In a move that should be cheered, the British government “has dropped work on an official definition of Islamophobia that was promised more than three years ago.”
In May 2019, the UK government made a U-turn and refused “to adopt a working definition of ‘Islamophobia’ proposed by an all-party Parliamentary group (APPG). The definition, as put forward by the British Muslims APPG in December, determined that Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
But what does “Muslimness” even mean? A hint may have been provided in Canada back in 2017, when the Toronto District School Board guidebook for Islamic Heritage Month was designed with support from the National Council of Canadian Muslims, formerly known as CAIR-CAN. The guidebook defined Islamophobia, in part, as “fear, prejudice, hatred or dislike directed against Islam or Muslims, or towards Islamic politics or culture.” It was opposed by B’nai Brith:
The group says the broad definition could lead to students or staff being punished for expressing dislike for the Republic of Iran’s persecution of LGBTQ people or restrictions placed on women in Saudi Arabia.
B’nai Brith Canada says fighting bigotry against Muslims can’t be pretext for tolerating human rights violations.
In Britain, opposition to the broad definition of “Islamophobia” prevailed. In a letter to then-Prime Minister Theresa May, the leader of Britain’s police chiefs, Martin Hewitt, warned that “anti-terrorist operations would be hampered” if May bowed to the pressure to accept the definition. Hewitt further warned that the definition “risked exacerbating community tensions and undermining counter-terrorist policing powers and tactics“ – a risk that would certainly be expedient for Islamic supremacists.
Britain has seen pervasive Muslim rape gangs, jihad attacks, Islamic hate preachers and an ongoing, steady surge of unvetted illegal Muslim migrants coming into the country across the English Channel. Back in 2016, Equalities Chief Trevor Phillips, “who popularised the term ‘Islamophobia,’” in a stunning admission, revealed that he “thought Muslims would blend into Britain” and that he “should have known better.” Phillips “admitted he got almost everything wrong on Muslim immigration” in a damning report on “integration, segregation, and how the followers of Islam are creating ‘nations within nations’ in the West.”
The Labour Party isn’t pleased about the decision to officially drop “Islamophobia” as reflected in the article below, which presents a one-sided view of Muslims in Britain. “Labour MP Afzal Khan is to raise a point of order asking why successive prime ministers have not responded to any of his letters concerning the matter for two years.” Recall Labour MP Naz Shah (who remains with the party) retweeting that the victims of Muslim rape gangs should “shut up for the good of diveristy.” Shah was actually promoted to Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion, a job for which she is singularly unfit. Aside from giving this slap in the face to Muslim rape gang victims, she has also stated that “the world is waking up to Israel’s actions, and all those who want to see lasting peace in the region know that to achieve such peace we must end the occupation, injustice and oppression.” On another occasion, she declared that Israel has a “‘perverted’ understanding of the right to self-defence.”
The issue of forcing the term “Islamophobia” on Britain continued to haunt the country. Last year, Parliament was again burdened with the issue to hold a general debate on the definition of “Islamophobia.”
Finally, the UK government is doing what every Western country should be doing. It will combat anti-Muslim hatred, as any government that ascribes to the idea of equality of rights for all should be doing, and is dropping the term “Islamophobia,” which protects Islam from scrutiny, thus placing it above all other religions. Islam should be criticized for the human rights abuses it inspires. The fact that people are in danger of physical harm if they choose to mock Islam proves this point.
“Government drops plan to combat anti-Muslim hatred with official definition of Islamophobia,” by Lizzie Dearden, Independent, October 31, 2022:
The government has dropped work on an official definition of Islamophobia that was promised more than three years ago, amid mounting concern over inaction on the issue.
Muslims are the most frequently targeted group for religious hate crimes in England and Wales, while a string of scandals have exposed anti-Muslim hatred within the Conservative Party.
Ministers will be questioned on the issue in parliament on Tuesday, which marks the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month.
Labour MP Afzal Khan is to raise a point of order asking why successive prime ministers have not responded to any of his letters concerning the matter for two years.
“Their lack of action since 2018, coupled with the damning allegations made by Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani, all show that they simply do not take the issue seriously,” he told The Independent.…..
Check Burry says
No surprises, they did an enquiry into the Pakistani muslim gang rapists,took 7 years, £000,000, yet nothing much has changed, the guilty are either out of prison and appealing to stay in UK, and its a complete waste of our taxes.
tim gallagher says
Islamophobia is a bullshit term that is used to scare non-Muslims into silence, to scare them into not criticising islam which deserves every bit of criticism it cops, and which is so full of hatred for non-Muslims. There is my definition of islam. Islam deserves to be hated for the evil it has inflicted for 1400 years, so I support islamophobia or hatred of islam. And there is nothing irrational about hating or fearing islam. 40,000 plus Muslim terrorist attacks is reason enough to hate and fear islam’s followers. Throw in the rape gangs and other barbaric behaviours as well.
VictorMc says
100% with you. tim gallagher. These despicable ‘people’ have destroyed civilised society which has taken us 2000 years + to build up..
They deserve every ‘phobia’ you can think of..
tim gallagher says
Thanks VictorMc. Yes, I can’t find any good thing about islam and it has done so much damage to the human race. I agree with you that islam has destroyed civilised, non-Muslim societies throughout the world. To my mind, islam is as evil as Nazism but has lasted 1400 years doing endless damage, whereas Nazism didn’t have power for long..
Golem2 says
+1
Scotsman48 says
If I tell a muslim fellow that I think his religion appears to be very violent and he then turns around and attacks me very violently for saying this then I wonder if he is being a good muslim fellow by doing that.
If muslims cant take a joke is that also being islamowhatsit?.
Aum says
Welcome news.
Islam is supremacist ideology. And should not gain special place in our society.
Labour will not gain my vote as it is pro-Islam.
mick says
Tony Lloyd MP Labour, is leading the fight for an enquiry into the Rochdale grooming scandal. Others need to stand with him.
i agree that post-Blair Labour is generally pro Islam, anti-British, hence the support for Farage in working class seats.
James Lincoln says
So, just how is the fear of islam – with its devout followers – unreasonable?
Golem2 says
A phobia is an irrational fear. It is a very real fear based on Muslim actions and that vile book