill everyone who disagrees with it.
For more:
https://www.theobjectivestandard.com/2015/11/ten-steps-to-end-jihad-agai...
1
This is a very confused article. The Orlando attack was Muslim terrorism, pure and simple, It happened to be directed against a gay club - because homosexuality is something Muslim extremists do not tolerate. And, yes, left-wing students are trying to block any opposing points of view on campus. Has the author even read about what's going on today?
A poor article - published, i suspect, because of the author's political leanings.
A poor article - published, i suspect, because of the author's political leanings.
28
The courts are finding that religious bigotry is not acceptable in government. Now that Donald is government, he can be silenced.
This very funny article. Homosexuality is 'punishable by death' offence according to Islam. According to Shari'ah, some predominantly muslims countries follow that code of conduct.
Though homosexuality is also prohibited in other Abrahamic religion also but the case of Islam is very different than Christianity or Judaism or any other religion.
We all know that there is almost 0 scope of reform in Islam and among muslims while most religions have a scope of reform and wifely did so in course of past many years. But muslim preachers, Imams and islamist all promulgate(also vindicated in Quran) that Islam has come in incorrigible form. Islam can not be reformed. That makes this religion ultra hardliner than any other and I dont need to show proof of that.
The painful matter is that, Islamophobia generates from the attitude of muslims towards people different from them. Most of liberal medias, leader and writers like this article always forget(deliberately?) this reason. People do desperate things when they are afraid.
I have muslim friends but I dont know how and when they get radicalized and create another incident like Orlando.
Islam has problem in it's core values, which makes it incompatible with western free values. Unfortunately, naming everyone islamophobe or racist will not solve the problem. Reform must come in Islam from muslims. Despite the dumbness, deafness and blindness of left wing liberal media, very few muslim figures started to acknowledg that.
Though homosexuality is also prohibited in other Abrahamic religion also but the case of Islam is very different than Christianity or Judaism or any other religion.
We all know that there is almost 0 scope of reform in Islam and among muslims while most religions have a scope of reform and wifely did so in course of past many years. But muslim preachers, Imams and islamist all promulgate(also vindicated in Quran) that Islam has come in incorrigible form. Islam can not be reformed. That makes this religion ultra hardliner than any other and I dont need to show proof of that.
The painful matter is that, Islamophobia generates from the attitude of muslims towards people different from them. Most of liberal medias, leader and writers like this article always forget(deliberately?) this reason. People do desperate things when they are afraid.
I have muslim friends but I dont know how and when they get radicalized and create another incident like Orlando.
Islam has problem in it's core values, which makes it incompatible with western free values. Unfortunately, naming everyone islamophobe or racist will not solve the problem. Reform must come in Islam from muslims. Despite the dumbness, deafness and blindness of left wing liberal media, very few muslim figures started to acknowledg that.
32
The peaceful Muslim majority needs to condemn the violent Muslim minority. I sometimes hear about that happening, but I never see it.
11
If you want to see it happening check these links
http://muslimbuddhist.blogspot.com/search/label/Muslimoutrage
http://muslimbuddhist.blogspot.com/search/label/Muslimoutrage
Adam Mano is LGBT, Pakistani, and Hispanic: he gets some serious intersectionality points!
I, for one, welcome our new intersectional overlords.
I, for one, welcome our new intersectional overlords.
10
TRUMP, Whose family immigrated to the US from Germany, is moving in a direction that is terrifyingly close to that of the Nazis in Germany in their persecution of the Jews. The Nazis, especially Hitler, constantly screamed at the public about how the Jews were infecting the world with a plague. The Nazis put signs up on walls that said, Do Not Patronize Jewish Shops. In Germany, posters went up that read, The Jews are our Misfortune. Other posters read, Jews not wanted here. All of these ideas had the aim of HItler's Final Solution--creating a Europe and ultimately a world free from the Jews. Now Trump comes along and sets US policy on the same path that the country of his forebears haled from. While Germany, broken, humiliated and remorseful for the horrors perpetrated in the name of Nazism, became a world leader in human rights. It is terrifying that Trump has set the US on a course that could ultimately lead to the same sort of societal attitudes of the Nazis--exclusion and elimination of Muslims in the US. As a proud American Jew, I stand tall and say, NEVER AGAIN! Never again will the horrors of Nazism be repeated anywhere in the world. Not against Jews. Not against any group! For if we do not stand tall together, we will suffer the fate of the Nazis. And hang separately.
2
Whoa! Do not conflate Trump with Germans and Germans with Nazis! This is how group hate is spread!
4
Sunni Islam has Shiahphobia. Shiah Islam has Sunniphobia. The term for agreeing with both is Islamophobia.
10
Mr. Manno is LGBTQ, Hispanic, Pakistani and, uh, Muslim-looking (while he doesn’t exactly claim to be Muslim in this op-ed, he seems to be trying to give the impression he is). That’s a lot of Diversity Pokemon Points!
12
Just last week we had terror attacks in Tehran, London, Paris and Kabul, one and all perpetrated in the name of Islam. And yet here we have the Times, publishing yet another op-ed and/or letter complaining about profiling and people's (admittedly ignorant) attitudes towards Islam. All I can say is that if I were living in say, Szechuan province, and white people were perpetrating random acts of terror, I would be all about as many extra levels of scrutiny as the authorities saw fit to impose. Right now, Islam is most decidedly not just like other religions. Try looking up "honor killing" on the internet. The first several dozen listings will not be Ann Coulter style "Islamophobia", but entirely reputable organizations reporting on a very real and disturbing phenomenon. Type "honour killings europe", and you will find several EU pages dealing with occurrences among Muslims living in Europe. Or try this thought experiment: In 1983 American artist Andres Sorrano, created "P*ss Christ", a photograph of a crucifix submerged in a vial of the artist's own urine. The piece created a minor sensation, blowhard Rudolph Giuliani denounced the use of NEA funds in its creation, but outside of one print which was defaced, and some demonstrations, nothing much came of it. Now, imagine if you will, the same artwork, but in place of a crucifix, imagine a tiny Quran submerged in urine. Now imagine the reaction. Still think Islam is just like the rest of the world's religions?
24
Our government has enacted laws which preserve freedom of speech and bind no one to silence.
It is only when speech is considered the means of incitement to violence that it is questioned and even then the prosecution, if any, is for physical violence not the however amorphous words which might have prompted it..
Bill Maher, like many who entertain, uses the education inherent in coherent social comment to expose many of us to ideas he holds, but he was criticized for verbally repeating an image which, while reasonably offensive to many, cannot in itself be construed as bringing about physical harm.
People are disposed to physical violence as a result of their own exposure to it rather than the often hateful words which have followed all of us at one time or another.
In our effort to promote tolerance we have given a taxable pass to almost any place of worship while avoiding the ongoing denial of observable reality which many beliefs foster. This strikes me as an impractical political solution to a major social problem
While religious believers are my fellow human beings and I respect their individual rights I do not accept any beliefs in or allusions to the supernatural and do not think organizations which preach belief in preference to observable reality should receive exception from taxation.
