Re: [Marxism] A debate on Islamophobia
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == I also do not like the term islamophobia and the recent (in France) coining of the term christianophobia. I feel that disapproval, dislike and contempt of Islam, AS OF ALL OTHER ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS, is necessary, healthy and conducive toward the common good of mankind. Religions have always tried to push through blasphemy laws to make any criticism of their crazy notions a crimethink. I object to the idea that an almighty God created the world, that he instructed a guy called Mohamed to establish a religion, that he will pass judgement on humanity and punish those who don't follow his laws. More specifically, I feel a strong antipathy towards Islam's belief that believers are superior to non-believers, that men are superior to women, that society must be regulated in accordance with barbaric rules enacted in heaven, that following a set of strict religious observances will ingratiate you with the almighty. I have utter contempt for such nonsense and thus consider myself an islamophobe, because I believe in the rights of all individuals to participate in creating a society free from servile subservience and domineering arrogance. Three centuries ago, my views would have sent me directly to the stake (Chevalier de la Barre was executed for impiety in the 18th century). Nowadays, religious-minded folk are just itching to re-impose blasphemy laws and censorship of any criticism of religion by using any legislative means at their disposal (certain speeches, writings or images can hurt the religious feelings of people and should be banned). Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] A debate on Islamophobia
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == So, out of respect for people's sensitivities, let's replace the declaration of human rights with the ten commandments, let's allow adulteresses to be stoned to death, let's applaud at the building of religious schools, let's pretend that covering women's heads is a genuine way of protecting them, let's all refrain from using words such as goddammit which might offend, let's encourage weekly prayers (they're part of the traditions of the down-trodden), let's allow faith-based organizations to regulate the way people live, let's acknowledge the role of the divine, let's pretend fundamentalists are actually misguided social activists, let's refrain from making derogatory statements against religious institutions, yeah, let's be Marxists who never talk about materialism if it might cause our brethern to stumble. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] A debate on Islamophobia
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == On 20/01/2011 22:23, Dan wrote: So, out of respect for people's sensitivities, let's replace the declaration of human rights with the ten commandments, let's allow adulteresses to be stoned to death, let's applaud at the building of religious schools, let's pretend that covering women's heads is a genuine way of protecting them, let's all refrain from using words such as goddammit which might offend, let's encourage weekly prayers (they're part of the traditions of the down-trodden), let's allow faith-based organizations to regulate the way people live, let's acknowledge the role of the divine, let's pretend fundamentalists are actually misguided social activists, let's refrain from making derogatory statements against religious institutions, yeah, let's be Marxists who never talk about materialism if it might cause our brethern to stumble. By logical corollary, you would argue that those marxists who oppose antisemitism thereby also support patriarchy, circumcision, gender violence, clerical rule, fundamentalism and the genocidal declarations of Jewish religious authorities in Israel. A further corollary of your argument is that the term 'antisemitism' is just a cover for letting the Jews have the run of things. I don't expect you to accept these corollaries of your irrational, hysterical and self-serving expostulations. I expect you to be as hypocritical as you are navel-gazing. I also expect you not to notice the moral absurdity of your complaining about your oppression at the hands of Muslims in a period where Muslims are being harrassed, beaten, abducted, tortured and murdered on a planetary level. -- *Richard Seymour* Writer, blogger and PhD candidate Email: leninstombb...@googlemail.com Website: http://www.leninology.blogspot.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/leninology Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Seymour_(writer) Book 1: http://www.versobooks.com/books/307-the-liberal-defence-of-murder Book 2: http://www.zero-books.net/obookssite/book/detail/1107/The-Meaning-of-David-Cameron Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] A debate on Islamophobia
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == I do not see myself as a victim of anti-white racism. That would be absurd. The French far-left has always stood with anti-colonialist movements and with the exploited North-African immigrants who were/are used as a source of cheap labour. I work daily to protect the rights of workers from the Maghreb, to fight fortress Europe and create a world without borders and biometric passports. French firms destroy the livelihoods of whole communities in Africa, thus funneling millions towards the production centres in Europe. These workers are despised by French workers and perform the most menial tasks in the French manufacturing and service industries. But I can assure you that encouraging them to adhere to the precepts of Islam will do nothing to better their condition, quite the opposite. It is only a way of side-tracking the struggle against Capitalism into some absurd Kulturkampf (Culture War), from which Imams will emerge as the representatives of Muslim interests. This might be the way things are done in the US, but it is pointless and only leads to dividing up the vote between competing political parties in exchange for promises of new Mosques and funding for charitable organizations. Islamism is a veritable poison, that the elite is happy to seize upon to divide the working class and channel the resentment of the underdogs into venues that can be contained. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
[Marxism] A debate on Islamophobia
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == http://www.signandsight.com/features/2120.html Pascal Bruckner and the reality disconnect Pascal Bruckner wants to forbid the word 'Islamophobia'. What should be the next to go: Racism? Relativism? By Alan Posener The French writer Pascal Bruckner wants to forbid a word. Which sounds more like a typically German obsession. But for Bruckner, Islamophobia is one of those expressions which we dearly need to banish from our vocabulary. One asks oneself with some trepidation which other words we dearly need to get rid of: Right-wing populism? Racism? Relativism?But let that ride. Bruckner's essay has the advantage of stating the case against Islamophobia clearly and concisely and thus allowing those who – like myself – propose to hang on to the word until a better one comes along to answer in a similar clear and concise way. Let me present Bruckner's arguments in his own words: Iranian fundamentalists invented the word Islamophobia, formed in analogy to 'xenophobia', in the late seventies. The aim of this word is to declare Islam inviolate. Whoever crosses this border is deemed a racist. The argument that Islamists coined the phrase in order to portray any and all criticism of Islam as a symptom of illness (a phobia being an irrational fear), may be right or wrong. It is, however, irrelevant. Remember that the word Antisemitism was also coined by reactionaries who wanted to give their hatred of the Jews, inspired by Christian Antijudaism, a scientific gloss. In point of fact, the Antisemites never had anything against any other Semites (for instance Arabs), and their hatred was reserved for a people which (pace Thilo Sarrazin) was and is one of the world's most ethnically diverse. And yet we still use the expression today, and not only to characterize the ideology developed by its European inventors. For instance, few people today would hesitate to call Martin Luther an Antisemite, just because he knew nothing about race and genetics and therefore didn't call on pseudoscience to justify his murderous hatred of the Jews. (clip) Brucker's article: http://www.signandsight.com/features/2123.html Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
