Brother_Mujahid
2nd June 2008, 03:31 PM
5 Faces of Islamophobia
Umar Lee
In recent days we have witnessed the controversies surrounding the Evangelical ministers supporting the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain but few in the media are putting this issue in proper context.
There are five basic levels of anti-Muslims sentiments in America.
The Seed Planters: Steve Emerson, Daniel Pipes, Bernard Lewis, Rita Katz, David Horowitz, Judith Miller and others have been hard at work spreading fear of Muslims long before it was cool. After 9-11, when America was in mourning and looking for justice, it would be these people who would provide the disinformation on Muslims to members of the media, law-enforcement and the armed forces. Given the fact that the vast-majority of the American public had no real knowledge of Islam and almost none of the socio-political struggles in the Muslim World the likes of Emerson and Pipes were brought in for educational purposes on these matters.
These figures became Seed Planters, while small in number, have an influence much larger than they are credited. The Seed Planters spread the Islamophobia seed in seminars to local police departments, the intelligence services who in many cases contracted out to them, elected officials, and trans-national corporations. Because of this influence many on the elite-level went from an indifference to politics in the Muslim World and a Muslim presence in America to favoring an aggressive American military stance in the Muslim World and the curtailing of the civil-liberties of American-Muslims on the home front. Much of this can be credited to the Seed Planters who could have brought about some understanding between your average American and Muslims; but instead preferred to spread hatred and suspicion.
What is the motivation of the Seed Planters? As a statement of pure fact you will find that most of them at their core are very strong supporters of Israel and much of their writing is Israel-centric. The Seed Planters studied Islam and the political and social movements within the ummah and when they found their way into government or powerful think-tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute they were able to shape policy. David Frum, Michael Chertoff and others are prime examples of this occurring.
Because the Seed Planters essentially have a political beef and along with many on the left a cultural beef they do not hate every Muslims or Islam as a whole per se. They would gladly accept and even promote a “new Islam” producing Muslims who disassociate themselves from the Sunnah and notions of Muslim self-determination and opt to not pose any threat to Western hegemony in the Muslim World and focus only on the spiritual or theological aspects of Islam.
The Theological Warriors: Robert Spencer, Craig Wynn, Rod Parsely, John Hagee, Pat Robertson, and others focus more on their theological grievances with Islam. In this regard they represent nothing new and many of their arguments against Muslims go back to the time of the Crusades and they display a Crusader-like spirit. Their beef is not with radical Islam or political Islam or “jihadis” their beef is with Islam. No matter what a Muslim ever says or does, or no matter how moderate and “progressive” the Muslim seeks to become, it will never satisfy these people. They are waging a theological battle with Islam. Their goal is a church at the kabbah and nothing less and many of these figures are now claiming that Muslims represent a force of the Dajjal.
Some may laugh this off and say that in this modern world such sentiments are too silly and far-fetched to have any influence. These people are failing to realize that the Theological Warriors, especially those on TV and radio influence more people than maybe any other group in our society. The voices in the United Methodist Church, the Unitarian Church, the more liberal wing of the Catholic Church who reach out to Muslims as interfaith partners, have relatively speaking, a very minor influence on the public at large.
Also, we have to keep in mind that far from being fringe members of our society Evangelicals can be found in all sectors from top to bottom. This 2004 Washington Post article estimated that some 25% of members of congress were Evangelicals and these are people who more than likely share many of the same anti-Muslim views as Parsley and Hagee. Their policies therefore are subject to being not what is in the best interest of America, but based on what will further the Gospel. On some occasion their faith may be helpful and other times such as when their animosity towards Muslims affects their vote on the war in Iraq it can be hurtful.
One thing that is key to remember with the theological group is that while they may rely on themselves for their theological grievances with Islam they go to the Seed Planters for their political knowledge.
The Media Voices: Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, FOX News, Mark Levin, Ann Coulter, and others use the air waves to spread their animosity and blanket indictment of Muslims to an audience of millions on a daily base on a national level. On a local level there are hundreds of anti-Muslim radio talk-show hosts who whip their audiences into a frenzy over Muslims. If you would listen to their alarmist terms in which they speak you would think that at any minute shariah would be implemented in America and non-Muslims would have to wear special clothing. One would not know that the six to eight million of Muslims in America represent one of the most educated, lawful, and prosperous groups in the country. Yet the truth is not the concern of these men and woman who wish to profit of off the promotion of hate.
Whiles these figures may have the mic they do not have the information and therefore they rely on the Seed Planters for their knowledge on Muslim issues and on the Theological Warriors for their religious ammo.
The Fringe: Joe Kauffman, Little Green Footballs, the Jewish Task Force, and others represent what happens when you put a lot of hate into the air and many people who are not balanced get a hold of it and thus find themselves in their hatred of others.
These figures are not handcuffed by political correctness or the observance of any kind of meaningful standards. Therefore, they are free to spread the vilest of messages, often calling for violence against Muslims, and give otherwise desperate people a reason to live.
In America there has already been a rash of arsons and attacks against Muslims. Alhamdudilah, thus far, Allah has spared the American Muslim community of any severe loss of life, but the longer these voices of hate stir people the more likely such a thing will occur.
Like the previous groups The Fringe does not exist in isolation and are dependent on the first two groups for information and on the third for a sense of legitimacy.
The Political: President George W. Bush and now Sen. John McCain along with thousands of other elected officials in America, mostly in the GOP, speak in terms of moderation, but cannot achieve electoral success in this climate, without the support of groups two and three and the information from group one.
Far from being on the fringe the anti-Muslim forces are key to a Republican victory in November and in order to rally the base McCain and others will have to promise hostility and war towards Muslims and he will have to act on that if elected.
http://umarlee.com/2008/05/30/5-faces-of-islamophobia/
Umar Lee
In recent days we have witnessed the controversies surrounding the Evangelical ministers supporting the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain but few in the media are putting this issue in proper context.