Whatever madness prompts mass shootings or any other form of war, should underline this divorce from fact.
We can end it by accepting the truth and avoiding sophistry.
It is only when speech is considered the means of incitement to violence that it is questioned and even then the prosecution, if any, is for physical violence not the however amorphous words which might have prompted it..
Bill Maher, like many who entertain, uses the education inherent in coherent social comment to expose many of us to ideas he holds, but he was criticized for verbally repeating an image which, while reasonably offensive to many, cannot in itself be construed as bringing about physical harm.
People are disposed to physical violence as a result of their own exposure to it rather than the often hateful words which have followed all of us at one time or another.
In our effort to promote tolerance we have given a taxable pass to almost any place of worship while avoiding the ongoing denial of observable reality which many beliefs foster. This strikes me as an impractical political solution to a major social problem
While religious believers are my fellow human beings and I respect their individual rights I do not accept any beliefs in or allusions to the supernatural and do not think organizations which preach belief in preference to observable reality should receive exception from taxation.
Whatever madness prompts mass shootings or any other form of war, should underline this divorce from fact.
We can end it by accepting the truth and avoiding sophistry.
1
You have it exactly right. But, in my experience as an academic, few college administrators support improving society or, even, helping students to mature. Everything 'academic' is lost to political considerations and not rocking the boat...even when the boat is sinking fast.
5
The tenor of many of the comments here indicates that both Trump and the terrorists are, on the whole, succeeding in their mutual agenda of sowing fear and distrust, tearing at the fabric of society by alienating us from each other. It is only through our disunity that extremists can defeat us.
Therefore, in this age of non-state, anonymous terror, the real heroes are those who continue to live lives of civic loving-kindness, despite all the "good reasons" to shrink back from our fellow citizens in fear. As with all heroes and all wars, this approach will produce casualties, but the casualties will occur in any event. Today, it takes far more courage to love than to hate, to help than to fight, to heal than to injure.
Therefore, in this age of non-state, anonymous terror, the real heroes are those who continue to live lives of civic loving-kindness, despite all the "good reasons" to shrink back from our fellow citizens in fear. As with all heroes and all wars, this approach will produce casualties, but the casualties will occur in any event. Today, it takes far more courage to love than to hate, to help than to fight, to heal than to injure.
7
I deeply appreciate this essay, however frightening it is.
Thank you Adam. I live in Central Florida and have seen both resilience as well as hate. The fact that Trump was elected after Pulse means we have a long way to go to educate people about the dangers of eliminationist rhetoric. Educators and students at UCF, working with community members, have produced exhibits on these themes under the umbrella of the Citizen Curator Project. You can find their work here: http://www.cah.ucf.edu/citizencurator/
2
Mr Manno seems to be making the same assumption as many of his critics in this thread: hateful speech causes hateful behavior, so let's ban speech advocating an ideology of hatred (I recognize that each side will say it's only their opponents who want do any speech-banning).
However it's not the speech that's the problem, it's the behavior.
However it's not the speech that's the problem, it's the behavior.
12
...the behavior of males...
What's good for the goose is good for the ....Ban Islamist hate speech preached in Mosques too then. Shut down mosques, right?
3
Cicken and egg conversations are rarely productive. you need to eliminate both sides of a hateful conversation to solve a problem, or they just feed each other in an unending cycle.
This is a bit of a bizarre viewpoint.
The author believes speech codes only need to be implemented for American citizens who are the targets of these ISIS attacks? The author never proposes speech codes for Islamist extremism?
This type of alternate universe thinking is a good example of why the polls show that Democrats have lost touch with America.
The author believes speech codes only need to be implemented for American citizens who are the targets of these ISIS attacks? The author never proposes speech codes for Islamist extremism?
This type of alternate universe thinking is a good example of why the polls show that Democrats have lost touch with America.
36
he didnt recommend any such thing. he spoke out againt blanket condemnations, which is just the flip, white side of the muslim extremist speach. you want to get rid of one side, you have to get rid of the other. the problem calls for a scapel, not an axe
2
Jews have been targeted constantly by Muslims for over 50 years. When has any Muslim blamed the anti-Jewish rhetoric in Muslim culture and demanded it be curtailed? Never.
11
What kind of president responds to mass murder of innocents with "appreciate the congrats..."
Definitely not my president.
Definitely not my president.
7
If I am reading this right, Mr Mano is the offspring of a middle eastern Father, a black mother, he is of the Muslim faith, and is openly gay. Sheesh, that is 4 ways to excuse the bullying our righteous Christian extremists can use. Blessings, brother, I am glad you inherited such intelligence, may you live long and prosper!
4
" Muslim students see a direct and detrimental correlation between this kind of talk and the increased threats and prejudice they experience."
The problem with that is that every(reasonable)body else sees a "direct and detrimental correlation between" between the words of Muslim leaders and
"increased threats and" [number of dead non-Muslims] "they experience".
Christians and LGBT people do not have leaders calling for mass murder of non-Christians and non-LGBT people.
The problem with that is that every(reasonable)body else sees a "direct and detrimental correlation between" between the words of Muslim leaders and
"increased threats and" [number of dead non-Muslims] "they experience".
Christians and LGBT people do not have leaders calling for mass murder of non-Christians and non-LGBT people.
23
Yeah, had it been a white or even half white Republican Christian who blew away 50 gays in a nightclub, the demonization, calls for targeting white Republican Christians and singling them all out as racists and demanding legislation against White Republicans as Neo Nazis and rightwingnuts would have been so swift it would make heads spin, that it was a Dark skinned Muslim who blew away 50 gays in a nightclub the calls are still coming from NYT, CNN, Washpo, and liberal progressives I see commenting here to label ALL white Republican Christians as racists, and still targeting ALL white Republican Christians as low brow, deplorable, anti intellectual, Xenophobic narrow minded bigots...coming from a family that's multi racial but I happen to look white because of my father I find it's actually the likes of NYT and Washpo readers that are at least as narrow minded, and bigoted towards those who think, vote and believe differently than themselves,
10
Thank you for your words. I am sickened by the acceleration of hate crimes targeting non-Whites, non Christians and members of the LGBTQ community since Cheeto Satan was elected. I am also sickened by the lack of empathy and compassion coming from "Christian" Whites who are indifferent to the plight of marginalized individuals. I don't have an answer but we are in dark times right now.
5
You’re preaching to the converted. Those who declare solidarity with you are not the ones who perpetrate terrorist attacks.
2
Thank you Adam for your thoughtful, healing, and unifying words.
8
The author of this piece seems deeply confused about the subject matter he is commenting on. For one, he conflates Islam *as a doctrine* with Muslims *as people*.
Sadly, this sort of moral confusion – which renders this type of analysis meaningless (at best) and dangerous (at worst) – is common among my fellow secular liberals. This isn’t to say that the Right isn’t any less confused on this topic. As Pakistani-Canadian author Ali Rizvi recently commented: “The Left is wrong on Islam; the Right is wrong on Muslims.”
