Islamophobia Does Not Represent American Values
Posted Jul 28, 2007

Islamophobia Does Not Represent American Values

by Sheila Musaji

I have personally been called an Islamist, an Islamofascist, a “

Quiet jihadist, Fifth Columnist and terrorist apologist

”.  The American Muslim has been referred to as a fundamentalist American Muslim magazine and website.

On July 21, 2007 Jihad Watch posted an article by Hugh Fitzgerald regarding Bob Crane’s recent article in TAM.  The article opens with the following statement:

“Former Nixon aide Robert D. Crane is a convert to Islam, and his biography—the one he himself composed—shows other evidence of mental bizarrerie (to see it, google “Robert D. Crane” and “Posted by Hugh” and “Jihad Watch”). He has a vested interest in protecting Islam, and protecting as well his own emotional investment in Islam, as a convert. At this point, he is unlikely to say—it would be impossible for him to say, given his mental makeup, to say or even to allow himself a glimmer of a hint of saying or thinking anything like this: “Yes, you’re right, I ‘reverted’ to something I did not understand.” 

“Islam is quite different from what the naïve revert may think. Those who are born into Islam and have managed to defect or escape are intellectually and morally superior people. These include Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Ibn Warraq and Ali Sina and Azam Kamguian and Irfan Khawaja and a great many more. In those ranks I would also place those who, largely out of filial piety, continue to call themselves “cultural Muslims” or even, in the case of Magdi Allam, “Muslims.” By contrast, aren’t so many “reverts,” from Leopold Weiss (Mustafa As’ad) to St. John Philby to John Walker Lindh and David Hicks and Richard Reid and Yvonne Ridley, just a little, or a very great deal, off?”

The negative labels are applied for no crime other than being a Muslim, or what seems to be considered as an even worse “crime”, a Muslim convert.  The danger in this sort of labeling is that it sets off those among us who are only to happy to have a scapegoat on which to vent their rage.  There are a number of sites that regularly feature articles that demonize Muslims, and the comments left on these sites are possibly more illuminating than the articles that set off the rage of the readers.  Here are just a few snippets from these comments:

“GOD BLESS AMERICA” minus the MUSLIMS!” -JB.  “...a ‘revert’ to Islam, is an agit prop for Islam, both are traitors among us, both are enemy agents.  They should be treated as such.” - Sheikh Yer’mamiIslam is one of the symptoms of mental unbalance

- Capitalist Gig  “Every time I see a multitude of muslims surrounding the black shrine of kabaa in mecca, I fantasize about B-1s flying over and taking them all out.  Or perhaps, this is less painful, a mass sterilization. Just think, if 50% of all muslims suddenly disappeared, so would 50% of the world’s misery. The goal should be 100%.” - Capitalist Gig“I prefer to think that one “perverts” to Islam, rather than “converts” or “reverts”. It seems to fit better, since Islam is a perverted mixture of Judaism, Christianity, and various pagan sources. And Mo himself was a pervert.” ebonystone.  “And yes, let us compare them to those dimb bulbs and wierdos who “revert” into Islam.  Islam is like a semi-permeable membrane that lets intelligence out and stupidity in. Combine that with a propensity for marriage of relatives and the future doesn’t look bright for the moon god people.”  Brett.  “... “There is no such thing as a Muslim that is not very near to being a murderer! They read a book of murder called the Koran, and there is no other way to look at it - all Muslims are strongly inclined by culture and the Koran, to be cold blooded murderers - When we do not say this, and teach it everywhere, we just contribute to the murder and slavery that grows bigger and more dangerous everyday, everyway - there never will ever be such a thing as a fully sane Muslim who is not a great danger to have around ... .”  Tom.  “People like Crane and Norquist are traitors who merit the punishment of traitors. Or, have we forgotten what that means and how to deal with it?” Fred.

Even a recent special section of Newsweek about Islam in America which gave a very balanced presentation received comments like the following:

“The Muslim community in the United States indeed does have reason to be concerned about their well being. When the next “mega death” terrorist strike occurs here, the only Muslims left afterward will the ones at the airport fleeing the country. All others will be dead. Political correctness, tolerance, diversity, and all of those considerations will be swept aside with hurricane force. And should it turn out the instigators of said event arrived in the US via the Mexican border, that problem will self correct as well, when the citizens of this country take matters into their own hands. Don’t believe it will happen…? Just watch.” Robert Harris.  “Having been created by an evil man - Islam is not a religion - indeed being filled with Muhammad’s teachings of hate, murder, slaughter etc, it blasphemes and sins against God. Until the evil teachings of the dictator Muhammad are renounced, denounced and removed from the Koran, it will remain an evil book and a direct threat to democracy and freedom. By leaving these violent and abhorrent teachings in the Koran, moderate Muslims are basically acquiescing to evil and ignoring the moral black hole that lies at very the heart of Islam.”  Larry Houle.

