Quote:
Originally Posted by sworkhard
I think these people are less open for a variety of reasons including the ones you mention, but I think it's primarily a matter of focus and conflation between race and religion. In many ways the current fear of Islam manifests itself in ways that look like racism. People are scared of Muslims, and therefore discriminate against them. By and large, you can't tell a Muslim from a non-Muslim just by looking at them, so it's those that wear head scarves, turbans, particularly large and full beards, or have brown or olive skin that are targeted for harassment and abuse, even if they aren't Muslims. As a result, criticism of Islam has, in the minds of some, become a form of racism, and since it's racism, they think it needs to be called out, which often ends up derailing the conversation or ending it.
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Is it more important to criticize Muslims on our comfy western soap boxes or to ensure we arent fueling a mass stereotyping of muslims as people who rape their daughters and cut their genitals off and who are only interested in beheading others. Some low IQ bible thumping FOX watchers are convinced of that. Do you think the medias depiction of Muslims has anything to do with that?
Sure we should criticize the bad in peoples societies and beliefs including our own gluttonous, vain, self absorbed misogynistic, racist, neo-colonialist pig of a culture/society. But shouldn't we also be careful not to characterize or paint 2 billion people as bearded stone age savages. I mean those with a lower IQ might actually look at that and think - wait a minute these people are all thinking like this, we should stop them coming into our countries and prepare for all out battle with them before they all come and invade our lands. I remember I heard of a county or state that actually passed an anti-sharia law; that's the level of fear we currently are witnessing.
I dont think an endless, reckless onslaught of criticism from the west is what it will take to change Islam and global politics.
People seem to want to whine more about the fact they cant bite into Islam and expose it because liberals wont allow them than they actually seem to want to help Muslims reform their religion and have peace in that region of the world.
I feel like many people believe the solution or how we should 'deal with Islam' is by treating them how Dawkins treats Christians and lambasting them for their vintage beliefs. That doesnt work.