Reblogged: Anti-"Islamophobia" vs. Justice

[Gus Van Horn blog]

Given the contortions that leftist politicians and intellectuals go through to avoid linking Islam with terrorism, I find Steven Emerson's reaction to terrorist Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's admission of religious motivation amusing:

One imagines they'll give Dzhokhar Tsarnaev a good talking-to for demonizing Islam in his statements to investigators.

On a more serious note, it is obvious from reading the rest of the piece that the policy of bending over backwards to avoid offending (all?) Moslems is actually making prejudice against Moslems quite understandable. Some Moslems who oppose terrorism have themselves pointed this out:

In a 2011

column

, [sacramento Imam Abu Laith Luqman] Ahmad called it "a mistake in my view for American Muslims to categorize every and all suspicion or criticism of Islam and Muslims as simply the result of islamophobia. To do so, only serves to perpetuate the view that many Americans have of Muslims as irrational people, who cannot be trusted... [link in original]

It is clear from the rest of the article, that there is a debate about -- rather than a uniform rejection of -- Western values among adherents of Islam. I am also sure that I am not the only person who knows and respects professed Moslems who embrace such values as, for example, secular government and freedom of speech.

The campaign against "Islamophobia" thus achieves the exact opposite of its orchestrators' professed goal. This is making the lives of good people difficult. It also endangers lives by hampering the frank discussion of motive after terrorist attacks.

-- CAV

Link to Original