Amid the ongoing U.K. 'grooming gang' scandal is the accusation of 'Islamophobia.'
In a time when words meant things, a 'phobia' was defined as an irrational, overwhelming fear of something. Agoraphobes have an irrational fear of open, public spaces, for example and arachnophobes have an irrational fear of spiders.
Islamophobia isn't a thing. It never was. It's a political cudgel used against critics of Islam to silence dissent and disagreement.
Piers Morgan should know this. Yet here he is, lying about what Islamophobia means:
Hi Gad, happy new year.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 7, 2025
Islamophobic means having, or showing, a dislike of, or prejudice against Islam or Muslims. Tommy Robinson is on the record saying many things that meet this criteria. Re the UK, I think the vast majority of Muslims here are a benefit to our society. https://t.co/G1yM812tDv
Sigh.
By not prosecuting those Muslims who were part of the 'grooming gangs', you undermine the argument that Muslims are a benefit to society.
Here's Gad's reply:
Posting my reply here as well for maximal exposure to those interested in the issue:
— Gad Saad (@GadSaad) January 7, 2025
Hey @piersmorgan, Many thanks for the reply, and a Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. I'm planning to come to Europe later this year, so I'm going to hold you to task regarding going…
The entire post reads:
Hey @piersmorgan,
Many thanks for the reply, and a Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. I'm planning to come to Europe later this year, so I'm going to hold you to task regarding going to an Arsenal game together.
Now to your reply (which I'd rather cover in a long-form conversation):
1) to be prejudicial against individual Muslims is wrong, and as such I fully agree with your stance; to be prejudicial against Islam (as a codified set of ideas) is not; in the same way that I might dislike communism but not hate individual Soviet/Cuban individuals. It is the DEFINITION of free speech to question, mock, critique, dislike, satirize, abhor ANY ideology including Islam (and yes Judaism is included).
2) It is unquestionable that there are millions of Muslims who are a net benefit to any society. This is astoundingly different than exploring what happens to a society if it contains a given percentage of Islam in its midst. Life is a trade-off and hence for every lovely and peaceful Muslim neurosurgeon, there is a cost to a society getting Islamized. I know more Muslims than most people will ever meet. I have had innumerable Muslim friends and now fans. This is perfectly decoupled from whether a society rooted in the Western traditions of freedom and liberty is consistent with Islamic principles. If yes, then you should seek to fully Islamize Britain, which you are well on your way to doing so. If no, then you may wish to reconsider your position.
Cheers.
There needs to be a discussion about whether Islamic values are compatible with Western values.
This writer would argue no, and the 'grooming gang' scandal is evidence of that. But that's the topic for another post.
Criticizing Islam, and Muslims, is not Islamophobia.
Why are you simping for Islam? Embarassed for you x
— Hazel Appleyard (@HazelAppleyard_) January 7, 2025
Eventually, Islam will get around to attacking a group that Morgan does like, and he'll have no leg to stand on.
“Islamaphobes” (determined by you) = not ok. Open Jew hating terrorist shills = ok. Got it. I’m starting to really understand what’s wrong across the pond 🤣
— Stacey E. Burke (@StaceyEBurke) January 7, 2025
The U.K. is utterly broken.
As someone born to Muslim parents, who grew up in a Muslim country, learned about Islam from as early as I can remember and attended prayer in countless mosques, I can tell you that you're a dangerous man.
— Khaled Hassan (@Khaledhzakariah) January 7, 2025
No one is obliged to like Islam, or any other religion. You can't force…
This.
If your definition of Islamophobia includes having or showing a dislike of Islam, let me ask you this:
— Brother Rachid الأخ رشيد (@BrotherRasheed) January 7, 2025
•Do you dislike the practice of killing people who leave Islam (apostasy)?
•Do you dislike amputating the hands of thieves?
•Do you dislike stoning people for adultery?
•Do…
Excellent questions.
So as a gay man under your definition Piers I would be 'Islamaphobic' for objecting to the execution of gay men under Islamic law.
— A True Liberal 🇬🇧 🏳️🌈 (@MInthenow70635) January 7, 2025
Don't you see how dangerous it is to accuse people of fearing or even "disliking" a violently homophobic, racist and misogynistic ideology?
He does not see that.
Phobic means “fear of.”
— Cody Penn-Dent (@codypd) January 7, 2025
You can express disdain for a culture (cultures have rules of inclusion which are their rules of exclusion, so expressions disdain for that which excludes you is normal) without fearing it.
Islamophobia might be the dumbest word modernity came up with.
There are never accusations of 'Christophobia' when people demonstrate a dislike of Christians and Christianity.
By Morgan's definition, criticism of Christianity is now a 'phobia.'
A poll of British Muslims found:
— Jeremy Kauffman 🦔🌲🌕 (@jeremykauffman) January 7, 2025
- 78% believe drawing the Prophet Muhammed should be prosecuted
- 68% think insulting Islam should be prosecuted
- 62% say "freedom of speech" doesn't apply to religious offensive
Best of luck with the UK. https://t.co/x4mwSMtbz7
Good luck, indeed.
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