Email to BBC:
Jane O’Brien’s report [just now on BBC World Service in Hong Kong] of new mosque design in the US would have been rather better and more balanced had she not succumbed to the reflexive use of the word “Islamophobia”, as in “the rise of Islamophobia after 9/11”.
As it happens there was very little anti-Muslim reaction after 9/11 as revealed in FBI statistics on hate crime. Had there been, it would surely have been understandable in the light of what had happened. But there wasn’t. (which speaks volumes for the tolerance of Americans).
Many people began their study of Islam after 9/11, myself included. We have learnt of many problematic aspects of the “Religion of Peace”. It is sheer ignorance — bigotry, even — to tar with one brush all those who have genuine and well-grounded concerns about some of the doctrines of Islam. To label us all “Islamophobic” is plain wrong and inexcusably ignorant. Shame on Ms O’Brien.
As for the rest, interesting and encouraging to hear of the design of more benign mosques.
Recall that in 1997, Turkish PM Erdogan quoted the poem Siirt, which includes the lines:
Jane O’Brien’s report [just now on BBC World Service in Hong Kong] of new mosque design in the US would have been rather better and more balanced had she not succumbed to the reflexive use of the word “Islamophobia”, as in “the rise of Islamophobia after 9/11”.
As it happens there was very little anti-Muslim reaction after 9/11 as revealed in FBI statistics on hate crime. Had there been, it would surely have been understandable in the light of what had happened. But there wasn’t. (which speaks volumes for the tolerance of Americans).
Many people began their study of Islam after 9/11, myself included. We have learnt of many problematic aspects of the “Religion of Peace”. It is sheer ignorance — bigotry, even — to tar with one brush all those who have genuine and well-grounded concerns about some of the doctrines of Islam. To label us all “Islamophobic” is plain wrong and inexcusably ignorant. Shame on Ms O’Brien.
As for the rest, interesting and encouraging to hear of the design of more benign mosques.
Recall that in 1997, Turkish PM Erdogan quoted the poem Siirt, which includes the lines:
The mosques are our barracks,Not very benign, ‘dat!
the domes our helmets,
the minarets our bayonets
and the faithful our soldiers...
