Islamaphobia is getting out of control

Oreo

Happens all the time to Jews growstuff do you have the same sympathy?

Why on earth would anyone think that because someone calls out Islamaphobia that they wouldn't do exactly the same because someone is being anti semitic? It is such an odd way to think. If you believe that unfair discrimination is wrong, it really doesn't matter if it against Jews, Catholics, Muslims, gays or any other group. It is all equally wrong and should be recognised and called out for what it is.

The Jews have lived with fear,discrimination and stereotyping and still are

Happens all the time to Jews growstuff do you have the same sympathy?

Islamophobia is about discrimination, fear and stereotyping. That's what happened all those years ago, except the target was a different group.

Oreo

Galaxy

What are we doing now? I have lost track. Pretending the IRA are the current threat?

Def what’s going on.
That was then and it’s now we need to worry about.Not only muslim extremism affecting the world, but here trying to influence voting and intimidating MP’s in their homes and offices.
It’s whataboutery alright.
And I have to wonder why, tho I think I already know the answer.

No, it's not whataboutery, but maybe you could tell us the answer to your own question.

SporeRB

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Big hugs 🤗🤗

(Someone spat in my face once, in London many years ago. Not because of my race/religion but because he was a disgusting human. It is one of the most degrading things which has ever happened to me)

SporeRB

maddyone

I was frightened too growstuff and I think we all were. I was always aware if I went to London, exactly the same as now.

Maddyone, can I ask you some simple questions?

When you went to London, did anyone spat on the ground in front of you whilst you are walking?

Do you encounter anyone who looked at you with so much hatred as if they would like to kill you?

Do you have anyone came to you and told you to your face to go back to your own country?

Do you have a boss that came to you and forbid you from wearing clothes that represent your religion?

Do you have a child who did not acknowledge your family on social media when she was young because she worried what other people thought of her?

Do you have someone at your office killed during the 7/7 bombing in London?

Do you have relatives on your husband’s side that hate you because of your religion and tried to break up your marriage, intimidated you and even trespassed your property when you were not there?

All the above happened to me and my Muslim family when they came to visit me from abroad as tourists but that does not stop any one of us from visiting London or anywhere else for that matter.

My daughter’s partner went to Israel to trace his Jewish ancestry and he was taken in for questioning twice at the airport because there was a stamp in his passport of a country that did not recognised Israel as a country.
A country he and my daughter visited to see my family a few months before.

I told him that is definitely a holiday to remember, it is not everyday you visit a country and end up taken in twice for questioning.

SporeRB I live in central London, and I am so sorry that your family have had such a frightening experience of the city. It is perfectly understandable why some people are cautious about coming into London, and if they are wary then they are sensible not to come into the city. I can only speak personally, and have never felt frightened here. This is despite living near enough to Tavistock Square to have heard the bomb explode on the bus on 7 July 2007, and being caught up in the aftermath. I also worked at an event in the area of London Bridge the day after the stabbings a few years ago. The police agreed for the event to go ahead, and all of us involved in the event turned up, as did most of the patrons, as we did not want the terrorists to frighten us into cancelling the event. I found your questions really thought provoking as I think that I have to answer 'no' to all of your questions, and so maybe that is why I am not frightened to live in London. I have, for instance, never been told to go home, but the mother of a friend of mine, a British Citizen, was told to go home on one occasion, but that was the day after the Brexit referendum, but it caused the same upset that your family must feel when they are thus treated. I do have both Muslim and Jewish friends, and the current rise in Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism is indeed very worrying.

“Based on the views of Conservative members, it’s clear why Anderson, Braverman et al feel increasingly emboldened to push the boundaries of decency and speak negatively of Muslims, immigrants and multiculturalism more generally. The battle for the soul of Conservative party has begun. And so far, the radical right is winning”

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/28/tories-islamophobic-conservative-party-members-hope-not-hate

SporeRB

And your point is?

It’s whataboutery alright.

Thank you Oreo, I said it was, it was denied.
Of course it is.

maddyone

I was frightened too growstuff and I think we all were. I was always aware if I went to London, exactly the same as now.

Maddyone, can I ask you some simple questions?

When you went to London, did anyone spat on the ground in front of you whilst you are walking?

Do you encounter anyone who looked at you with so much hatred as if they would like to kill you?

Do you have anyone came to you and told you to your face to go back to your own country?

Do you have a boss that came to you and forbid you from wearing clothes that represent your religion?

Do you have a child who did not acknowledge your family on social media when she was young because she worried what other people thought of her?

Do you have someone at your office killed during the 7/7 bombing in London?

Do you have relatives on your husband’s side that hate you because of your religion and tried to break up your marriage, intimidated you and even trespassed your property when you were not there?

All the above happened to me and my Muslim family when they came to visit me from abroad as tourists but that does not stop any one of us from visiting London or anywhere else for that matter.

My daughter’s partner went to Israel to trace his Jewish ancestry and he was taken in for questioning twice at the airport because there was a stamp in his passport of a country that did not recognised Israel as a country.
A country he and my daughter visited to see my family a few months before.

I told him that is definitely a holiday to remember, it is not everyday you visit a country and end up taken in twice for questioning.

Galaxy

What are we doing now? I have lost track. Pretending the IRA are the current threat?

Def what’s going on.
That was then and it’s now we need to worry about.Not only muslim extremism affecting the world, but here trying to influence voting and intimidating MP’s in their homes and offices.
It’s whataboutery alright.
And I have to wonder why, tho I think I already know the answer.

