Anti-Muslim Bigotry

Bigotry – I mean Islamo-Fascism Awareness – Week -Ruth Nasrullah

Published

October 21, 2007

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When I read about Islamo-Fascism Awareness week I was reminded of an interview I did while in graduate school studying journalism. I was assigned to cover an anti-war protest in Boston Commons, and while looking for people to interview I was intrigued to come across two Neo-Nazis who were there to protest the protest – or maybe just to take advantage of the day to express their disapproval of the diverse world they found themselves in. I recall that one of them was wearing a t-shirt that applauded the effects of Zyklon B gas.

I asked them for an interview because the assignment was boring and I thought they would be interesting. (I should note that back then I didn’t wear hijab, so as far as they were concerned I was an ordinary blue-eyed white girl). I no longer have my notes, but as I recall the interview was kind of stupid. They were skinheads and I was a journalism student proudly honing my skills at unbiased interviewing.

Q: Why are you here?
A: To support the war and promote white power.
Q: Oh, you believe in white power? What does that mean?
A: It means we believe the Aryan race is superior and America needs to go back to its white roots.
Q: Okay, thanks for your time. Have a nice day.

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As a reporter, it was a big yawn. What I saw is what I got.

I thought about my interview with the Neo-Nazis in the park when I read about Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week. Not because the week’s organizers are as evil as Nazis, but rather because I was struck by the difference between the two. The Neo-Nazis were quite up front about their ideology of hate. The IFAW organizers cloak their agenda with the spectacular promise that “the nation will be rocked by the biggest conservative campus protest ever – Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, a wake-up call for Americans on 200 university and college campuses.” Rocked? Biggest ever? Wake-up call? How silly. Get over yourselves.

Their attempt to intellectualize their bigotry doesn’t legitimize it.

David Horowitz, the genius behind this project, is an anti-Muslim propagandist who, along with colleagues Robert Spencer and Daniel Pipes, claims to support academic integrity in higher education. In fact their goal is to vilify all Muslims by mish-mashing together historical and political issues with the faith – as though Ahmadinejad is my voice and Hamas is my religion.

Horowitz’ FrontPage Magazine hosts a propaganda film (replete with the menacing sound of staccato violins) equating Muslims with Nazis. To me that’s particularly ironic because the IFAW brought to mind those guys I met in the park in Boston.

Anyone who bothers to educate himself about Islam will realize how nonsensical – and how dangerous – the “Islamo-Fascism Awareness” campaign is, and will begin to wonder about the real motivation of its organizers. The IFAW troops could take a lesson from the Neo-Nazis and just tell the truth. Instead of expending resources falsely claiming to defend freedom and support women’s rights, perhaps they could save us all time and just wear a t-shirt.

Also see (the following added by Amad):

Why the term “Islamofascist” is nonsensical at The Nation
A clearing house of sorts for IFAW related stuff: http://www.defendcriticalthinking.org/
Dr. Maxtor has a daily expos é going on the neocons behind the bigotry
Cross-post of this on StreetProphets.com
Great article on ThinkProgress
Wear green, join Facebook group
Peace not prejudice MSA-Natl group on Facebook
MPAC’s tips for students.
See this comment for more great articles’ links.
And on Dr. Omeish’s website
Juan Cole on “Zionofascism”

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16 Comments

Moiez

October 21, 2007 at 8:28 PM

Ok as a member of the MSA of Delaware I think we should hold an event for this propaganda and stop some of the brain washing that will occur during this “awareness” week and I need ideas…..
Anyone?

Reply
Habibi

October 21, 2007 at 9:33 PM

@ Moiez:

Well, there are two main categories in which at least the MSA could respond.

A) Being Pro-Active : We can start our own campaign as most of the people are doing. I am not sure how many people are on facebook [I guess all of us :P] ( i think we should have a FaceBook group thingie so that we can share things on facebook as well..yeah ? ) but there is already something like that going on there, called wear Green to oppose this IFAW
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7627125398

b) Being Re-Active : I know most of the management gurus go against being reactive but I believe actions ( or reactions ) should be modified/customized based on what we are dealing with. Like over here, since they have already announced about the so called ” awareness week ” , people ( audience ) can be divided in three groups based on their respective knowledge or perception of Islam.

i) Those who already believe on this non-sense, who are brainwashed right from the start. And therefore who don’t need all this propaganda. And of course these are in minority.

ii) Second minority is those who know something about Islam. Something positive that they won’t be affected by all this misleading week.

