Islamophobia, is it even a thing?

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

I beg to differ...but only slightly from your very eloquent post. Addressing your last paragraph...there are times that our beliefs, etc. may cause one person to not "accept" another person's actions. While I agree that we should all live and let live and at least tolerate each other, I think "accept" is a bit strong.

To give one simple example...and a little tongue in cheek. Lets say you don't agree with the gay lifestyle. We can keep it that simple. But your gay neighbor decides that every week he will dress in revealing leather, parade up and down the street kissing his significant other and pounding his fist in the air shouting "I'm queer...deal with it". I wouldn't expect you to "accept" that and maybe even not tolerate that action.

I can not be mean, not be rude, etc...but "accept" as in accept as tolerable is a different story based upon one's actions. And sometimes, the actions are not acceptable. Rioting and destroying in a black neighborhood...for another example. No person has the right to demand acceptance from another. Some people and/or their actions won't be acceptable to others.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

To be honest I have had to deal with something a lot worse than a gay neighbor going for "weekly walks down my street in revealing leather, shouting "I'm queer...deal with it".

I have mentioned before that I come from a culturally rich, mega sized Heinz 57 family. I have had to deal with racist in the street and at the front door. I learned a long time ago, the more you to try to force people into anything, the harder they are going to fight you.

I remember as a girl some of the people in the community trying to pit against a single Jehovah Witness family, that didn't bother anyone. My mother, who was a devout Catholic woman (with 10 children to prove it), gave them what for, and encouraged the leader of the plot, along with the help and support of the others, to invite them to our regular clam bake at the beach.

I remember this so well because I was so proud of my mother, who was always so soft spoken that people didn't realize how powerful she was. Mother spoke so softly, you had to be really close to her to hear what she was saying, so you were always eye to eye and less than a hands distance away, before you realized your mistake. And I remember how the community changed that day at the beach. We children gained new friends, and the ladies found that they really liked our friends mother. They came to almost all the community events from that day on. Not one person in the community ever embraced her religion. She didn't try to push it and they just accepted that she worshiped a different way, and yes they continued to speak harshly of Jehovah Witnesses and practically any other group that was represented among us that they didn't like or understand.

You see we were able to separate the racism and the bigotry from the person. Dick, who was probably the grand master of the KKK, and used the "n" word more than the word "the", would fight to the death any outsider, Klan or not, that would dare come into the neighborhood to hurt one of our neighbors. It is truly difficult to explain the live and let live way of life.

Accepting a person's difference's, even their behavior, doesn't mean you condone it, or embrace it. Honestly the best thing you can probably do, is say that you don't condone it, and ask if they will refrain from the speech, or behavior in your presence. That is all it usually takes when you are dealing with a -reasonable- person. Of course, it is not always the case, but when it isn't the case, there in lies the problem.

Most of the time people back then, just shrugged their shoulders and walked away. Often times cussing, shaking their head, or proclaiming the person insane or something worse, but it was accepted that they were going to agree to disagree. In each case, each person has to make the decision for what they think is an appropriate course of action, and what outcomes they are willing to live with or die for.

But all in all, I think we are basically saying the same thing.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Very nice story. But at least from my view, where I am and what I've seen...society has changed from what you describe into one that demands acceptance, demand sticking their views in your face and daring you to say something. There are many even here on ATS that you can simply watch their threads as they shout their opinions or beliefs and dare you do even have a logical disagreement. And it isn't a single group or belief...it is "everyone".

The woman, for example that called herself black but was born white is a good example. I think that if the people who are "different" would instead of insisting upon acceptance, would be themselves and live and left live...the other people would do the same. But they don't. Not anymore. Which is a shame. I don't hate anyone for who they are, what they were born, what belief system they have...but there are some I hate for how they stick it in your face and dare you, over and over to do or say something about it. Over and over.

Live and let live is right. That is not where we are today. IMHO.

originally posted by: Kapusta
Muslim here.

I have used the term Islamaphobe. And normally direct it at people who refuse to research Islam and assume extremism represents the whole of Islam. Ones who bask in the ignorance of " the msm tells me so it must be true "

The same people spread misconceptions and ideas about Islam just as extremist do.

Their is nothing wrong with being concernd about extremsim i am concerned my self .
If Muslims want to live Sharia law then they need to move to a land that supports it. That is a sharia law ruling.

But when people sit here and freak out thinking that their is some big huge plan for Islam to take over the world when its simply not true ,what shall we call these people?

Its a fear a phobia they have based of pure ignorance.

It is not ignorance, it is in fact based on truth.

Very true that not all Muslims are extremese, but the ones that are do believe in taking over and destroying all non-believers. It is one of the cores of THEIR beliefs. Is it right? I don't believe it is, but hey DO. A samll group that is vocal can make a big differance in the world. A small group that is vocal and willing to commit mass murder and horrific crimes can make a HUGH differance.

My wife is Muslin and she believes very much that if we do not standup to these radicals then we have lost. She is also Bosnian, so know very well what it means to have to fight to protect yourselves from radical views. The Srebs veiws of the Bosnians are not to much off the view of radical Muslims to the rest of us. But then again not all Serbs are bad people ether.

