When did Islam become a "race?"

[Dave-W]

SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. (WUSA9) -- Fear and hatred of Muslims was on public display in Spotsylvania County at a meeting concerning the building of a new mosque.

At least two men went on racist rants, shouting down the speaker and calling all Muslims terrorists.

The local Islamic community has outgrown the building and is proposing to build a mosque nearby on property they own. But at Tuesday night's presentations, things turned ugly fast.

http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/loc...-closes-spotsylvania-public-meeting/76027308/

There are muslims of almost every race on earth. I do not understand this reporter's use of the term.

Can anyone there help me understand it?

 

[Rick Otto]

Common ignorance near universaly accepted, & barely tolerated by us.
There is one race, and it is more or less human.

 

[Oafman]

Islam never became a race.

What happened was that the term racism has been broadened to refer to prejudice against peoples based not only on their ancestry, but also on their religion.

As an example, if I walked around wearing a t-shirt stating 'I hate Buddhists', then people would call me a racist. Clearly, Buddhists aren't a race, but the term now covers prejudice against them.

 

[Armoured]

http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/loc...-closes-spotsylvania-public-meeting/76027308/

There are muslims of almost every race on earth. I do not understand this reporter's use of the term.

Can anyone there help me understand it?

Xenophobic would be more accurate. As would bigoted. Either way, let's not play semantics and pretend the reporter' underlying meaning was unclear.

 

[AHH who-stole-my-name]

This doesn't surprise me. Those who are the most proud of their ignorance have always done their best to align themselves with the forces of fear

This is what ISIS wants. They want us to turn on Muslims so they can gain more followers here, because of the way we treat them in response to what others do, They are getting it willingly and with glee from people like that mouthpiece.

 

[Dave-W]

No, the meaning was indeed clear.

I am arguing against this misuse of the English language. Bias against a religion is NOT racism.

Find a better term.

 

[Dave-W]

Xenophobic would be more accurate.

That is too broad a term; and besides, this is not a FEAR; (--phobic) but a hatred. Big difference.

Not that the person is not afraid of Muslims; but it was not fear he was showing.

 

[Dave-W]

Besides, there is an easy way to stop a mosque. Just bury a dead pig on the property.

 

[Armoured]

No, the meaning was indeed clear.

I am arguing against this misuse of the English language. Bias against a religion is NOT racism.

Find a better term.

Hey, I'm of the "language is a rapier, not a bludgeon" school. Both my parents are published academics. You better believe I agree with what you're saying.

But... I hope you also acknowledge that there are quite a few people out there who seem to think that if someone calls them "racist" against Muslims, the fact that it's not technically racism, somehow means the criticism for being bigoted is invalid. The semantics of the statement is a problem, yes. But it's probably not really the most pressing problem in the context, you see?

 

[Armoured]

That is too broad a term; and besides, this is not a FEAR; (--phobic) but a hatred. Big difference.

Not that the person is not afraid of Muslims; but it was not fear he was showing.

Fear often expresses itself as outward anger.

 

[Armoured]

Besides, there is an easy way to stop a mosque. Just bury a dead pig on the property.

Off topic, but does anyone know if that would actually stop them from building a Mosque?

Also, let's not start saying things that look like we're trying to stop people from legally doing what they want with their own land.

 

[Oafman]

No, the meaning was indeed clear.

I am arguing against this misuse of the English language. Bias against a religion is NOT racism.

Find a better term.

The meaning of words changes over time. Always has. For example, Liberalism

 

[AHH who-stole-my-name]

No, the meaning was indeed clear.

I am arguing against this misuse of the English language. Bias against a religion is NOT racism.

Find a better term.

All these ISMs have a common core of unacceptability towards that which is unfamiliar.
Having separate labels is simply placing one's understanding on an issue so as to catalog it in the mind. Racism, Sexism, ect comes from the same source and that is fear being fed by ignorance.

Those who don't stand up to these people are the real culprits, since inaction when most needed rewards the darkness more than the light and believe me, that mouthpiece is totally in the dark.

 

[AHH who-stole-my-name]

Fear often expresses itself as outward anger.

Exactly. When fear can't be acted upon, anger rushes into the void. Frustration leads to resolution and then to action.

 

[Armoured]

Exactly. When fear can't be acted upon, anger rushes into the void. Frustration leads to resolution and then to action.

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

(just a month to go, gang!)

 

[AHH who-stole-my-name]

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

(just a month to go, gang!)

I take it you mean the new Star Wars movie. You know the franchise is about 40 years old. I bet the stench of Ben Gay was overpowering on that set. ROTFLMBO.

I'm going to see it. I saw the original 7 times.

You can call me a geek, If you like.

 

[RDKirk]

Xenophobic would be more accurate. As would bigoted. Either way, let's not play semantics and pretend the reporter' underlying meaning was unclear.

"Bigoted" is the best umbrella term. A person can be bigoted for a number of reasons.

And, yes, we know what they meant.

 

[Armoured]

I take it you mean the new Star Wars movie. You know the franchise is about 40 years old. I bet the stench of Ben Gay was overpowering on that set. ROTFLMBO.

I'm going to see it. I saw the original 7 times.

You can call me a geek, If you like.

I've been at the midnight screening of the last 3. You may call me a geek, too.

 

[Dave-W]

the fact that it's not technically racism, somehow means the criticism for being bigoted is invalid.

And where do they get THAT idea?

 

[Dave-W]

Off topic, but does anyone know if that would actually stop them from building a Mosque?

I have heard a quote from the Koran saying that it is unacceptable to build a mosque on land that has been polluted by pig blood or where a dead pig is buried.