Both the Left and the Right need to learn the difference between criticism of *ideas* and bigotry against *people*.
Sadly, this sort of moral confusion – which renders this type of analysis meaningless (at best) and dangerous (at worst) – is common among my fellow secular liberals. This isn’t to say that the Right isn’t any less confused on this topic. As Pakistani-Canadian author Ali Rizvi recently commented: “The Left is wrong on Islam; the Right is wrong on Muslims.”
Both the Left and the Right need to learn the difference between criticism of *ideas* and bigotry against *people*.
36
Mark B, I take your point, but *ideas* don't pick up guns and slaughter people, or drive vans into crowds.
Yes, it's challenging to separate out the ideas from the people who may or may not hold them.
The reality is that while many, if not most, Muslims are a genuine benefit to the country, some hold the doctrine of radical Islam that poses an existential threat to the country, our citizens, and the West in general.
Separating the people who hold this belief (radical Islam) and are prepared to act on it (now or in future) from those who don't is the challenge--NOT, as you put it, distinguishing between ideas and people.
Yes, it's challenging to separate out the ideas from the people who may or may not hold them.
The reality is that while many, if not most, Muslims are a genuine benefit to the country, some hold the doctrine of radical Islam that poses an existential threat to the country, our citizens, and the West in general.
Separating the people who hold this belief (radical Islam) and are prepared to act on it (now or in future) from those who don't is the challenge--NOT, as you put it, distinguishing between ideas and people.
8
Gay people are not marginalized, nor are Muslims.
The way that Islam is practiced in most of the world is repressive. This needs to be addressed, and the repression inherent in many Muslim's beliefs was the sole cause of the Pulse Nightclub horror.
I am sure that Islam can be practiced peacefully, and many Muslims are wonderful people, but to pretend that there is not an issue with crimes that are frequently perpetrated in the name of Islam, is a not a good idea
The way that Islam is practiced in most of the world is repressive. This needs to be addressed, and the repression inherent in many Muslim's beliefs was the sole cause of the Pulse Nightclub horror.
I am sure that Islam can be practiced peacefully, and many Muslims are wonderful people, but to pretend that there is not an issue with crimes that are frequently perpetrated in the name of Islam, is a not a good idea
53
Gay people are not marginalized?? Nor are Muslims?? Have you ever heard of the American school system? Great in many ways, but, like in school systems all over the world, kids are excellent at excluding those they see as different...
4
@James: Your second paragraph is also true with replacement of one word:
I am sure that Christianity can be practiced peacefully, and many Christians are wonderful people, but to pretend that there is not an issue with crimes that are frequently perpetrated in the name of Christianity is a not a good idea.
So many of the right-wing killers throughout our country (the ones who are said to have mental illness rather than being terrorists) claim to be Christians. If you didn't know better, you'd think Christianity was a religion of violence, wouldn't you?
I am sure that Christianity can be practiced peacefully, and many Christians are wonderful people, but to pretend that there is not an issue with crimes that are frequently perpetrated in the name of Christianity is a not a good idea.
So many of the right-wing killers throughout our country (the ones who are said to have mental illness rather than being terrorists) claim to be Christians. If you didn't know better, you'd think Christianity was a religion of violence, wouldn't you?
5
The Christianity practiced in most of the world is repressive. This needs to be addressed. Christians are wondeful people, but to pretend there is not an issue with crimes that are frequently perpetrated in the name of Christianity is not a good idea.
2
An interesting article but Islam is not a race and there are far fewer anti Muslim atrocities committed in the US than those that are committed against Christians, Jews, and non Muslims in Muslim majority nations, Muslims must come to grips with the nonstop violence that They commit against each other and non Muslims. In fact, Muslims all over the world have become more intolerant than ever before. Even once tolerant nations such as Algeria, Indonesia, Chechnya and Bangladesh are committing atrocities against LGBT community and against those few minorities left who dare to speak up.
59
Of course there are
"far fewer anti Muslim atrocities committed in the US than those that are committed against Christians, Jews, and non Muslims in Muslim majority nations"
We are one country, there are at least 50 Muslim majority nations; our country has just over 320 Million people, the Muslim majority nations have a total population of over 1.1 billion, and there are over 1.5 billion Muslims world-wide. So, from the population size disparity alone, you should expect there to be more problems in the Muslim world. While this doesn't excuse the violence in the Muslim world, it certainly doesn't make the events in the U.S.A. alright.
"far fewer anti Muslim atrocities committed in the US than those that are committed against Christians, Jews, and non Muslims in Muslim majority nations"
We are one country, there are at least 50 Muslim majority nations; our country has just over 320 Million people, the Muslim majority nations have a total population of over 1.1 billion, and there are over 1.5 billion Muslims world-wide. So, from the population size disparity alone, you should expect there to be more problems in the Muslim world. While this doesn't excuse the violence in the Muslim world, it certainly doesn't make the events in the U.S.A. alright.
"50 people were murdered by a religious fanatic, but the real problem is my barber said something racist and ignorant"
54
No, Andrew, the real problem is that kind of ignorance spewed by the barber (the kids call it micro-aggressions) is what keeps the false narrative and stereotyping about Muslims going. Not to mention that it was an ignorant and rude comment.
The term "racism" has been so overused that it has lost all meaning.
47
And I'll bet there are plenty of people lining up right now to call you a racist for saying that!
3
Not to the victims of it.
2
The author’s contention that the Pulse nightclub shooting was an attacks on gays and Latinos is absurd. Omar Mateen had also contemplated carrying out his terror attack at Disney World. People who consider Latinos “people of color” would also consider Pulse nightclub Mateen a person of color. He may or may not have been gay, but he was a Pulse nightclub patron. He had never expressed personal prejudice against gays or Latinos. Mateen left no doubt about his motive. "The real Muslims will never accept the filthy ways of the west. You kill innocent women and children by doing us airstrikes. Now taste the Islamic state vengeance” In one of his phone calls to police from inside the nightclub, he said, “I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the Islamic state.” The Pulse nightclub patrons were targeted because they were non-Muslim Americans.
56
Mateen targeted a gay nightclub. Mateen's father saw Mateen get angry seeing a gay couple kiss and co-workers of his heard him make homophobic remarks. In that context, his "filthy ways of the west" was an expression of his homophobia. The fact that he may have been gay doesn't refute that since he could easily have despised that part of himself.
I can see why you'd want to downplay the homophobia since conservatives rely on the votes of a homophobic Christian right.
I can see why you'd want to downplay the homophobia since conservatives rely on the votes of a homophobic Christian right.
5
The headline spews "a Year of Racism".
Is Muslim now a racial category? What about Catholic, Buddhist, Jew, atheist?
Indiscriminately throwing around racist labels is inherently racist.
Is Muslim now a racial category? What about Catholic, Buddhist, Jew, atheist?
Indiscriminately throwing around racist labels is inherently racist.
