Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

On 9/11, Newsweek Wonders if ‘Islamophobia’ Is the ‘Last Acceptable Form of Prejudice’

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My latest in PJ Media:

What exactly is “Islamophobia”? A Newsweek feature published on September 11 examines this question in detail – and what better day for such an examination, for as everyone knows, the story of the 9/11 jihad terror attacks is about how Muslims are victims, not about jihad terrorism.In the course of the article, Newsweek “journalist” Basit Mahmood offers several indications of what he thinks “Islamophobia” is: it is a “form of prejudice” that increases “hate crimes against Muslims.” It’s “anti-Muslim sentiment.” It’s “bigotry.” It’s “dehumanization on the basis of religion.”Well, no one should be in favor of such things, but Mahmood almost immediately muddies the waters. He cites as manifestations of “Islamophobia” the findings that “nearly half of adults in the U.K. believe that Islam is incompatible with British values and in the U.S, a survey found that two in five Americans believe the same when it comes to American values.” Mahmood doesn’t say so, but this is not necessarily a sign of prejudice at all. Such a recognition could stem from a simple awareness of the fact that Sharia’s denial of the freedom of speech, the equality of rights of women, and more is at variance with Western principles.

Mahmood is also disingenuous when he includes this in a piece on “Islamophobia”: “Donald Trump signed an executive order dubbed a ‘Muslim ban’ by critics, banning residents of six Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.” He doesn’t mention that there are six other countries on the list that are not majority Muslim, or that it’s a fairly sorry “Muslim ban” that leaves 51 majority-Muslim countries entirely unbanned. The travel ban is not a Muslim ban at all, but a ban on entry by people from countries that cannot or will not provide adequate information on those wanting to enter. Mahmood is irresponsible to misrepresent the situation in this way.

Mahmood also cites a University of Arkansas associate professor, Khaled Beydoun, in claiming that the kind of populism Trump represents has enflamed “Islamophobia.”

Mahmood even drags out the failed hate propagandist-turned-real estate agent Nathan Lean to explain that “Islamophobia” is “simply driven by the fact that Muslims are different,” racially and ethnically, and to repeat the absurd and baseless claim that “Islamophobia” is a “multi-million dollar industry” of “fear merchants.”

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