Those who discriminate against Muslims are playing directly into the hands of IS
Anti-Muslim hatred leads people directly into the hands of IS recruiters and aggravates the very issue of radicalisation that we are trying to avert. The more people act out of fear and cause Muslims to be ostracised in our society, the greater the chances of them turning to extremism.
If all Muslims are approached as if they were extremists, with hostility and hatred, they may indeed develop such extremist views in order to defend themselves from this treatment.
Recent figures show that anti-Muslim hate crimes are up by 70 per cent. These crimes vary from cyber-bullying to extreme violence, but it appears that women, particularly those who are identifiably Muslim through their clothing, are targeted more frequently than others. As a result, many Muslims feel under attack and vulnerable in their own country, something that should surely be avoided in a liberal democratic state like ours.
Those who discriminate against Muslims are doing exactly what IS want. As hate crimes are committed, Muslims are cornered into looking elsewhere for protection, identity and solutions. This vacuum leaves Muslims vulnerable and thus more open to extremist exploitation.
IS propaganda is specifically designed to target those who are unfulfilled, defenceless or aggrieved. As Quilliam’s Charlie Winter has put it, IS ‘sell themselves as champions of social justice, law, order and defiance in the face of the ‘oppressor”. Hate crimes and anti-Muslim bigotry push people into a state that makes them more open to IS propaganda and, therefore, more vulnerable to radicalisation.
Hate crimes affect not only the current generation but also our children. We know environmental factors play a key role in growing up for young people. As hate crimes surge, the next generation is increasingly exposed to views that incorrectly paint all Muslims as extremists. This may cause Muslim children to grow up vulnerable to radicalisation, defensive about their faith, and less likely to integrate into British society. This defence can quickly turn to offence as more radicalising triggers present themselves.
Moreover, hate crimes hinder the public image of counter-extremism by unintentionally creating the façade that Islam, rather than Islamism, is being opposed. Counter-extremism tackles radicalisation and extremism as phenomena and is opposed to those who commit or support ideologically-motivated intolerance, violent or otherwise, to further political aims.
If Muslims are being attacked for their faith rather than Islamists challenged for their bigotry, we reduce ourselves to the very intolerance we are trying to fight. This is why human rights are so important to counter-extremism.
Rather than acting out of hate, those concerned about extremism should respond in more constructive ways:
1. We should defend the right for freedom from discrimination and the rights for people to practise their own religion or wear religious attire. We are all entitled to these freedoms, regardless of race, gender, religion or sexuality.
2. We must stop confusing the religion of Islam with the political ideology of Islamist extremism. That way, when we challenge extremists, we will not cause prejudice or impair anyone’s right to practise their faith.
3. When faced with extremism, whether Islamist, far-right or others, we should challenge it just as we would challenge bullying or racism. Preventing extremism is not a job solely for the government or security forces to uphold, but rather a role for everyone to engage in.
4. As TellMAMA identifies, we should engage with cross-cultural exchange and dialogue amongst all cultures, irrespective of faith differences. This will not only make our nation more open and accepting of varied backgrounds, but will also mean that Muslims can play a constructive role in challenging the extremism in their communities.
As a result of these constructive actions, people will feel increasingly at home in their own nation and IS propaganda will have less of a foothold. Critically, these actions are not only useful for combatting extremism; they are also vital components of life in Britain that are worth defending.
Therefore, as anti-Muslim hatred diminishes, so will the perceived need for it.
Jonathan Russell is a political liaison officer and Rachel Bryson is a researcher, both at Quilliam
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76 Responses to “Comment: anti-Muslim hatred is a self-fulfilling prophecy”
Kriegar
“Richard Abbott 5 days ago
Projection – what are you doing about it? Other than nagging at other people for not doing enough.”
In point of fact, projecting is what you are doing here. Further still, it was not I who was whining about others doing enough-which you would have known well, were you reasonably literate.
Kriegar
“Ahhh – so the per capital provincial debt in Ontario (ignoring unfunded future liabilities) being worse than Greece is nothing of substance? Either you can’t count or you live in Saskatchewan. Either way you’re better off than a numerate taxpayer living in Ontario”
My God, what a blithering idiot you are. I do not live in Canada, period. What if God’s name is your unholy attraction to me? Go find a woman, or something, if they would have you.
Kriegar
Richard Abbott 5 days ago
“tried to be honorable” lets be clear – every person we let into a country with a public heath care system, and fails to contribute into the system, takes resources away from people who pay into that system.
He tried to look out for number one – at the cost of other people. The fact that the rest of the people in the boat just left him to die highlights the cultural difference between ‘us’ and ‘them’.
He was a ‘kid’? The article claims he was a computer engineer. Was he a child prodigy as well? Was also working on a cure for cancer? Could he fly?
Your rhetoric demonstrates the intellectual decrepitude of your position. Nonsense built on nonsense built on lies. Ahhh Socialism……
And yet again, with you. Socialism. You f’n moron, you live in Canada? And you are complaining to me, of socialism? We have more than enough issues, such as those you’re whining about, right here in the states. And it hardly takes a “cultural difference” for one ass out of a boatload to have murderous, or self-interested intent. Just look at the Nances on the Titanic, taking the place of women and children in order to save themselves. Nances, frankly, like you. You and yur abject bigotry, again. Yeah, he was a Gd kid. And if, by that definition, he was a child prodigy, which he clearly seemed to be anyway, by his very clear grit and determination alone, then so f’n be it. You sure as hell seem to think that you can fly, you propagandist moron, so why on earth might you think that no one else can? This business here does not involve you, your people, nor your country, so what in the hell is your personal interest in attacking me? Is it my cologne, or something? Do you have any clue what so ever what the terms immigrant, and refugee mean, or what the difference is, between the two? Do you spend this much time harassing everyone on the internet, or are you simply this interested in me?
What ever your issue is, go get a life.
Kriegar
Richard Abbott 5 days ago
It writes in glowing terms about the illegal attempt to cross a border and claim benefits that he has no right to (from a refugee camp where was already out of danger). It was written in a way that glorifies his actions as some shining moral cause. The grammar was awful, the sentence construction was poor and the general use of language was sub Canadian high school standard.
Other than that I would say it is just another day at the NP.
Clearly, he paid money to get from point A, to point B, on a boat. When this child risked his life for the benefit of others, he was abandoned at sea for his troubles. He did nothing of which you claim, and simply demanded of those whom he paid, that he receive the services that he paid for. It would seem to me, that your bigoted type would call that HEROISM, greedy as your type generally is, anyway. No one, and particularly not the author of the article in question, wrote about his sojourn in any such way as you claim. Rather, they wrote about his survival efforts under such extreme circumstances, and his successful determination to reunite with his loved ones. As far as your criticisms of his grammatical efforts, they are most assuredly on par with yours, so you should lodge a complaint with your High School. After all, you’re the Canadian doing all the crying. And even worse, you take your hemmorhoidal situation regarding the author, and use that ire to beat up on some 16 year old kid. Interesting, you old boor. I don’t know how on earth your family, nor your neighbors, put up with you. I know I certainly would not. But then, I suspect you are entirely too much the coward to actually harass people who could give it right back to you in person. I had no idea that they bred such morons as you, in Canada. I thank God that my grandfather was not one of them.
SonOfTheIsles
“Isn’t the Multi Cult state wonderful?!
I am pro gay marriage, equal rights for women and the humane treatment of animals.
I also want to allow millions of people into the country who hate gays, treat women like dirt and have no regard for the natural world.
And some people think I am crazy???”