The Emails that I receive as Editor of TAM are becoming progressively more strident. I used to just delete these, but now am saving them all.  Some of the key passages from recent hateful emails that I have received:

Is it fair to say that there is not one Muslim inside the United States that is not secretly wishing for the success of Jihad in our country? I think so. Muslims can not be trusted at this point in the war

. There is nothing wrong with pointing out the enemy and knowing their habits, their vices and their weakness in order to destroy them. Show me a single Muslim living inside the United States who has acclimated to the American way of life. All Muslims are not to be trusted at this point. We are in a war! We’ve got to know our enemy and be able to stare that enemy down.. and be willing to destroy them without hesitation. Not just destroy them but obliterate them! Wipe their existence from the face of this planet. Lan Lamphere

“First of all, you are a Muslim convert, right? That speaks volumes...Islam DESERVES to be “bashed.” Naziism DESERVES to be “bashed,” and so does Islam, an evil death cult Islamists refer to as a “religion.”... Fourth, because I as an individual have no respect whatsoever for the hoax “religion” known as “Islam” or for it’s FALSE “prophet” Murdering Psychopath Mohammed, or for the pagan Moon deity “allah” which doesn’t exist, or for the Muslim Murder Guide known as the “koran,” -  I will “bash” Mohammedans and Islam and the koran JUST AS MUCH AS I LIKE! THANK YOU! “

b>“Dump this monstrous ideology.” Dennis

you foolish people better begin beware, the time is comming when we will no long sit by and allow you to hide behind our freedoms , the very freedoms your foolish religion would destroy . . . .  i spit on muhammad, ...” (the rest is vile)

“The rest of us will heave a sigh of relief when Islam finally slithers away.”

If Muslims are Americans, and I doubt that is true, than why are you not denouncing the Muslim terrorists? ...”

“But of course if you think of the entire world, we can count on two hands—among a Billion of the devoted worshippers—(they misrepresent the numbers, so I trimmed the official number to a still-wrong 1 Billion) those who are known to be apologetic and pursuing of truth or amity among the religionists of the country… A handful, no more. Among millions and millions and millions of haters.  That constitutes a threat to the world, since it means that exceedingly few followers of that man in the 8th century are interested in ecumenism and multiple streams of belief, live and let live.” m dreyfus

“In your writings you say that Muslims should reject any individuals, groups that use violence and terror against civilians? It sounds so good but its bunch dung! I have not heard, seen one Muslim on TV, Radio, etc denouncing the terror that Islam produces! All I see is more Muslims taking over the world by killing, raping, bombing, etc.    Bill Patton

“first of all,Laleh Bakhtiar was NEVER a Christian (and you can tell her i said so, and so does the Bible), real Christians would NEVER,i repeat,NEVER convert to a false religion like yours lead by a false prophet(piss be upon him)it’s impossible,stop parading her around like shes some sort of trophy for your cult,she never knew Christ in the first place.,.she was probably a Catholic (not much better than Islam).....when are you Muslims gonna quit lying and start telling the truth about the Origins of your faith and your mudering satanic prophet??....oh i almost forgot,youre all to brainwashed by your satanic false prophet that youre not allowed to….have fun in hell with Mo…or do yourself a favor and dust off your Bible and read it…..i hate evil and i hate liars,this is why i dislike Islam so much,only stupid people and ignorant uneducated morons would buy that load of crap Mohammed shoved down your throats,you cant work your way to heaven,aint gonna happen…God Requires “perfection” and only one person ever accomplished that..Jesus Christ,the Messiah of mankind. Gods only begotten son.”  Todd

“Dear Sheila,  Thank you so much for listing all the anti Islamic quotes.  It just shows that a few people DO understand that Islam is a bigoted murderous cult and not a ‘religion of peace”.  Go ahead and kill me because I dare say that it is a violent cult and not even a religion.” NotADhimmiYet

“It’s so convenient that in your article about the Bosnian, you point out the Serb atrocities.  Why no mention of the Bosnian or Albanian atrocities.  That’s because you have your Quaron blinders on.  Everything a Muslim does is good.  BUT, if he does something bad, that can NEVER be attributed to Islam.  Go figure.  You 3rd rate scholars of Islam are nothing but obstructionist for ANY modernization for Muslims around the world.  Why not talk of the women that are STONED to death, or the girls that are MURDERED by their brothers?  Why I’ll tell you why… BECAUSE ALL MUSLIMS ARE TERRORISTS.  You suck, and so does your gang of Muslim murdering brethren that are killing everyone in the name of ALLAH.” 