41
Have you ever noticed that headlines are often short, because they're not supposed to take up too much space? Yes, I suppose the editor could have made the headline something incredibly precise like "A Year of A Lot More Insults Than Usual Being Directed at People of Non-White Skin Color and/or Non-Christian Religion and/or Differing in Other Ways from the Majority", but heck, that's almost a paragraph right there!
2
How about "...a Year of Bigotry?"
1
A phobia is an unreasonable fear of something.
Fear of Islam is in no way unreasonable (as we are reminded every day).
"Islamophobia" is an oxymoron.
Fear of Islam is in no way unreasonable (as we are reminded every day).
"Islamophobia" is an oxymoron.
47
Although Muslim refugees have been convicted on terror-related charges, the author is correct when he says "Muslim refugees have not killed anyone in the United States." However, the author's "refugee" distinction belies the weakness of his argument. Muslim jahidists have killed thousands of Americas while only a handful of Muslim Americans have died as the result in retaliatory hate. American clearly have more to fear from Muslim extremists than Muslim Americans have to fear from non-Muslim Americans.
33
That ignored the fact that Muslims are only about 1% of the U.S. population; there simply aren't that many of them to kill. A more accurate measurement would be victim rates relative to population.
130 dead since 9/11 versus only 1 Muslim killed in a hate crime
2
@chris
Hate crimes against Muslims are likely underreported.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/02/17/its-hard-to-...
Hate crimes against Muslims are likely underreported.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/02/17/its-hard-to-...
It's one thing to point out that attacks are being used to vilify Muslims and other vulnerable people, but I would find the position more admirable if people who have been attacked did more to stop the vilification.
But in the aftermath of such attacks, the victims always seem to shirk their responsibility to defend Muslims and they go quiet. And while grieving and physical recovery surely require some absence from the debate, isn't it odd that we don't have more progressive victim voices who can be there to defend Muslims? Where were the Pulse victims when it came to countering Trump's loathsome opportunism? Where were the 9/11 victims, the San Bernardino victims, and the Boston Marathon victims? This group includes tens of thousands of people when you add their families. They have a real role to play. With these attacks, few have more credibility than the actual victims and their family members.
The burden for protecting Muslims from verbal denigration and suspicion after Muslims attack non-Muslims shouldn't just fall on members of the Muslim community and uninvolved non-Muslims. Those people, and especially the progressives among them, who have actually been attacked also bare some responsibility in fighting the spread of hate.
But in the aftermath of such attacks, the victims always seem to shirk their responsibility to defend Muslims and they go quiet. And while grieving and physical recovery surely require some absence from the debate, isn't it odd that we don't have more progressive victim voices who can be there to defend Muslims? Where were the Pulse victims when it came to countering Trump's loathsome opportunism? Where were the 9/11 victims, the San Bernardino victims, and the Boston Marathon victims? This group includes tens of thousands of people when you add their families. They have a real role to play. With these attacks, few have more credibility than the actual victims and their family members.
The burden for protecting Muslims from verbal denigration and suspicion after Muslims attack non-Muslims shouldn't just fall on members of the Muslim community and uninvolved non-Muslims. Those people, and especially the progressives among them, who have actually been attacked also bare some responsibility in fighting the spread of hate.
the victims of hatred and murder should do their best to call for tolerance of their attackers? on this planet?
3
In December 2015, Donald Trump called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” But by August 2016, Trump was no longer calling for a “total and complete shutdown.” Instead, during a major speech on fighting terrorism, he said “clearly, new screening procedures are needed." As president,Trump has not called for a Muslim ban. He has called for a pause in travel from six predominantly Muslim countries untill new screening procedures can be put in place.
3
William Case writes "As President, Trump has not called for a Muslim ban. He has called for a pause in travel from six predominantly Muslim countries until new screening procedures can be put in place."
1. Um, actually, yeah he did. A few weeks back he tweeted his call for a "travel ban". In those words.
2. "from six predominantly Muslim countries"... with the notable, gaping exception of the country that actually funded the biggest attacks on U.S. soil, Saudi Arabia. If he were serious about targeting terrorism, he would include Saudi Arabia.
3. "temporary pause until new screening procedures can be put in place. " It's been six months, and the only "new screening procedures" that have been proposed are to... wait for it.. request Twitter handles from immigrants. WOO! There's our "extreme vetting", ladies and gentlemen! If Trump were serious about implementing better vetting procedures, he'd have done so by now. And the fact that something is claimed to be "temporary" doesn't mean it IS temporary.
Particularly when the president himself calls it a "BAN" not a "pause".
1. Um, actually, yeah he did. A few weeks back he tweeted his call for a "travel ban". In those words.
2. "from six predominantly Muslim countries"... with the notable, gaping exception of the country that actually funded the biggest attacks on U.S. soil, Saudi Arabia. If he were serious about targeting terrorism, he would include Saudi Arabia.
3. "temporary pause until new screening procedures can be put in place. " It's been six months, and the only "new screening procedures" that have been proposed are to... wait for it.. request Twitter handles from immigrants. WOO! There's our "extreme vetting", ladies and gentlemen! If Trump were serious about implementing better vetting procedures, he'd have done so by now. And the fact that something is claimed to be "temporary" doesn't mean it IS temporary.
Particularly when the president himself calls it a "BAN" not a "pause".
10
Nonsense. There was a night of terror followed by a year of bigotry.
There is only one modern biological DNA genetic evolutionary fit human race species that began in Africa 250,000+ years ago. Neither color nor ethnicity nor national origin nor faith nor LGBTQ status are biological racial markers. About 2-5% of European and Asian DNA is ancient Neanderthal/Denovisan race species.
Color is a response to differing levels of solar radiation at altitudes and latitudes related to Vitamin D production and protecting genes from damaging mutations. Ethnicity is a linguistic cultural designation that has nothing to do with either color or national origin or race. National origin has nothing to do with color or ethnicity. Neither faith nor LGBTQ status are related to color, ethnicity or national origin.
Terrorizing any human being for any human characteristic is 'racist' because there is only one human race. It is not racist because there are different colored 'races' or there are any Hispanic or Mexican or Muslim or Arab or LGBTQ 'races'.
There is only one modern biological DNA genetic evolutionary fit human race species that began in Africa 250,000+ years ago. Neither color nor ethnicity nor national origin nor faith nor LGBTQ status are biological racial markers. About 2-5% of European and Asian DNA is ancient Neanderthal/Denovisan race species.
Color is a response to differing levels of solar radiation at altitudes and latitudes related to Vitamin D production and protecting genes from damaging mutations. Ethnicity is a linguistic cultural designation that has nothing to do with either color or national origin or race. National origin has nothing to do with color or ethnicity. Neither faith nor LGBTQ status are related to color, ethnicity or national origin.
Terrorizing any human being for any human characteristic is 'racist' because there is only one human race. It is not racist because there are different colored 'races' or there are any Hispanic or Mexican or Muslim or Arab or LGBTQ 'races'.
9
Extremely valuable points about our species.
Vitamin D, sun exposure, altitude, etc. selects for some superficial characteristics.
