British Islamophobes love to point out that since Islam isn’t a race, they can’t be accused of racism when they persecute Muslims.
Congratulations – you’ve stated the obvious. Well done!
However… it’s not quite as simple as that.
The United Nations has defined anti-Islamic sentiment as racism in the same way that it defines anti-Jewish feelings as racism. Both are different forms of anti-Semitism and both are viewed technically as racism in international law.
So yes – you’ve stated the obvious in one sense but missed the point in another.
Then there’s the dog-whistle code used by many European racists, including British racists to equate Muslim with ‘brown people’. They can’t legally criticize black or brown people on the grounds of colour so they use religious adherence and criticise religious practices instead. Quite inconsistently, as it happens.
For example, depending upon their particular prejudices they might criticise Muslim Halal but have no opinion on Jewish Kosher.
They’ll complain about Muslim Hijabs but not Christian head coverings found in Christian cultures across the world – including among European Nuns.
They’ll criticize Sharia councils but ignore Jewish Beth-Din or Christian Fundamentalist ‘courts’ which perform exactly the same function and have just as little weight in public law.
And what does all this amount to? Oh yes – religious discrimination which, by the way is also illegal.
You see it’s OK to criticise ideas, including religious ideas, but people have rights. When you start to persecute the people you’re breaking the law – whether you personally define it as racism or not. You’re also displaying your own mean-spirited, small-minded stupidity for all to see. Now why on earth would you want to show your arse like that?
Left eye view 