The Whole Darn World Hates You and Feels this Way Because You Murder and Kill and Then Cry That Others Want to Stop You from Killing Them???  Gosh.. Pls… Get a Life… Find Happiness…Do Something Good.  When Was the Last Time Muslims Actually Contributed Something Good to this World? Have We Not Seen Enough Hate and Killing; Demonizing All Those That Are Not like You; Stealing Land from Poor Jews in Israel… a Tiny Piece of Land You Can’t Let Them Live- Can You?  Muslims Don’t Have Enough Land, Hate, and Oil - Do They?  When Can You See Though Your Eyes and Not Though the Hate in Your Heart?  ... a Hate That Has Been Bred in You.  This Hate Comes from Lies Your Masters Have Told You - Those Very Dispicable Muslim Countries You Ran from and Came to——————-our—————————Countries to Get Away From.  Have Any of You Not a Speck of Decency?  A Speck???  Did it Ever Occur to You That Your Whining Is One of the Very Causes That Make Normal People Concerned?  Instead of Fighting These Sicko Muslims, Speaking——Your———Ideology - You Complain That People Are Weary of You????  Please, Do All of Us a Favor - Either Fight Those among You That Rape, Murder, Kill, Behead and Threaten or Go to the Country Where You Can Have Your Shiat Laws That Your “Faithful” Try to Impose on the Rest of Us.  Honestly - until Then - You Are Not Wanted Here.  Your Whining and Complaining Is Killing the World Hand in Hand with Those of Your Faith That Do the Actual Killing. Also, Be Careful Because One Day People Will No Longer Talk to Islam - but Will Seek to Rid Islam to Protect Ourselves from Your Heinous Crimes - and Islam Will Have No One to Blame but Violent Islam Itself for its Extinction and the Very People/ Organizations like Yours That Simply Cry about What Innocents Do (Us), Instead of Stopping Your Lunatics Within Your Ranks.  Also, Many Americans Are Considering Lawsuits Against Islam, and That Is next - Coming to You !  So….... Get with the Rest of the World and Produce   Good   Things…  Productive Things… Happy Things…  That Help Others Instead of Condemning Those of Us That Want to Fight You to Save Our Very Lives!!!  If You Don’t Understand This, Which I’m Sure You Cannot - it Is the Very Reason You Resort to Whining Instead of Fighting Radicals and Preserving Innocence in the Face of Tyranny - Which Is Endemic in Muslims.  If We Are Wrong - Prove Us Wrong with Peace Instead of Hate and Murder!”  signed,  a Real American

“Of course we think Islam stinks. Why would anyone want muslims in their country?”

“Bull…. .  On 9/11, we learned everything we needed to know about your filthy pigf…... “religion.”

No AMERICAN can ever be a pigf…... muslim piece of s… - NEVER

.  If you love banging your head on the ground, wailing for your pedophile prophet and his pigf…... “god” allah, then maybe you should pack your shit and move the the Middle East.  F… ISLAM AND THE SUBHUMAN PIGF…... WHO PRACTICE IT.”

I realize that we have free speech and people are entitled to their opinions, however such venom aimed at all American Muslims simply because of their religion is Islamophobia.  It is an irrational prejudice (and contrary to Robert Spencer, it is uninformed) that lumps all Muslims into one category - the “other”, “them”, “those people”.  Al Qaeda is a declared enemy of the United States, and based on their actions also of all mainstream Muslims.  If this anger is towards Al Qaeda or other criminal organizations, then American Muslims are also on your side in that fight.  If your anger is towards our existence as Muslims and our love for our faith, our book, and our prophet, then that is something else again.  It is Islamophobia, and it is Anti-American.

“Anti-Americanism and Islamophobia are persistent, negative, psychological orientations, or interpretive frames, toward the United States/Americans or Islam/Muslims that involve elements of negative opinion, distrust, attribution bias, and perceived threat in differing combinations and degrees depending on the context and situation.”  Eric Nisbet

Stirring up this sort of venom against any segment of American society can’t be good for the society as a whole.  As Mohja Kahf said so beautifully in a recent article entitled “A Letter to Your Beautiful Heart: Muslims are Your Family, Too, America”:

“We fit right in to your sweet bosom. Christianity and Islam have the genetic structure of siblings. “Allah” is in the Bible. “Elohi, elohi, lema shavaqtani,” the New Testament has Jesus (peace be upon him) saying on the Cross. “Eloh,” “Elohim” of the Hebrew Bible, and “Allah” are all derived from the same root word for “God.” When I discovered that fixed-time prayer was an early Christian rite, that Christians and Jews once practiced prostration, like Muslim prostration in our five daily salat, it was like recognizing my nose on someone’s face in a photograph, then learning the picture was of my great-grandmother. Joy! 

Doctrinal differences abound, of course, and each faith has its sacraments. Exploring these distinctions should be a source of delight, not one-up-manship.  In difference lies blessing and abundance. The Gospels detail many moments in Christ’s life, but for Mary’s own feelings in labor, peace be upon her, you’ll want a glimpse at the Quran—and at Muslim hearts where the scene lives.

Pious Christian and Jewish values are not inherently in conflict with American civic life, as secular folk tend to forget. Devout immigrant Muslims don’t belong? That ship has sailed. Miles Muhammad Standish and Harriet Halima Tubman are here. Not as strangers out of place, either. This is a letter to your beautiful heart: We are your blood.”

I pray that the voices of dialogue and reason prevail and drown out the voices that would tear us apart.  By burning bridges with American Muslims we make me and my family, and all other Americans, less safe.


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