Prevent Bigotry and Racism

Whenever we hear something unflattering about Islam, most Westerners will tend to hear it through the filter of "racism" or "bigotry," and we have a natural, instinctive desire to protect Muslims from unjustified bias and hatred.

We envision lynchings. We don't want to see racial profiling. We don't want interment camps like the Japanese suffered during WWII. Since we see the criticism as bigotry or racism, we can be reflexively opposed to a perfectly normal and legitimate activity in a free country: Political and religious criticism.

One of our most treasured guaranteed rights is the right to talk about, and even criticize, the doctrines of any political or religious group. The fact that it might be offensive to someone is exactly why free speech has to be protected (if it didn't bother anyone, there would be no need to protect it; read more about that here.)

Hopefully you are not a bigot or a racist, but whether you are or not, Islam is not a race or an ethnic group. There are Muslims of every race. There are more non-Arab Muslims than Arab Muslims.

This racial issue is an important reason for all of us to learn more about Islam as soon as possible. Many people who have already learned about some of Islam's most basic principles want to tell others what they've learned, but they find many people don't want to listen, and they've told me it'll take a dirty nuke going off in Chicago or Paris before people will be willing to listen.

But after a tragedy or a major attack, people are angry and afraid, and decisions under those circumstances aren't always the sanest decisions. In times like those, people can overreact. In times like those, they do things like put Japanese people into internment camps. That was a fear-based, ignorant reaction, and it was bigoted and racist.

We can avoid that kind of overreaction if we talk about Islam now, in calmer times. In other words, talking about Islamic teachings now can help prevent racism and bigotry by making sure everyone understands what Islamic teachings are about, and that Islam is a doctrine, not a race, and not all Muslims follow the doctrine.

If non-racist people think criticizing Islam is racist, it proves an important point. Namely: It is vital for more people to understand Islam.

To put it another way, if someone thinks criticizing Islam is racist, she is demonstrating that she doesn't understand what Islam is, and illustrating exactly why we need to talk about it and learn about it, because if someone so strongly against racism thinks Islam has something to do with race, then how are racist people going to react if a nuclear weapon goes off in downtown Houston and kills a million people?

The world needs to know about Islam — needs to know what it is and what it is not — and this needs to happen as quickly as possible.


  1. In retrospect you can discribe the interment of the Japanese as racist or bigotry, but that is just the PC world we are suffering through currently. Unless you had been there you have no idea the fear that existed throughout The United States that the Japs were going to invade the West coast. There were proven Jap spies photgraphing targets, and the Japanese are a truly cohesive race (as is the Muslam ideology). Imagine if you will the bedlam that would have occured if the Japs had stayed in place and acts of disloyalty (treason) had happened. There would have been much blood in the street and then they would have been herded off in mass to camps as an enemy with severe repercussions. The way it was handled was correct for both parties, providing safty for the Japanese from the consequences of a public reaction if war had come to U.S. soil,and a buffer for the government in a time of war when individual freedoms may be curtailed out of necessity. All out war will again cause these kinds of decisions to be made. If it means interning Muslims to keep them isolated and us safe from their ability to carry out violent acts it will happen. we the people will demand it or take matters into our own hands, which might not be pretty.

  2. That's the problem. Over here in Australia Political Correctness has taken over. You can not say anything about another race, religion etc without instantly being branded a bigot or a racist.

  3. So, it is 'bigotry' to state a fact, like Islam is bigoted itself? Islam promotes the death or enslavement of all 'infidels'. Therefore, by definition, it cannot be peaceful.

  4. Not quite true Anonymous, if you are from another race or culture it would appear you can slander, racially villify and discriminate against white anglosaxon Australians as much as you like because they seem to be mistakenly under the impression that only white people can be called racist. I have had enough of "White trash", "White supremist", "Convict" and being called an "illegal boat person" and accused of killing aboriginals and stealing their land, when my ancestors slaved to make this country what it is and died to protect it.

  5. Veronique I find what you posted also incorrect due to World-wide politics all countries have suffered at the hands of some fanatical leaders and Philistines willing to believe what they are doing is right. Just at this time we are making people aware of what is going on right under our noses.

    Unfortunately in past times the technology wasn't as advanced as it is today. So people are generally not Racist or a Bigot.
    They are vocalizing that we should not allow the type Ideology take over our World.

  6. We must understand that those who were previously Muslims and changed to a different religion or none at all, are also in danger. Islam does not allow that; therefore, they are killed.

    Eliminating Islam from the United States is not a 'racist' cause.

  7. Religion is a set of beliefs and behaviors not an immutable
    human trait such as race, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity (yeah that's a real thing.)I notice political
    views are considered immune from discrimination or examination under the universal declaration of human rights.
    This would exempt Nazis from exclusion in democratic societies. We need a more complex and informed response to
    Islam. If you hold progressive values and support laws and
    societies that uphold human rights and justice defending
    Islam is not morally justified or factually sound.