Inquiry Demanded into Islamaphobia in the Conservative Party.

If the Conservatives have nothing to feel ashamed of they should accept that an objective investigation would prove that they are not racist.
If they have something to hide they should accept that they can take action and improve.

mostlyharmless Islam is a religion not a race.

Racism as defined in the Race Relations Act:

The legal definition, starting with the 1965 Race Relations Act, which refers to less favourable treatment on grounds of colour, race, or ethnic or national origins.

Are you suggesting Joelsnan that the Conservative party being “Islamaphobic” is not being racist?

And as such does not apply to Islam any more than it applies to Christianity.
I do think it is /inflammatory/ downright dangerous to conflate Islam with all Asians or indeed with fundamentalism or terrorism..

mostlyharmless Yes, being Islamaphobic is not being racist. It is being prejudicial towards ones religious beliefs. In this case Islam. There are Muslims within all races African, Asian and Caucasian

The term ethnicity is usually used to define a group of persons sharing a common cultural heritage. Religion is an important component of any cultural heritage.

So the definition of racism in the 1965 Race Relations Act includes ethnicity which includes religion.

I’m sure everyone is clear that in the real world that “ Islamaphobia” is racist.

I feel it would all be covered under the Equality act. That encompasses Gender, race, religion, sexual orientation etc.

nicenanny About ten years ago I worked with a young man who had been groomed and passed around his parents friends yes his parents friend, they were all white teachers
Of course the media love to make a great deal of any Muslim grooming gangs it’s great for their circulation but there are plenty of white groomers too please believe me probably just not such exciting headlines

Why does “Ethnicity” equate to “Religion”?
Coptic Christians, Druze, maybe Sikhs, Hindus for all I know could all originate in the same geographical areas as Muslims.

Yes BlueBelle, the right wing papers always talk up Muslim grooming of others and I think we all have come to expect that.

The problem becomes much larger and more serious when that sort of action is carried out in the party which is currently governing Britain. It becomes even more serious again when an MP in that party is alleged to have been involved in even more extreme actions in that regard.

Islamaphobia becomes much more than talk in the above

Thanks Grandad for this OP. Islamaphobia is a significant issue that can too easily be ‘sanitised ‘ by conflating the Muslim faith with terrorism and organised CSE by men of largely Pakistani heritage, men from the Muslim community.
As others have said, the sexual abuse and exploitation of children crosses race, class and cultural boundaries. It has for as lng as history has been recorded. It causes significant psychological and emotional harm. We therefore need to understand why so many people, mainly men, find Babies, infants, small children, pre pubescent and adolescent children sexually attractive. Hopefully, the recent convictions of male grooming gangs in oxford, Rochdale, Rotherham etc will help in that process.
Research my show the largest number of sex offenders in this country are white. So are the majority of the population. I find it difficult to believe that men of any ethnic origin who are involved in the depraved sexual abuse and exploitation, will confine their behaviour to children outside their family / friendship circle.

Grandad did I read you right you said "Joelsman yes a percentage of white male gangs will groom and abuse Asian derived young girls".

This too is dreadful. Can you tell us where this has happened and have these men been prosecuted?

This sort of thing with any sort of racist grooming of children girls or boys must be exposed and condemned.

Islamaphobia, does this word mean fear of Islam?

mostlyharmless based on your perception of racism, how would you define prejudice against a white British middle aged and classed man who held the Muslim faith?
Would he be suffering Islamaphobia based on his race or religion?

Interesting joelsnan. My cousin is just as you describe a white, middle aged, middle class businessman, who is also a Muslim.
He married a Malaysian Muslim, took her faith and they have two beautiful children together.
I don’t really understand your question though. Why would he be “suffering Islamaphobia” at all?

Allygran1, my interpretation of "Islamaphobia" would be when a person or group of persons attempts to encourage fear and hatred of ethnic Muslims in others.

In regard to white gangs grooming Muslim girls and children, then that is I feel normally carried out in areas where many disadvantaged children and young are to be found (sink estates). That grooming is not in all probability solely concentrated on the Muslim community, but more across the range of ethnicities found on such estates.

It is probably more difficult to target Muslim young people due to very strong family ties and discipline, at least that is how it is portrayed by much of the media.

Try a Google search Allygran1 I am sure I have seen such a case as the above not long ago.

I found this definition of Islamaphobia:
There is also a word used by Islam which is "Kaffaars" there are a variety of explanations of this word. See link.
If one adds phobia then this is the equivalent term for Islamaphobia - fear of Islam then Kaffaarphobia would be fear of non believers or a whole host of other possibilities for the meaning of Kaffaar, non of which are meant to be insulting in anyway.

abdullahalandalusi.com/2016/05/05/the-quranic-use-of-the-word-kafir/

"The term Islamophobia is contested because it is often imprecisely applied to very diverse phenomena, ranging from xenophobia to anti-terrorism. As Marcel Maussen points out in his chapter below, ‘the term “Islamophobia” groups together all kinds of different forms of discourse, speech and acts, by suggesting that they all emanate from an identical ideological core, which is an “irrational fear” (a phobia) of Islam.’ "
www.antoniocasella.eu/nume/Cesari_2006.pdf

There is also a link for Dr. Zakir Naik, President of Islamic Research foundation, who lecturers and answers questions about Islam.

archive.org/stream/CommonQuestionsAskedByNon-muslimsAboutIslam/commonquestions_3rded_djvu.txt
All interesting I thought.

Grandad thanks I will. I did find as you can see a definition of Islamaphobia, along with a couple of other links dealing with questions about Islam. Very interesting.

Joelsnan that is a very interesting question. If Islamaphobia is fear of Islam, then based on that, anyone who has Islamaphobia will be fearful of someone who is Islamic of any ethnic group would you think?

Your example person might be Kaffaarphobic which is fear of anyone who is not Islamic.

So are you’re implying joelsnan that my cousin (as above) would be afraid of Muslims? Why would he have married a Muslim if he was afraid of them?
Very puzzling!

mostlyharmless No, I am saying if he was facing prejudice because of his Muslim faith how could this be classed as racism if he was white British. Surely the Islamaphobia would be because of his religion not his race. Does this clarify?

Allgran1 Kafir is what may be classed as a somewhat derogatory term that Muslims used to define anyone who does not accept the Muslim faith.

My example to mostlyharmless was a Muslim who was experiencing Islamaphobia but was a white British, would you call this racism or religious prejudice?

Ah got you Joelsnan..sorry misunderstood. I think the answer would have to be religious prejudice.