But what's the deal with bigotry? What purpose could that possibly have served such that it's so easily & viciously inflamed? People don't need 'ethnic' adaptations to be bigots, they seem to be born with some irrational, hair-trigger psychological flaw, what possibly adaptational purpose could that have served, we're not battling armies of ants nor troops of baboons. Bigotry seems to be the basis of nationalism, which is some kind of intellectual process that appears to be humanity's fatal flaw.
Vitamin D, sun exposure, altitude, etc. selects for some superficial characteristics.
But what's the deal with bigotry? What purpose could that possibly have served such that it's so easily & viciously inflamed? People don't need 'ethnic' adaptations to be bigots, they seem to be born with some irrational, hair-trigger psychological flaw, what possibly adaptational purpose could that have served, we're not battling armies of ants nor troops of baboons. Bigotry seems to be the basis of nationalism, which is some kind of intellectual process that appears to be humanity's fatal flaw.
3
But it's not racist if a Sinni kills a Shite, it's just a sectarian conflict. Muslims couldn't be racists or bigots, they are too good for that, just ask the NYTimes.
1
@tldr
We are primate social apes who are biologically DNA genetically driven to crave fat, salt, sugar, water, habitat, sex and kin by any means necessary including cooperation and conflict.
Our closest primate ape kin are the peaceful sexual matriarchal bonobo and the patriarchal violent chimpanzees. We are somewhere sometimes balanced between those two extremes.
We are primate social apes who are biologically DNA genetically driven to crave fat, salt, sugar, water, habitat, sex and kin by any means necessary including cooperation and conflict.
Our closest primate ape kin are the peaceful sexual matriarchal bonobo and the patriarchal violent chimpanzees. We are somewhere sometimes balanced between those two extremes.
2
Freedom of speech is guaranteed to even the loathsomest ideas.
I don't understand the headline writer's logic in naming this article ("A Night of Terror, a Year of Racism"). The author is writing about marginalized groups of people, not races. LGBT people are not a race, neither are Muslims. "Racism" has come to be one of the most conflated words in the English language.
27
Right up there with the word "Terror". How about, "A Night of Insanity, a Year of Intolerance". Not as click-baiting, but a much better encapsulation of the Op-Ed.
2
Many of the points you've made are clear and true, but it is odd (?) you did not mention the name of the killer, and his 'reason' for killing. This lapse undercuts some of your argument.
22
Great editorial,
It is amazing to me the number of people who don't consider anti-Muslim bias to be an act of racism. It is. Their fear and hatred is rationalized and predicated on the flimsy and false belief that the propensity towards terrorism and violence more broadly is somehow a unique personality trait common among all Muslims. As though it is in "their" DNA and not in "ours" whoever it is that "we" happen to be.
Last time I checked, the guys who shot up a black church in South Carolina, and an elementary school in Connecticut weren't radical Islamists. Yet, these mass killers are treated as Sui generis, coming from nowhere, belonging to no one. Non-Muslim Americans of every race and creed perpetrate thousands of acts of small scale terror and violence every day for reasons equally unfathomable as those that inspire Islamic terrorism. The sheer scale of which in aggregate dwarf the amount of death and carnage of these high profile attacks; yet, we don't group and shun these people by their affiliations. The simple truth is people are people whatever they happen to believe and whoever their parents happen to have been. We are all mutable for good or ill. We all have the propensity and capability for violence. And remember, the next time you get behind the wheel after having too much to drink you are potentially committing an act of terror. I've lost far more relatives and friends to drunk drivers than I have to Muslim terrorists.
It is amazing to me the number of people who don't consider anti-Muslim bias to be an act of racism. It is. Their fear and hatred is rationalized and predicated on the flimsy and false belief that the propensity towards terrorism and violence more broadly is somehow a unique personality trait common among all Muslims. As though it is in "their" DNA and not in "ours" whoever it is that "we" happen to be.
Last time I checked, the guys who shot up a black church in South Carolina, and an elementary school in Connecticut weren't radical Islamists. Yet, these mass killers are treated as Sui generis, coming from nowhere, belonging to no one. Non-Muslim Americans of every race and creed perpetrate thousands of acts of small scale terror and violence every day for reasons equally unfathomable as those that inspire Islamic terrorism. The sheer scale of which in aggregate dwarf the amount of death and carnage of these high profile attacks; yet, we don't group and shun these people by their affiliations. The simple truth is people are people whatever they happen to believe and whoever their parents happen to have been. We are all mutable for good or ill. We all have the propensity and capability for violence. And remember, the next time you get behind the wheel after having too much to drink you are potentially committing an act of terror. I've lost far more relatives and friends to drunk drivers than I have to Muslim terrorists.
16
We cannot change the meaning of words to make ourselves feel good. That means we can't take any violent act and call it terrorism just to be able to say "see? we're all the same".
No one thinks that Muslims have violent DNA. Their religion, as it is currently practiced and taught in many parts of the world, in not compatible with peace, equality and freedom. As a result it too often leads to violence. To ignore this reality is only exacerbating the problem.
No one thinks that Muslims have violent DNA. Their religion, as it is currently practiced and taught in many parts of the world, in not compatible with peace, equality and freedom. As a result it too often leads to violence. To ignore this reality is only exacerbating the problem.
16
"muslim" is a religion not a race.
Arab muslims - are Caucasian.
Islam - calls for the death of "LGBT" type people and the leading nations of both sunni and shia islam execute people for being gay.
Arab muslims - are Caucasian.
Islam - calls for the death of "LGBT" type people and the leading nations of both sunni and shia islam execute people for being gay.
12
Unfortunately the fact is that cleansing the country of Muslims is in fact an effective if brutal solution to eliminating Muslim terrorism. It is also a simplistic white-centric un-American solution. Equally unfortunate is that the focus of the debate here and most everywhere else, is on the former concept, which is a losing argument, whereas the latter more nuanced concept receives scant attention.
1
There will never be enough manpower to scrutinize everyone for possible terrorism. It is right and necessary to use gender, age, race, and religion to choose who to focus on, to keep all of us alive. That will inconvenience some people, like Adam Manno, more. That is regrettable. But it is also necessary. and the people who brave threats to their careers for supposed hate speech, in order to make this fact necessary, deserve our thanks, not our insults and our efforts to censor their speech and take away their jobs. College campuses must remain places that can discuss all current issues, including terrorism and who poses the greatest risk.
17
Racism? I am inclined to side with the families of those who were killed or maimed that horrific night. Not stand up for those who caused the suffering. There I've said it. (That takes courage nowadays)
49
There's one guy who caused the suffering at Pulse Nightclub. As far as I can tell no one is defending/standing up for him.
Tolerating Muslim religious intolerance is questionable.
9
This is a good nuanced retrospective on the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy written from the perspective of a young gay whose parents are Hispanic and Pakistani. Of course he includes his observations of how ideologues twist tragic events to their own ends regardless of the consequences. Good for him for taking this on.