It doesn't matter who was committing the terrorism in Ireland the fact is the number of attacks compared with Islamist ones. I am not sure any of the protestant attacks were on the mainland.

However, and I write as member of the irish catholic community, the main cause and main perpetrators of terrorism were the IRA. The IRA campaign had nothing to do with Civil Rights. It was everything about getting a United Ireland. I am well aware of the rank inequalities and lack of civil rights of the catholic communities in Ireland, but there was an effective non-violent Civil Rights campaign running before the IRA upped the ante and took ove,r then ignored the work for Civic Rights. Indeed by their actions they set back any improvement in Civil Rights and unification in Ireland by at least a generation.

paddyann54

Irish attacks were from BOTH sides of the divide ,I do wish people on here would accept that instead of always making it about the "catholics" who in fact were fighting for civil rights right up until the 70's .I repectfully suggest a wee bit of education amongst some of you wouldn't go amiss

I didn't mention Catholics paddyann, although at the time it was mainly Catholics (IRA) who were demonised. I also remember the original marches with Bernadette Devlin and was horrified when I discovered how much discrimination Catholics experienced in N Ireland. My point is that it was an anxious time and people were scared of public places, just as they are today. What education do you suggest I need?

I was frightened too growstuff and I think we all were. I was always aware if I went to London, exactly the same as now.

paddyann54

Irish attacks were from BOTH sides of the divide ,I do wish people on here would accept that instead of always making it about the "catholics" who in fact were fighting for civil rights right up until the 70's .I repectfully suggest a wee bit of education amongst some of you wouldn't go amiss

I have been wondering when someone would point out this reminder.

Irish attacks were from BOTH sides of the divide ,I do wish people on here would accept that instead of always making it about the "catholics" who in fact were fighting for civil rights right up until the 70's .I repectfully suggest a wee bit of education amongst some of you wouldn't go amiss

maddyone

^Thats where the huge number of attacks took place^

Perhaps you read that as all IRA terrorist attacks took place in Northern Ireland Maizie but it is clear that huge number does not mean all unless you want to be as difficult as possible.

Anyway, as pointed out, the IRA is just a lot of whataboutary.
This discussion is about people being afraid of Islamic terror attacks, which as pointed out, take place all over the world.

It's not a lot of "whataboutery". Maybe you didn't experience it, but I certainly experienced anxiety when the IRA was active. I had to travel through Liverpool Lime Street on my way to school and I saw the increased police presence, the notices about not leaving unattended luggage and the removal of rubbish bins and I knew why. I witnessed the discrimination against Irish people. How is that any different from what people feel today when they go to London?

maddyone

^Thats where the huge number of attacks took place^

Perhaps you read that as all IRA terrorist attacks took place in Northern Ireland Maizie but it is clear that huge number does not mean all unless you want to be as difficult as possible.

Anyway, as pointed out, the IRA is just a lot of whataboutary.
This discussion is about people being afraid of Islamic terror attacks, which as pointed out, take place all over the world.

The pertinent word is 'the', maddyone. The huge number..

Not 'the greatest number', not 'most of', which would have acknowledged that some happened elsewhere. 'The' clearly implies 'all of them'.

I don't think that the IRA is whataboutery. It is pointing out that acts of terrorism by a particular racial group leads to demonisation of the entire group, exactly as is happening today.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD you posted in the same way that people are currently blanket hating all Muslims. I haven’t seen anyone alluding to hating all Muslims on here.

I have seen many posts regarding the influence of radical Islamists, and the risk posed by Islamic terrorists worldwide, which is not the same thing as ^blanket hating^

When people write "Muslims" without any determiner such as "some", "many" or "most", in standard English the implication is that reference is being made to everyone belonging to that group.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD you posted in the same way that people are currently blanket hating all Muslims. I haven’t seen anyone alluding to hating all Muslims on here.

I have seen many posts regarding the influence of radical Islamists, and the risk posed by Islamic terrorists worldwide, which is not the same thing as ^blanket hating^

Quite GrannyGravy.

Thats where the huge number of attacks took place

Perhaps you read that as all IRA terrorist attacks took place in Northern Ireland Maizie but it is clear that huge number does not mean all unless you want to be as difficult as possible.

Anyway, as pointed out, the IRA is just a lot of whataboutary.
This discussion is about people being afraid of Islamic terror attacks, which as pointed out, take place all over the world.

MaizieD you posted in the same way that people are currently blanket hating all Muslims. I haven’t seen anyone alluding to hating all Muslims on here.

I have seen many posts regarding the influence of radical Islamists, and the risk posed by Islamic terrorists worldwide, which is not the same thing as blanket hating

maddyone

I don’t think there were more terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland, I know there were more, and so do you.
Yes there were many attacks on the mainland and it was a frightening time, but there were hundreds of attacks in Northern Ireland.

You clearly stated, maddyone that the IRA attacks were only in NI. I even quoted your statement in my reply. Perhaps you should thank people who jogged your memory about them rather than change your tune...

It occurred to me that if we'd had the internet and social media back in the time of 'the troubles' the Irish would have been far more disliked and reviled, (in the same way that people are currently blanket hating 'muslims',) than they actually were.

Galaxy

Or that it's quite easy to discuss terrorism carried out by the IRA. We dont seem to have any hang ups about that.

I wonder why that is? I suspect that there’s been no discussion on Gransnet about Putin’s associate the other day pointing out that Britain is a small island and therefore an easy target for nuclear attack, or the far right UK terrorists who were in court yesterday for planning terrorist attacks here either. Maybe when and if the Gaza issue is resolved the focus will change again. I agree with Monicaregarding the media influence on the way people view the world.