iii) It is the majority, whom they are after. The majority of confused Americans who don’t have any knowledge of Islam ( or of anything worth knowing [no offence to dear fellow Americans ]) . These are the people that we can target as well. We can have our information booth or information fliers distributed in area close by. So that after listening to the nonsense, if some sensible person wants to find out the truth or have questions about it, they can see in front of themselves some people who CAN answer them , and satisfy their quests, and provide them knowledge. So in this way, basically what we are doing is answering these who want to know, since those who don’t want guidance wont even listen to us to begin with. So essentially the idea is to provide what they need and when they need something. Its like giving food full of spices for free and selling soda or water right next corner for money ( ok not really a good example :P)

Also checkout

http://www.petitiononline.com/mybridge/

Reply
Amad

October 21, 2007 at 9:55 PM

The nonsense that the term “islamofascist” is: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060911/pollitt

Reply
Kashif

October 22, 2007 at 12:00 AM

salaam aleikum,

2 things that i will mention about this:

1. there can be some good that can come out of this. Especially given the wild exaggerations and outright lies these people tend to tell about islam may get people to try and explore the other side and investigate the issues further.

2. The confrontational style which they have advertised should help to alienate more people than these stupid fools will ever attract. For example, they plan on doing “sit in protests” in womens studies departments protesting against Islam’s treatment of women and feminists silence. This coming from Iraq war cheerleaders who cheered on American troops as they gang raped their way in Abu Gharaib and in Mahmudiyya.

3. It will force MSAs from doing purely “spiritual” works and being practically invisible to the general student body out in the open and allow the public on campuses to see who Muslims are and what they are not.

Lastly, there is an excellent blog by a brother that exposes some of the big “names” they have coming to speak here is the link:

http://drmaxtor.blogspot.com/

salaam aleikum,

Kashif

Reply
zfnd

October 22, 2007 at 2:39 PM

Nice article.

MSA’s may want to use the following resources:

http://www.mpac.org/article.php?id=545

MPAC is also conducting “Truth Over Fear: Countering Islamophobia” workshops for student groups.

Reply
DrM

October 22, 2007 at 5:32 PM

Check out Judeofascist Awareness Week at my blog. Fun for friends, and the whole family.

Reply
amad

October 22, 2007 at 6:09 PM

Dr. M is doing a great job exposing the real fascists behind this whole propaganda… must-read!

Reply
Amad

October 22, 2007 at 9:05 PM

Some other great links:

JUDEO-CHRISTO-FASCISM AWARENESS WEEK COMES TO AMERICAN CAMPUSES!
Rabbi Arthur Waskow

NOT IN OUR VOICE: JEWISH ALLIANCE REPUDIATES ‘ISLAMO-FASCISM AWARENESS WEEK’
Shira Gordon, Alana Krivo-Kaufman, Josh Schwartz and Shlomo Bolts, Columbia Spectator,

MN: ISLAMO-FASCISM A RACIST CONCEPT
Fedwa Wazwaz, Minnesota Daily

‘ISLAMOFASCISM’ – DEBUNKING A CONSERVATIVE SMEAR TACTIC
Annika Carlson and Sarah Dreier, Campus Progress

IN: ISLAMO-FASCISM AWARENESS MISFIRES BY TARGETING PROFESSORS
Indiana Daily Student

Reply
ruth nasrullah

October 22, 2007 at 9:54 PM

I agree – DrM’s Judeofascist posts are awesome – very enlightening and right on point.

Reply
ruth nasrullah

October 22, 2007 at 9:56 PM

BTW, here is the correct link to DrM’s blog: http://drmaxtor.blogspot.com/ . There is a comma where there should be a period in the link to his name in his post above.

Reply
Moiez

October 23, 2007 at 10:55 AM

Jazakallah Khair for all the suggestions and websites! Much Appreciated

Reply
Amad

October 23, 2007 at 11:28 AM

Horowitz a disaster at UW (Wisconsin or??)

One of his supporters shares a report on it (so it can’t possibly be biased)… MSA did an awesome job… WAY TO GO MSA!!

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/10/islamo-fascis-1.html

He was so uninspiring a speaker they didn’t even really heckle him.

The crowd both right, left, Muslims, Jews, Christians all decent people began the perfect chant. A**hole, A**hole, A**hole. He was browbeaten from the theater, deemed beneath the dignity of the proceedings.

Reply
Ruth Nasrullah

October 23, 2007 at 11:55 AM

To clarify, though…from the way I read the post it wasn’t Horowitz who got called that name and ejected from the theater; it was an audience member.

Reply
Amad

October 23, 2007 at 12:25 PM

A clearing house for info. against IFAW:

http://www.defendcriticalthinking.org/

Reply
Amad

October 23, 2007 at 2:39 PM

how about zionofascism… at least that’s what Juan Cole is talking about:

http://www.juancole.com/2007/10/sadism-of-israeli-occupation.html

Reply
DrM

October 23, 2007 at 9:03 PM

Jazakallah Khair,
Check out day 2!

*link: http://drmaxtor.blogspot.com/2007/10/judeofascist-awareness-week-day-2.html

Reply