21
One of the commenters here mentioned having a Moroccan friend who has experienced prejudice since 9/11
It's a little known fact (perhaps on purpose) that Morocco was the very first country to recognize the United States as a sovereign nation after we declared independence from England.
It's a little known fact (perhaps on purpose) that Morocco was the very first country to recognize the United States as a sovereign nation after we declared independence from England.
20
I believe those who may be cast as Anti-Muslim may in reality be pro American law and a distinction needs to be made here. We can all have our own religious believes but we have can only one law when it comes to using force to influence others.
A critical part of being American, is accepting our secular laws above all others when it comes to imposing justice on people other than ourselves. Under our law, using force to impose justice on others is solely the role of the government, and this is a critical aspect of American society. There is no room for vigilanteism in American. If we can just expect everyone to stay within our countries laws, this would be a much more tolerant and peaceful country. Our countries law provide for freedom or worship but not forcefully imposing our will on others. It allows heterosexuality and homosexuality and puts men and women on an equal footing under the law.
A critical part of being American, is accepting our secular laws above all others when it comes to imposing justice on people other than ourselves. Under our law, using force to impose justice on others is solely the role of the government, and this is a critical aspect of American society. There is no room for vigilanteism in American. If we can just expect everyone to stay within our countries laws, this would be a much more tolerant and peaceful country. Our countries law provide for freedom or worship but not forcefully imposing our will on others. It allows heterosexuality and homosexuality and puts men and women on an equal footing under the law.
19
We desire to be a secular country, but the party in power neither respects all religions or the equality of women
14
Manno: good article; fair comment. Remember, phobias are not rational: rational argument has little effect on the infected. Remember too, that we live in the United States of America. "Of" and "America" are accurate. Otherwise, it is not the united people of America. "State" connotes a ruling clique, and it's hard to say the were ever really united except in war--definitely not united in life-issues. E pluribus unum and United States? Aspirations, at best.
8
Thank you for this eloquent piece in support of pluralism based on rational thought. I agree that bigotry is not a legitimate "political view" that ought to be accommodated on campuses or any where else. People who call themselves "conservatives" perhaps should heed the advise of Horace Greeley, one of America's greatest newspaper editors who ran for President of the U.S. in 1872 as a Whig. Mr. Greeley is recognized as one of the greatest pioneers of professional journalism practices as we understand them today. He believed in giving his readers all viewpoints on any issue. But he drew a line at morally detestable view points such as racism and slavery. He said, "In the exercise of a grave public duty to denounce a palpable villainy, it does not follow that we should give the villain a hearing."
So, that dean at UCF was wrong in protecting someone spewing hate. Campuses should not be in the business of accommodating ideologies based on hate of other groups or religions, period.
So, that dean at UCF was wrong in protecting someone spewing hate. Campuses should not be in the business of accommodating ideologies based on hate of other groups or religions, period.
26
Let me get this straight. You declare others to be "conservatives". You endow these "conservatives", or "villains" with "morally detestable view points such as racism and slavery" and with "ideologies based on hate of other groups or religions". Then, you deny them the right to express any kind of rejoinder to your accusations. This Kafka-Orwell lawjick would be right at home in your run of the mill repressive dictatorship. Kim Jong-Un comes to mind.
15
Is it safe to assume that this writer wishes reconciliation between Muslim and gay communities. Great opportunity for "moderate" imams to welcome openly gay worshippers to Friday prayers.
40
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. The reason for this statement is this statement is that fear leads to authoritarianism and destroys our democratic republic. The man who issued that stunning phrase was also the man who set up the Japanese internment camps in isolated areas of the American West where they would go unnoticed.
Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it. Meanwhile, Trump continues to complain about his struggle.
Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it. Meanwhile, Trump continues to complain about his struggle.
9
A moving, thoughtful piece. Mr. Mano said it so well that I will not offer further commentary, only that I hope that a prestigious journal has sought fit to offer him a position now that he has graduated.
19
I'm very sorry for the prejudices you've experienced. I have a friend from Morocco who's going through similar experiences. He's been in our country since he was 5 but since 9/11 people treat him like he's the enemy because he's Muslim.
We need to move past 9/11. Yes the attacks on the twin towers and the loss of nearly 3 thousand lives was tragic. Americans lost their innocence and their sense of security that day.
But after nearly two decades of war what have we accomplished. We're stuck in Afghanistan and Iraq and our efforts at nation building has destabilized the middle east. Millions of lives have been lost and we've created enemies where none existed before.
We need to make a conscious effort to move forward and put the past behind us. We need to remember that American Muslims were just as devastated that terrible day. For them, they lost their country that day as fellow Americans turned against them. Enough is enough.
We need to move past 9/11. Yes the attacks on the twin towers and the loss of nearly 3 thousand lives was tragic. Americans lost their innocence and their sense of security that day.
But after nearly two decades of war what have we accomplished. We're stuck in Afghanistan and Iraq and our efforts at nation building has destabilized the middle east. Millions of lives have been lost and we've created enemies where none existed before.
We need to make a conscious effort to move forward and put the past behind us. We need to remember that American Muslims were just as devastated that terrible day. For them, they lost their country that day as fellow Americans turned against them. Enough is enough.
45
Never forget 9/11, ever.
1
Well-written and thought-provoking. However, 'Islamophobia', in itself, does not constitute racism. If a hairdresser judged you to be 'one of the bomb throwers', you could've corrected him. If that fails, there's always under-tipping.
16
I am alarmed that the Dean of U.C.F. blithely excused the comments of the anti Muslim professor Jonathan Matusitz. A quick google search shows that he has made racist statements such as; "Muslims procreate like mushrooms after rain". Muslims are the only minority against whom racism is tolerated under the guise of free speech. Had a tenured professor expressed such racist remarks against Jews or blacks, he would not have a job.
39
Muslims are NOT A RACE, so the remarks of the professor cannot be racist. To equate the fight for civil rights of minorities, LGBT and others with a religion that is openly misogynistic and anti-gay (prison or death in 80 % of Muslim majority countries) and does not believe in freedom of religion (to convert to another religion in Muslim countries is illegal "apostasy") or speech is preposterous.
20
It's called tenure, look it up. At Northwestern there is a Holocaust denying professor that the University cannot fire because of it. The outdated, silly notion of tenure must be abolished.
3
@HughMcDonald
Discrimination against Muslims is usually based on those people who "look" Muslim or are from a specific part of the world and therefore of a certain ethnic groups--so it is racist.
"LGBT and others with a religion that is openly misogynistic and anti-gay (prison or death in 80 % of Muslim majority countries) "
There are a great many Christian countries that have homophobic laws as well. To assume that all strains of Islam mandate violent homophobia is an ugly stereotype and preposterous.
Discrimination against Muslims is usually based on those people who "look" Muslim or are from a specific part of the world and therefore of a certain ethnic groups--so it is racist.
"LGBT and others with a religion that is openly misogynistic and anti-gay (prison or death in 80 % of Muslim majority countries) "
There are a great many Christian countries that have homophobic laws as well. To assume that all strains of Islam mandate violent homophobia is an ugly stereotype and preposterous.