There are five basic levels of anti-Muslims sentiments in America.
The Seed Planters: Steve Emerson, Daniel Pipes, Bernard Lewis, Rita Katz, David Horowitz, Judith Miller and others have been hard at work spreading fear of Muslims long before it was cool. After 9-11, when America was in mourning and looking for justice, it would be these people who would provide the disinformation on Muslims to members of the media, law-enforcement and the armed forces. Given the fact that the vast-majority of the American public had no real knowledge of Islam and almost none of the socio-political struggles in the Muslim World the likes of Emerson and Pipes were brought in for educational purposes on these matters.
These figures became Seed Planters, while small in number, have an influence much larger than they are credited. The Seed Planters spread the Islamophobia seed in seminars to local police departments, the intelligence services who in many cases contracted out to them, elected officials, and trans-national corporations. Because of this influence many on the elite-level went from an indifference to politics in the Muslim World and a Muslim presence in America to favoring an aggressive American military stance in the Muslim World and the curtailing of the civil-liberties of American-Muslims on the home front. Much of this can be credited to the Seed Planters who could have brought about some understanding between your average American and Muslims; but instead preferred to spread hatred and suspicion.
What is the motivation of the Seed Planters? As a statement of pure fact you will find that most of them at their core are very strong supporters of Israel and much of their writing is Israel-centric. The Seed Planters studied Islam and the political and social movements within the ummah and when they found their way into government or powerful think-tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute they were able to shape policy. David Frum, Michael Chertoff and others are prime examples of this occurring.
Because the Seed Planters essentially have a political beef and along with many on the left a cultural beef they do not hate every Muslims or Islam as a whole per se. They would gladly accept and even promote a “new Islam” producing Muslims who disassociate themselves from the Sunnah and notions of Muslim self-determination and opt to not pose any threat to Western hegemony in the Muslim World and focus only on the spiritual or theological aspects of Islam.
The Theological Warriors: Robert Spencer, Craig Wynn, Rod Parsely, John Hagee, Pat Robertson, and others focus more on their theological grievances with Islam. In this regard they represent nothing new and many of their arguments against Muslims go back to the time of the Crusades and they display a Crusader-like spirit. Their beef is not with radical Islam or political Islam or “jihadis” their beef is with Islam. No matter what a Muslim ever says or does, or no matter how moderate and “progressive” the Muslim seeks to become, it will never satisfy these people. They are waging a theological battle with Islam. Their goal is a church at the kabbah and nothing less and many of these figures are now claiming that Muslims represent a force of the Dajjal.
Some may laugh this off and say that in this modern world such sentiments are too silly and far-fetched to have any influence. These people are failing to realize that the Theological Warriors, especially those on TV and radio influence more people than maybe any other group in our society. The voices in the United Methodist Church, the Unitarian Church, the more liberal wing of the Catholic Church who reach out to Muslims as interfaith partners, have relatively speaking, a very minor influence on the public at large.
Also, we have to keep in mind that far from being fringe members of our society Evangelicals can be found in all sectors from top to bottom. This 2004 Washington Post article estimated that some 25% of members of congress were Evangelicals and these are people who more than likely share many of the same anti-Muslim views as Parsley and Hagee. Their policies therefore are subject to being not what is in the best interest of America, but based on what will further the Gospel. On some occasion their faith may be helpful and other times such as when their animosity towards Muslims affects their vote on the war in Iraq it can be hurtful.
One thing that is key to remember with the theological group is that while they may rely on themselves for their theological grievances with Islam they go to the Seed Planters for their political knowledge.
The Media Voices: Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, FOX News, Mark Levin, Ann Coulter, and others use the air waves to spread their animosity and blanket indictment of Muslims to an audience of millions on a daily base on a national level. On a local level there are hundreds of anti-Muslim radio talk-show hosts who whip their audiences into a frenzy over Muslims. If you would listen to their alarmist terms in which they speak you would think that at any minute shariah would be implemented in America and non-Muslims would have to wear special clothing. One would not know that the six to eight million of Muslims in America represent one of the most educated, lawful, and prosperous groups in the country. Yet the truth is not the concern of these men and woman who wish to profit of off the promotion of hate.
Whiles these figures may have the mic they do not have the information and therefore they rely on the Seed Planters for their knowledge on Muslim issues and on the Theological Warriors for their religious ammo.
The Fringe: Joe Kauffman, Little Green Footballs, the Jewish Task Force, and others represent what happens when you put a lot of hate into the air and many people who are not balanced get a hold of it and thus find themselves in their hatred of others.
These figures are not handcuffed by political correctness or the observance of any kind of meaningful standards. Therefore, they are free to spread the vilest of messages, often calling for violence against Muslims, and give otherwise desperate people a reason to live.
In America there has already been a rash of arsons and attacks against Muslims. Alhamdudilah, thus far, Allah has spared the American Muslim community of any severe loss of life, but the longer these voices of hate stir people the more likely such a thing will occur.
Like the previous groups The Fringe does not exist in isolation and are dependent on the first two groups for information and on the third for a sense of legitimacy.
The Political: President George W. Bush and now Sen. John McCain along with thousands of other elected officials in America, mostly in the GOP, speak in terms of moderation, but cannot achieve electoral success in this climate, without the support of groups two and three and the information from group one.
Far from being on the fringe the anti-Muslim forces are key to a Republican victory in November and in order to rally the base McCain and others will have to promise hostility and war towards Muslims and he will have to act on that if elected.
http://umarlee.com/2008/05/30/5-faces-of-islamophobia/