Islamophobes rule blogosphere but reason isn't dead yet

by Junaid M. Afeef

Islamophobes rule the blogosphere.  A blog search on Islam and or Muslims turns up page after page of hateful, Islamophobic garbage. 

Some of the Islamophobic garbage is written by regular, everyday bigots.  Other material is penned by bigots with PhDs and other learned degrees.

Degrees or no degrees, the hate is the same.  The tactics are similar and the objectives are: (1) to discredit all things Islam and (2) to marginalize practicing Muslims in the West.

If this sounds like hyperbole, then just blog-search the terms "Islam" or "Muslim" on Google.  You will regularly find hate sites that use the most offensive, crude and hateful language when discussing anything relating to Islam and or Muslims.

The level of vitriol is staggering.  I regularly see posts that curse God, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (S).  Profanity is the norm when discussing Islamic history and theology.

These blogs are riddled with inaccuracies and half-truths about Islam.  These sites suggest falsely that there is no such thing as "good Muslim" and that all Muslims want to kill all non-Muslims.

Would these Islamophobic bloggers say such things to a Muslim neighbor?  I wonder if Islamophobic bloggers view the blogosphere as a unique way to share their deep-seeded hate with the world without being exposed as hatemongers?

I've met racists and bigots in my life.  Some can be very bold, but most prefer anonymous or drive-by hatemongering so that they don't have to confront their victims.  My assumption is that the worst of the worst among Islamophobic bloggers are the cowardly type who say what they say from behind the safety of screen names and URLs.

What can we say to such people even if we had the chance to engage them in a dialogue?  Their hate is pathological, so really, there is not much to be said to them.

I am frequently tempted to engage them in the blogosphere in order to set the record straight or to at least how these bloggers that the "Muslims" they know via the Global War On Terror are not representative of real Muslims throughout the world.  From time to time I allow myself the indulgence of debating them on their own blogs.  It is cathartic, but it is not a viable solution.

While it feels good to put the smackdown on these haters, this tactic does little to bring accurate information about Islam into the blogosphere and it does even less to foster a more civil environment.

These goals - (1) to bring accurate information about Islam into the blogosphere and (2) to foster a civil environment - are critically important.

No amount of government-sponsored public relations on behalf of Islam can resolve the distrust harbored by the American public against Muslims and against Islam.  The only way to earn the public's trust is through dialogue and education.

Blogs can provide both.  This blog, An American Muslim Journal, is my contribution to accurate information and a civil environment for discussion about Muslims and Islam.

I am interested in rational discussions with all people, irrespective of faith (and this includes Muslims inclined to intolerance and violence who are kindred souls of the Islamophobes I've described above).  Reason must prevail if we are to continue living in a civil society.

Reason cannot prevail in an environment lacking truthful and accurate information.  It also cannot prevail in the absence of a civil society where an honest exchange of ideas is possible.

While relational, one on one, interactions are the ideal way of confronting bigotry, the present challenge is so grave and time is of the essence, and as such, multiple modes of communication must be employed.

The one on one dialogues between classmates, neighbors and co-workers are very important.  The accurate messaging from our elected leadership has its place too.  And filling in some of the remaining gaps are the blogs!

Comments

[muz]

Great blog

[Bryan]

I am a Christian. My faith is attacked on a daily basis in this country by intellectuals, atheists, politicians and people of competing faiths. I believe there is a companion phobia in this country. A Religionphobia. A fear and hatred of any one religious and any one that dare up hold any moral code of behavior.
I have to agree with your assertion regarding increasing Islamophobia. I find myself becoming increasing concerned about my Muslim neighbors. Fearing that they may be fundamentalists planning an attack on my child's school, my neigborhood or my place of business. I acknowledge that this is irrational and unfair. It is a testimony to the effectiveness of terrorism because fear is the terroist's intent.
I have had the unfortunate circumstance of knowing a few Muslims personally that just confirmed my irrational bias. These were what I would classify as "political" Muslims. They were black men that found Islam to be a means of rebelling against "whitey". They attacked my Christian faith and blamed me for their oppression all while I bought their lunch. I mean I literally paid for their lunch during this conversation.
I believe my Lord Jesus Christ came teaching peace. I want to be at peace with all people. I want to believe the best about people regardless of their race or religion. I want to be able to express and share my faith openly. As a former US Marine, I fought so every American can do the same regardless of their religious persuasion.
So I am asking you to show me. Show me the goodness of Islam. Show me the kindness, patience and mercy of Islam. You show me the love of Islam and I agree to believe. Release me from my fear, bias and bigotry.

[Ameen S Dad]

All the problem starts when people like Junaid Afeef try to become scholar like Ali Eteraz is trying by lies and fabrications, in his book Children of Dust. Such acts do not bring honor and respect, rather suspicion and anger. You guys use Muslim names to attract non -muslims as a gesture to become one of them. Each faith has its own limits and boundries. You can still be friend to the non muslims while keeping your own identity. You Ali Etraz went to Catholic School and his parents kept their muslim identity and remain friend to the Christians every where they lived. Look at theopenwar.com and see how lies can disturb communities.

[American Christian]

I think the reaction to Muslims by people in this country stem as much from the silence of Muslims about atricities directed at non Muslims as anything. Muslims seem to want to push to the limits, the Mosque soon to be located very near Ground Zero in New York city. Americans are expected to be compassionate to the needs and wants of Muslims, however, Muslims don't seem to hold the same respect for their neighbors that they want in return. Almost any sane, reasonable person would react negatively to having a Mosque built on land blocks away from a place where thousands of Americans lost their lives through no fault of their own, at the hands of Muslims. Common sense and sensitivity would tell people that there is going to be backlash for something like this. Why isn't this Community center being built a mile away? Why does it have to be there? Where is the sensitivity on the part of Muslims? Building a MUSLIM Community center, for the benefit of MUSLIMS at the very heart of one of the deadliest attacks of Americans on American soil in her history seems to speak more about the motives of MUSLIMS, not Islamophobes, as you want to call them.
Americans came to the aid of Iraqi people who were being murdered by their leader, Saddam Hussein. Where were the defenders of Muslims from Islamic countries? What Muslims championed the cause of those people?
If you want to change people's minds, don't stand by while your people cheer and dance at the deaths of innocent people. Voice disgust and anger when innocent people are murdered violently. Then maybe people will really believe you when you profess to be a religion of peace. In the Muslim world, your word doesn't align with your actions. Words are cheap. Easily spoken.