Islamophobes In & Outside Congress Are Claiming A Mass 'Radicalisation' Of US Muslims Is Occurring

[Turborama]

The 'new' rhetoric of Islamophobia: Islamophobes in and outside Congress are claiming that a mass 'radicalisation' of American Muslims is taking place

MJ Rosenberg

(MJ Rosenberg is a Senior Foreign Policy Fellow at Media Matters Action Network. The below article first appeared in http://politicalcorrection.org/fpmatters/">Foreign Policy Matters, a part of the Media Matters Action Network.)


US Rep. Peter King (R-NY) - formerly an ardent supporter of the IRA - has been making no
distinctions between the average Muslim layman and a radical


New York City's former mayor, Ed Koch, has taken time off from his http://www.clicker.com/web/mayor-at-the-movies-with-ed-koch/burlesque-a-mayor-koch-review-1262447/">new career as a film critic to http://www.observer.com/2011/politics/ed-koch-back-peter-kings-islamic-radicalization-hearings">offer a valentine to Rep. Peter King (R-NY), the new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, for scheduling hearings on the dangers posed by Muslim Americans.

Koch's support for King is not surprising. Koch has http://www.newsmax.com/Koch/Muslim-radical-Islam-martyrdom/2010/05/25/id/360041">always been open about his contempt for Arabs and Muslims and his belief that a war of civilisations is now in progress between Muslims and everyone else. He recently wrote:

For me, the question is this: will the secular Western civilisation shared by America and Europe, which allows us to enjoy life and its creature comforts, still be standing at the end of that war? Or will radical Islam, with an aggressive culture that treasures martyrdom and death over life, prevail....

(italics mine (Rosenberg's))

For years, Koch, King and others who share their anti-Muslim views hid behind that word: "radical". They said that they have no problem with Muslims as people or Islam as a religion. It is only "radical Islam" or "Islamists" that they can't abide.

Lately that caveat has been thrown to the winds. It is now clear that for Islamophobes (actually Islamohaters), "radical" Islam is just Islam. And "radical" Muslims are just Muslims.

Full article: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/201111074425968803.html

[Occulus]

1. Why do Republicans always- ALWAYS- *look* like mean people?

I know looks alone usually tell you jack squat about a person, but why, in the name of everything decent and holy, do Republicans always look like complete and total assholes?

Even when they smile. Perhaps especially when they smile....

[lonestarnot]

2. Ugly fuckers too.

[RKP5637]

3. Yeah, I've noticed that too. Very seldom do you see a pleasant looking R. Generally they

look like the schoolyard bullies grown up. Ugly and repulsive with a mean streak. And radish heads always looking uptight and ready to explode about something or another, generally wanting to suppress other people for whatever reason.

[Buzz Clik]

5. Let's not get carried away.

Here are four of my least favorite Republicans. They look pleasant enough.




Looks can be deceiving. Let's try to avoid superficialities.

[RKP5637]

6. I never found these R's pleasant or good looking! n/t

[Codeine]

13. Damn that's a nice bass. nt

[walldude]

8. They say when you hit age 50 you have the face you earned.

When I look at a republican I know it's true.

[Beam Me Up]

14. If it quacks like a duck?? n/t

[Buzz Clik]

4. Can you say "self fulfilling prophesy"?

Treat a given group like shit for decades, and some of them are going to get really pissed off.

[Turborama]

7. I think that's the most succinct way to put it

Unfortunately, the recent waves of vitriolic attacks are being carried out across the political spectrum. They appear to have succeed in normalizing this particular brand of bigotry for political gain.

Where have we seen that happen before...?

[Rage for Order]

9. Muslims in America have been treated like shit for decades?

That's strange; every year the FBI releases statistics on victims of hate crimes and Jews are always at the top of the list. By your logic Jewish people should be getting really pissed off. Can you link to any data that show Muslims have been treated like shit "for decades"?

:shrug:

[Buzz Clik]

16. Did you bother to read the opening post?

I won't engage you in your "woe is me" wet dream. Sorry.

[JCMach1]

10. actually the war is between all fundamentalists and the REST OF US

Unfortunately throughout much of the 20th century Islam went into full-blown fundy mode... largely due to the influence of the KSA. We can't ignore that fact. We also can't ignore that moderates and liberals in the middle-east have been fighting a running battle against fundamentalism as well.

We also can't ignore the fact that we have our own fundmentalist problem in America.

[treestar]

11. Republican hysteria

Now there's a thing we do see on both sides.

Republicans are forever looking for an excuse to demonize a people - they need enemies.

[Codeine]

12. If he were decrying fundie Christians

DU would be lauding him.

A pox on all their houses.

[SoCalDem]

15. Who's tackling the radicalization of Christianity in the US

It's been going on for a long time now....and some of them are quite dangerous..