The problem is that the Muslim community as a whole has been very slow in coming out to renounce these radical. That only leads people to believe that they ether support it or are too afraid to say anything. Both views are a BIG win for the radicals.

SO if you do truely believe what you say get the rest of the peacefull Muslims to join you and decleare these radicals as false believers. If not then you words are just propaganda to fuel the fire.

originally posted by: WeAreAWAKE
a reply to: TheInhumanCentipede

But hold that thought a second. I'm making an assumption that you are likely a liberal or at least left-leaning. Is that correct? If so...why do so many of your political belief stand up for the rights of "everyone" but only when everyone includes Muslims, blacks, illegals, gays, poor, etc. and then turn your back on white America, "rednecks" and religious people?

And I'm not trying to argue the individual groups and their concerns. I simply don't understand why liberals seem to "stand up for everyone's uniqueness" but then not only turn your backs on other groups, but literally call them names, curse them, act like they are stupid, etc. simply because they have a different opinion or belief system.

How can you have it both ways that everyone is equal and deserves respect, acceptance and fairness...and then in the next breath call the religious retarded, call their belief in a God a fairy tale and reference their brain as illogical? You can't be both...you can't say you represent fairness and tolerance and then verbally rape, insult and assault an entire group of people. And a large group at that.

Now I will say something that IS meant as a bit mean...but the truth. Your example, and the example of your group appears to make you a hypocrite. If I'm wrong...please explain how.

I agree completely.

I also have an answer. Because if they DID NOT set these groups apart and blame them for all the issues their WHOLE platform would fall apart. Just like Hitler using the Jews in the 1930's. You HAVE to have a focus for your hate or it just fades away.

Just generally speaking, the suffix, 'phobia', is a very preferred tag these days, applied mostly as a means for identification of people and opinions disliked but not wishing to be discussed in depth.

Some call it a form of Political Correctness but... whatever, it is an escape path from delving into the given subject.

Islamaphobia wasn't "a thing", but it's sure becoming one, and fast.

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

I think we are saying the same thing.

I was a child. I saw things through a child's eyes, though a child of 8 back then, was mature enough to cook, clean, care for the animals, and baby sit.

The times were far from golden. Need is what made people civil and tolerant.

We have too much time on our hands. When you have to dig, plow, scrape, and pull, just for a slice of bread, you don't give a wit about what others say or do, unless it involves you or yours directly.

We would do a whole lot better if we concentrated on the log in our own eye before trying to fix everyone else.

The story starts and ends with us. We really do get the chance to write our own chapter.

originally posted by: TheInhumanCentipede
Religiophobia is a thing: a prejudicial aversion towards those retarded by fantastical fairy tales which render the use of the brain, including the faculties of logic and reason, redundant.

A good thing, at that.

Great reply-- I guess I have relgiophobia was well, lol

Rebel 5

I hate all religions so I guess I am an islamaphobe. But I am also a christianaphobe and any other phobe you want to label me when it comes to any religion. They are all a load of lies and bs and followed by weak, brainwashed people.

a reply to: Aspie

I too have serious problems with religion, but I think you are mistaken to allow your strong personal beliefs to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Personally I don't need to know what religion a person professes, it is not what they say that is going to affect me, it is what they do, or don't do, that concerns me.

I had a co-worker that espoused several times a day that she was a Christian women. I had to ask her to please stop saying that. Of course, at first she was offended, and ready to fight. Until I explained that her attitude and her behavior did not shoot Christian woman, and she was probably chasing more people away from her religion than making converts.

She didn't respond that day, but a couple of days later she told me "Thank you." She said she told her husband and several friends, what I had said and they all, no matter how they tried to sugar coat it, agreed with me. She said she was at first shocked, then she said she became angry, because, they hadn't said anything to her, if they felt that way.

I explained that I told her because I liked her, I thought she truly was a good person, and I thought that she thought, she was trying to show people the truth and the light, but by holding herself as such a shining example of being a true Christian woman, her message was lost in her duplicity, and her judgmental attitude.

Everyone that knows me, knows that I never say anything behind a person's back that I have not already said to their face. That is pretty much my signature, to the point that when once, a person did tell someone at work that I had said something about her that she had not heard from me, she called her out in front of everyone.

I had several people tell me of the incident, adding "What a stupid thing to try." "Everone knows that you say what is on your mind, and you don't care if it is the Grand Poobah himself, if you don't agree with something, you are going to die if you don't get it out and make it known.

They tease me with my own word, " Please, talk to me like I am a three year old, because this poor old brain of mine, can't make rhyme or reason out of the stuff that is coming out of your mouth."

We can't throw the baby out with the bathwater. We have to separate deeds from words. People say a lot of things they think people want to hear, or to remain in good graces, or not offend.

Saying you are honest while you are stealing the money from a blind man's tin, doesn't go a long way to making you an honest man. People profess a religion, few live it, and the few that do, are not always shinning examples of their faith. The problem is they don't even realize it.