Making hate respectable

[IndianaGreen]

Making hate respectable

The demonization of Islam is one of the ugliest faces of the U.S. imperial project.

August 11, 2010

SINCE WHEN is it a sign of "sensitivity" and "tolerance" to oppose the building of a house of worship? When that house of worship is a mosque, and you're a politician seeking mileage out of the hysteria that can be whipped up around 9/11 and the "war on terror."

In recent weeks and with increasing intensity, anti-Islam bigots have focused their hate on plans for the construction of mosques around the country. But a proposed Muslim community center two blocks from the site of the World Trade Center has become the national lightning rod, thanks to the provocations of Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich and various Tea Party zealots.

The crusade in Lower Manhattan is more than the ravings of racists. It represents the crudest face of the ideological offensive to justify U.S. wars and occupations in the Middle East and beyond, as well as stepped-up repression at home.

Those campaigning to block the mosque from being built claim they're concerned about the feelings of families of the victims of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center--as if Islam and its 1.6 billion adherents around the world all bear responsibility for 9/11.

But the most vile racism lurks just beneath the surface.

http://socialistworker.org/2010/08/11/making-hate-respectable

[virgogal]

1. Their treatment of women makes them hard to like,in my case anyway.

[RandomThoughts]

2. Yea that idea of virgins in heaven for sex is twisted.

Although I do think there will be joys in heaven, that idea has always bothered me. Seems not only unequal, it just feels wrong.


Even though I am a dude, and the thoughts of lots of women is a guy thought, I also have a brain and heart and can see where it is not fair or really the best of thoughts.

[IndianaGreen]

3. The Catholic Church treats women like baby factories

and ultra-Orthodox Jews won't even shake a woman's hand.

Misogyny is rampant among all monotheistic religions, but it is always found in the fundamentalist branches of those religions.

[virgogal]

4. Those things are nothing compared to honor killings and mutilations.

[IndianaGreen]

6. Honor killings and mutilations are not unique to Islam

or to the Middle East and South Asia.

[virgogal]

7. Didn't say they were,but the OP is about Islam.

[gerenimox]

8. and you like it when christians burn women for "witchcraft"?

want to see some woman loving christians?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=dae_1236854361

[Go2Peace]

10. Fundamentalism is the problem

You can get fundamentalism in many things that can be destructive and violent, across religion and across other spectrums such as political views.

The behavior you mention is fundamentalist behavior. If you go to a non fundamentalist Christian church you will not find that same behavior.

[enough]

5. Correct. (nt)

[Go2Peace]

9. Fundamentalism is the problem, not Islam...

Having said that, Fundamentalist Islam actually does not get near enough attention in terms of it's part of an incredible number of conflicts around the world right now. Fundamentalist Islam is on a "crusade" of sorts and making some very agressive attempts to change a large number of regions.

I would say the same of fundamentalist Christianity. I think we have to look at these things as they are really happening around the world. Fundamentalism is a HUGE component of what is stoking violent conflicts in many places.

However, one thing about fundamentalism. It probably cannot be taken down with weapons. It needs to be "fought" in the arena of ideas and in a more civilized manner. Education is far more powerful than bombs in most cases. Opportunity is far more powerful than guns, in many cases.

The mosque building in the article is a perfect example not only of an innapropriate view, but a poor approach. Alienation is the opposite of what is needed. Fundamentalism will grow if people percieve, rightly or wrongly, that they are being "persecuted". This fight against the Mosque smacks of persecution. It is wrong, and it is also foolish to persecute peaceful believers or a Religion based on the acts of a relative minority.