3
Trump wants a Muslim/Travel ban for an "urgent" 90 to 120 day review on vetting and then does nothing of substance to improve the vetting process (the 120 days are up and nothing). Trunp wants to falsely and cruelly blame Syrian refugees who are fleeing the terror of both Assad and ISIS. Trump falsely blames the Mayor of London just hours after a terrorist attack in London just because the Mayor happens to be Muslim, in fact, he is the type of Muslim who has a long history of taking on and condemning Islamic extremism - the kind of proud British Londoner moderate and modern Muslim that we need. Trump claims he saw thousands of Muslims in NJ celebrating 9/11 - a total and complete lie that he keeps repeating - one that is blood libel, one with the goal of generating hatred towards Muslims, deliberately fanning the flames of Islamophobia. Trump says it's essential to say Radical Islam and then meets with 50 Muslim leaders/autocrats and chickens out from saying Radical Islam. Trump backs Saudis whose toxic Wahhabism is the ideological foundation for AQ and ISIS. Trump backs autocrats like Egypt's Sisi - autocrats whose oppression breeds the jihadi terrorism.
30
"Trump backs Saudis whose toxic Wahhabism is the ideological foundation for AQ and ISIS."
1. Barack Obama bowed before the Saudi monarch - that's exceedingly deferential to the toxic Wahhabism.
2. AQ and ISIS are both founded ideologically on the Muslim Brotherhood's teachings, not Wahhabism. And both MB and W are founded on their respective imams' understandings of the Qu'ran, which is (as every Muslim believes) the word of God. Essentially, the Qu'ran is the ultimate authority for all aspects of Islam, including the killing of anyone who violates Qu'ranic rules.
1. Barack Obama bowed before the Saudi monarch - that's exceedingly deferential to the toxic Wahhabism.
2. AQ and ISIS are both founded ideologically on the Muslim Brotherhood's teachings, not Wahhabism. And both MB and W are founded on their respective imams' understandings of the Qu'ran, which is (as every Muslim believes) the word of God. Essentially, the Qu'ran is the ultimate authority for all aspects of Islam, including the killing of anyone who violates Qu'ranic rules.
3
The author is deluded. Muslims are not just a marginalized group like gay people or latinos . They belong to a group that consistently spews hate and disdain for kaffirs, gays, independent women , apostates etc. Suspicion of muslims that adhere to their faith and its received ideology is logical and not an expression of bigotry. I say this as a non- believing man of Muslim origin that long ago rejected the teachings I was brainwashed with as a child. I feel little discrimination in the US even though I have brown skin black hair and a thin middle eastern looking nose.
Now if I had a long beard, an Islamic cap and walked in with a group of women in veils or hijab I am sure we would experience suspicion and disdain but in my opinion that would not be unjustified given the history of what adherents to the faith and its social customs have been responsible for -
Although those responsible for those violent acts may represent a small proportion of believing muslims, the acts are based on a philosophy shared by those supposedly non- violent believers. Thus suspicion and disdain are justified and based on logic rather than bigotry or ignorance
The fact that the author wants the UCF professor who dares speak against Islam to be silenced says all you really need to know about him
Now if I had a long beard, an Islamic cap and walked in with a group of women in veils or hijab I am sure we would experience suspicion and disdain but in my opinion that would not be unjustified given the history of what adherents to the faith and its social customs have been responsible for -
Although those responsible for those violent acts may represent a small proportion of believing muslims, the acts are based on a philosophy shared by those supposedly non- violent believers. Thus suspicion and disdain are justified and based on logic rather than bigotry or ignorance
The fact that the author wants the UCF professor who dares speak against Islam to be silenced says all you really need to know about him
106
"They belong to a group that consistently spews hate and disdain"
All Muslims do that, as a group? Not the ones I know.
This itself is hate and disdain.
All Muslims do that, as a group? Not the ones I know.
This itself is hate and disdain.
17
I was raised Catholic and had certain views of that religion similar to what you describe to the Muslim faith - look at Ireland as a modern example. And don't forget the history of religious wars all over the world. It's wrong to stereotype one religion, to me any cult or religion sometimes thrives on castigating and persecuting anyone who is not a member. Today in the US we see the same kind of stereotyping and advocacy of hatred from the Republicans - even though terrorism in the US is often coming from the alt-right, espousing extremist religious views. Your apparent attempt to legitimize the anti-Muslim discrimination and hatred espoused by Trump and his cohorts argues that this is somehow different and thus okay. It's not.
4
Muslims in the U.S. make up approximately 1% of the population. I have many non-white friends, Muslim or not, who are regularly treated by others including authorities as though they are likely terrorists. How is this justified based on logic and not bigotry and ignorance?
5
The main problem with this article is that it marginalizes Muslims. You had to get a black gay Spanish guy to write about white racist hate against Muslims? The obvious question here becomes why? There are no literate Muslims able to address the hate and discrimination we face? We, who are ground zero for white racist hate, are not to be heard even at the New York Times? Can you imagine in the 50s, a Spanish person writing about Jim Crow? Can this man, who speaks fluent Spanish and who can simply turn and tell anyone who’s mistaken, that he is not a Muslim, how can he identify with the woman who walks along in a conservative state wearing hijab? White racist Trump supporters have attacked Muslim women in the United States of America. Muslim kids are bullied at schools, by their teachers even. In this toxic environment, where we Muslims walk with targets on our backs courtesy of the GOP, you have decided today that the best way to speak out about this is to not give Muslims a say in our own persecution?
3
A couple of points.
The author's father is from Pakistan. The author's mother is from the DR. How does that make him "Spanish"?
The author never states his religious convictions. He may follow the tenets of Islam. He may not. He is, however, gay and a patron of the club where this atrocity took place. From the tone of the piece, I understood that sheer happenstance kept him from being present at Pulse that night. It's been exactly one year since the murders and it's Pride. What don't you get about the appropriateness of this commentary?
Try to make the leap to understanding how one oppressed minority(oppressed and marginalized for, say, a personality trait beyond their control and existent in our race since we left the trees) can understand what another oppressed minority(oppressed and marginalized because they choose to follow a certain set of supernaturally conceived lifestyle and dietary guides from literally the Dark Age) feels.
It's called empathy. The more of it we possess the fewer "Pulses" we'll have to read about.
The author's father is from Pakistan. The author's mother is from the DR. How does that make him "Spanish"?
The author never states his religious convictions. He may follow the tenets of Islam. He may not. He is, however, gay and a patron of the club where this atrocity took place. From the tone of the piece, I understood that sheer happenstance kept him from being present at Pulse that night. It's been exactly one year since the murders and it's Pride. What don't you get about the appropriateness of this commentary?
Try to make the leap to understanding how one oppressed minority(oppressed and marginalized for, say, a personality trait beyond their control and existent in our race since we left the trees) can understand what another oppressed minority(oppressed and marginalized because they choose to follow a certain set of supernaturally conceived lifestyle and dietary guides from literally the Dark Age) feels.
