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The Forum > Article Comments > Prejudice is not a joke > Comments

Prejudice is not a joke : Comments

By Irfan Yusuf, published 12/10/2007

The parallels between the rhetoric and attitudes of yesterday's anti-Semitism and today's Muslimphobia are striking.

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Horus, Philip Tang

Thank you for your kind words.

The left does seem to have a tendency to either defend or appease totalitarian ideologies. Once upon a time Stalin was their hero. Then they glamorised Mao and Ho Chi Minh.

Now they seek to appease contemporary Islam, a totalitarian ideology by any definition of the word.

All this while claiming the moral high ground and asserting that they are the true defenders of freedom.

You do not have to be an admirer of George Bush to understand that the Left is bankrupt beyond repair. To me this is a matter of great sadness because we need a moral, INTELLIGENT "Left" to counterbalance the power of big business

If you ever find the real left, the left that stood up for PEOPLE and did not escape into cloud cuckooland fantasy, let me know.
Posted by stevenlmeyer, Thursday, 25 October 2007 8:22:12 AM
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Liz,
I do not live in an area with a high Muslim population, but inquiries made to people that do indicate that public abuse of Muslim women happens only occasionly. It should not happen at all and poorly reflects on the parents of the yobos that do it.

It seems to me that both Irfan and yourself are endeavouring to portray Muslims as victims of prejudice.

Pregudice stems from a bad reputation and the only ones that can improve the reputation of Muslims is the Muslims themselves.
Posted by Banjo, Thursday, 25 October 2007 9:21:53 AM
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Banjo

I suppose only Muslim women can verify how frequently they experience disrespect and abuse. I know it's something that rears its ugly head when there's something in the media. The women are obviously a soft target, as well as easily identifiable as Muslims.

Regarding prejudice and a poor reputation ... I have to disagree with this statement.

Prejudice is a learned behaviour. Prior to the prejudice now experienced by Muslims, it was the Vietnamese who experienced prejudice, and before them the Italians and Greeks, and before them the 'whinging Poms', and before them the 'lazy Irish-Catholics' ... and so on.
Posted by Liz, Thursday, 25 October 2007 9:56:43 PM
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stevenlmeyer wrote

'The left does seem to have a tendency to either defend or appease totalitarian ideologies. Once upon a time Stalin was their hero. Then they glamorised Mao and Ho Chi Minh...Now they seek to appease contemporary Islam, a totalitarian ideology by any definition of the word.'

Wrong, wrong and wrong.

Challenging racism is not related to being 'left', 'right', or 'centre'.

It's unrelated to 'totalitarian ideologies', 'Stalin', 'Mao and Ho Chi Minh'.

Those topics are completely irrelevant, although I accept that alleging those tendencies fits into a preferred, narrowly-defined negative stereotype of posters, diverting attention away from RACIST attitudes, which is the issue relevant to this thread.
Posted by Liz, Thursday, 25 October 2007 10:07:47 PM
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Liz wrote:

"...diverting attention away from RACIST attitudes, which is the issue relevant to this thread."

There is no such thing as a race of Muslims.

Islam is a belief system.

Contemporary Islam is an authoritarian and IMPERIAL belief system. Imperial because devout Muslims are duty bound to impose their beliefs on others.

Attacking contemporary Islam is no more racist than attacking any authoritarian belief system. Being apprehensive of people who adhere to such beliefs is no more racist than being uneasy about anybody who has an authoritarian agenda.

Do some people use attacks on Islam as a cover for their racism?

Yes.

Do some people use attacks on Israel as a cover for their anti-Semitism?

Yes.

Does that mean that both Islam and Israel should be immune from criticism? Are you saying that neither Muslims nor Zionists may be attacked for their beliefs?

Get real Liz.

You may believe I am wrong when I assert that Islam is an imperial authoritarian belief system whose agenda includes making the following acts punishable by law:

--Adultery and sex outside marriage

--Apostasy – leaving Islam for another religion or no religion

--Advocating atheism

--Evengelising for any religion other than Islam

--Insulting Islam or Muhammed – with "insult" being widely defined

--Teaching Darwinian evolution

I did not make this up. I have questioned Imams here in Victoria and in South Africa. All agreed that criminalising the above is part of the Muslim agenda.

If I am wrong, if Islam does not an authoritarian agenda then I shall withdraw my remarks. But I want to hear it from Imams who are recognised as authority figures in the Australian Muslim community.

Liz,

You need to understand that dark-skinned people can adhere to authoritarian imperial ideologies just as white skinned folk can and that criticising them for holding those beliefs is not racism.

THE LEFT TENDENCY TO CONFLATE RACISM WITH CRITICISM OF AN IMPERIAL AUTHORITARIAN BELIEF SYSTEM IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ITS INTELLECTUAL BANKRUPTCY
Posted by stevenlmeyer, Friday, 26 October 2007 12:05:08 PM
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Stevenlmeyer

Well put.

Bassam
Posted by Bassam, Saturday, 27 October 2007 8:02:52 PM
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