{UAH} Let me explain how “radical Islam” is a racist anti-Muslim dog whistle.
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10:47 AM |
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Let me explain how "radical Islam" is a racist anti-Muslim dog whistle. President Obama describes ISIS and Al-Qaeda as "radical Islamism" or "radical Jihadism" or "a perversion of Islam" and other phrases, all of which deliberately disassociate Islam and Muslims as a whole (1.6 billion people) from terrorism on the advice of numerous experts and diplomats (both Republicans and Democrats). That's not good enough for Trump.
The reason Trump insists on using the phrase "radical Islam" is because in the dark Alt-Right conspiratorial corners of the internet (Breitbart "news," the Blaze, World Net Daily, Jihad Watch, InfoWars, etc.), the argument is that the more Islamic a person becomes the more violent they become. Violence is directly related to Islamicity. A "moderate Muslim" is someone who doesn't really practice Islam. Thus, in their view, the only way to defeat ISIS is to acknowledge in presidential rhetoric that terrorism is embedded in the Quran. This is what they *understand* when they hear a politician say "radical Islam."
The "radical Islam" theory is false as proven by sociology and theology, but it is a potent talking point for people who feel threatened by a more diverse America. It is a dog-whistle (coded political message) to the millions of followers of Pat Robertson, Bryan Fischer, Pamela Geller, Jared Taylor, David Duke, and every fundamentalist and racist in America who openly advocates for discrimination against Muslims or outright war against Islam. It's like Nixon's Southern Strategy for a new age. I can't imagine what future historians will call it.
I've always said -you wouldn't call ice hockey, extreme golf. So why call terrorism extreme Islam. The 2 are not the same, they are two different things. They have different rules and should never be confused as something mutual.
The good news is that polls reveal 51% of Americans disapprove of Trump's response to the Orlando shooting and only 25% approved. Hopefully the demagoguery that worked so well for him in the very narrow primaries will bury him in the general election.
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-- The reason Trump insists on using the phrase "radical Islam" is because in the dark Alt-Right conspiratorial corners of the internet (Breitbart "news," the Blaze, World Net Daily, Jihad Watch, InfoWars, etc.), the argument is that the more Islamic a person becomes the more violent they become. Violence is directly related to Islamicity. A "moderate Muslim" is someone who doesn't really practice Islam. Thus, in their view, the only way to defeat ISIS is to acknowledge in presidential rhetoric that terrorism is embedded in the Quran. This is what they *understand* when they hear a politician say "radical Islam."
The "radical Islam" theory is false as proven by sociology and theology, but it is a potent talking point for people who feel threatened by a more diverse America. It is a dog-whistle (coded political message) to the millions of followers of Pat Robertson, Bryan Fischer, Pamela Geller, Jared Taylor, David Duke, and every fundamentalist and racist in America who openly advocates for discrimination against Muslims or outright war against Islam. It's like Nixon's Southern Strategy for a new age. I can't imagine what future historians will call it.
I've always said -you wouldn't call ice hockey, extreme golf. So why call terrorism extreme Islam. The 2 are not the same, they are two different things. They have different rules and should never be confused as something mutual.
The good news is that polls reveal 51% of Americans disapprove of Trump's response to the Orlando shooting and only 25% approved. Hopefully the demagoguery that worked so well for him in the very narrow primaries will bury him in the general election.
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Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)
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