It's called empathy. The more of it we possess the fewer "Pulses" we'll have to read about.
56
This opinion piece is written from the perspective of a black gay guy whose mother is Hispanic and whose father is Pakistani. What's wrong with that? The piece, written on the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub massacre, quite naturally includes the author's perceptions of Islamophobia. It does not in any way preempt a Muslim's perspectives.
8
Please read Mor's letter, above. Try to understand that critics of Islam are not necessarily racists, and, in fact most are not racists. For one thing, there are muslims all over the world, and many, like the Saranov brothers are white. And there are Black critics of Islam like Ayan Hirsi Ali. So consider the criticism at face value: critics of Islam reject the violence at the heart of Islam, and the suffocating Sharia. It is the ideology they reject, not the race of any practitioners.
11
This is one of those false-equivalence stories that infuriate conservatives - and for once, I would agree with their fury. Islam is not a race or skin color. Islam is a freely chosen worldview. The author speaks of his facial hair - but what is his religion? And if he is a Muslim, what kind of Islam does he practice? A Sufi-oriented meditative religion or a fundamentalist, murderous Wahhabism? Saying that there is no difference between the two is a slap in the face of the millions of cultural Muslims who are constrained by the Sharia laws, forced into wearing a burqa, hounded by religious fanatics or murdered for being freethinkers. And Muslim students on campus are upset about some professor talking about the connection between Islam and terrorism when 90 percent of terrorist acts across the world are committed by people who openly declare they are doing it in the name of Islam? Well, maybe these students should not be on campus at all if they cannot handle facts. I taught a seminar on evolution in Europe where among my students was a devout, hijab-wearing girl. She wrote a paper quoting the Qu'ran. I failed it, saying her religious beliefs are irrelevant to the matter under discussion. She revised it, took out all religious references, and got a good grade. So European and Middle-eastern Muslims can be open-minded, while American ones go into hysterics if somebody contradicts their prejudices?
140
Who would survive longer: a traditionally-dressed Muslim taking a walk in a gay neighborhood or a rainbow-clad gay-rights activist in almost all places between Morocco and Indonesia?
16
Islam is a religion. Unfortunately conservative Americans believe that United States of America is a Christian country. It was the will of the "founders" that there be no state religion. Some of them had lived under the theocratic government of Massachusetts.
Can you back up those numbers? Who is killing people in name of ideology internationally? In the United States? In the United States , it's not Muslims. The FBI has shared data on that topic. It is far more dangerous to BE Muslim.
5
Thank you for this well-written and well-reasoned article.
10
Very well written and nuanced. Good luck to the author post college graduation!
13
The US did not have enemies who were Muslim, until we made them our enemies. We have pushed and pushed, and made ever more Muslim enemies. Now we are even making enemies of the relatively few Muslims we have here at home, even as our wars necessarily bring us more by taking us more deeply into that world.
We do this to ourselves. We don't have to.
We do this to ourselves. We don't have to.
61
Mr. Thomason, there's an arrogance in some exercises of American power. There's an even greater arrogance in assuming that somehow everything is our fault. It should not be forgotten that if we were truly the most dangerous party in Muslim countries, Muslims would not be so heavily motivated to move here. I don't recall many Jews trying to move to Germany in the 1930s.
In reality, there's a cultural malaise that's pervaded many Muslim-majority countries for a very long time, particularly in the Arab heartland. Orlando is just one example of things Muslims are doing writ large in Muslim-majority countries to gays... And religious minorities. And women. Oh, and also to each other. It's the height of hypocrisy to claim to be an oppressed minority group when the issue at hand is precisely what that group is perpetrating against itself and others in societies where it holds sway.
It's not all our fault. In fact, if it's going to be fixed it will be incumbent on Muslims more generally to override the prevailing schools of thought that encourage and sanction these atrocities, and replace that conventional wisdom with a full religious and cultural reformation like those that have made just about every other culture in the world a preferable place for Muslims to live.
Don't be surprised that many of us here are going to demand they do just that before extending our hospitality any further.
In reality, there's a cultural malaise that's pervaded many Muslim-majority countries for a very long time, particularly in the Arab heartland. Orlando is just one example of things Muslims are doing writ large in Muslim-majority countries to gays... And religious minorities. And women. Oh, and also to each other. It's the height of hypocrisy to claim to be an oppressed minority group when the issue at hand is precisely what that group is perpetrating against itself and others in societies where it holds sway.
It's not all our fault. In fact, if it's going to be fixed it will be incumbent on Muslims more generally to override the prevailing schools of thought that encourage and sanction these atrocities, and replace that conventional wisdom with a full religious and cultural reformation like those that have made just about every other culture in the world a preferable place for Muslims to live.
Don't be surprised that many of us here are going to demand they do just that before extending our hospitality any further.
17
One of the first enemies of the US were the Islamic Barbary Pirates who took American sailors and held them as slaves for ransom unless the US paid tribute to them.
1
Right on!
Only 20% of 1.6 billion Muslims are Arabs. Only 20% of Muslims are Shia. No Shia Muslim nation nor organization has attacked nor threatened to attack the American homeland.
The most motivated effective foes of the Sunni Muslim Arab extremists organizations like al Qaeda and ISIS are Sunni Muslim Turks and Kurds along with the Shia Muslim Arabs and Iranian Persians.
While the least motivated and effective are the Sunni Muslim Arab royal theocratic fossil fuel autocracies and secular military dictatorships along with Zionist Jewish Israel.
Only 20% of 1.6 billion Muslims are Arabs. Only 20% of Muslims are Shia. No Shia Muslim nation nor organization has attacked nor threatened to attack the American homeland.
The most motivated effective foes of the Sunni Muslim Arab extremists organizations like al Qaeda and ISIS are Sunni Muslim Turks and Kurds along with the Shia Muslim Arabs and Iranian Persians.
While the least motivated and effective are the Sunni Muslim Arab royal theocratic fossil fuel autocracies and secular military dictatorships along with Zionist Jewish Israel.
3
Powerful column and insight. All too true.
What I find disturbing about the human construct of subdividing every conceivable shade of human is that the press has a great hand in how divided we actually are.
Sure the present leader for these United States seems to want to only lead 38% or so of the country ( or less ) but every license he seems to give through utterances, tweets or actions are repeated ad nauseum within the 24 hour news cycle. Even then, if public doesn't seem to clue into what the media conglomerates want them to, they will repeat some more.
Go back far enough and we are ALL brothers and sisters.
What I find disturbing about the human construct of subdividing every conceivable shade of human is that the press has a great hand in how divided we actually are.
Sure the present leader for these United States seems to want to only lead 38% or so of the country ( or less ) but every license he seems to give through utterances, tweets or actions are repeated ad nauseum within the 24 hour news cycle. Even then, if public doesn't seem to clue into what the media conglomerates want them to, they will repeat some more.
Go back far enough and we are ALL brothers and sisters.
10