Having a Second Take at Islamophobia.

By Yusuf Morales
Ateneo de amboanga
Islamophobia is similar to antisemitism in the sense that it is bigotry and pre!udice coupled
"ith malice and hate "hether conscious or subconscious focused on one particular race or
distinction# as in the case of antisemitism anger and hate directed to"ards !e"s "hile
Islamophobia is directed to"ards Muslims and Islam.
Media# a potent tool of globali$ation and "estern media in particular has been partisan and
particularly hyped in a sense sparking and enflaming Islamophobia# being the so%called
&enemy of the day' (blame it on sensationalism as a mechanism of popularity).
This pre!udice can be illustrated by t"o terms that "e "ill constantly use throughout
*eople +ike ,s are those people influenced by media by a concept of uniformity and
conforming to the globali$ed scheme of things.
*eople like Them are those that do not conform and possess the same cultural values norms
or traits that media pro!ect of a globali$ed culture# the demoni$ed enemy or &the other'.
This divide sparks the issue of pre!udice and bias to"ards people looked upon as &the other'.
This divide also can refer to institutions that may subscribe or conform to the global scheme
on one end as opposed to institutions "ho are &different'. In a "ay this is a &culture control'
that subconsciously discriminates and segregates those that subscribe to a different
"orldvie" in the end perpetuating bias and eventually phobia.
-inflicts or crisis re.uire a confrontation of sides and the elucidation and definition of the
*+T/s (people like them)# illustrated as an implaccable enemy# lacking civili$ation and being
the sub!ect of demoni$ation.
Having a Second Take at Islamophobia.
By Yusuf Morales
Ateneo de amboanga
By playing on the marked differences bet"een *+T/s and *+,/s (people like us) like culture#
landscape# physical features and most crucially religion. The more pronounce the differences
and the more marked it is# its is easier to get support and drumbeat for hostile action against
them as a perceived threat.
-ombating and addressing Islamophobia should be done on several levels# Muslim
organi$ations# civil societies and governments as "ell.
0overnments should continuously enable legislation that "ould aim to eliminate bias and
ensure protection of Muslims religious rights# policies that "ould ensure that government
monitors and security bodies "ould be more capable in handling Muslim issues and mitigate if
not eliminate discrimination. Active appointment Muslims to government posts and positions
that re.uires the participation of Muslims as "ell as to areas "here Muslims form a significant
portion like hospitals# prisons and community schools. Interfaith1intercultural initiatives both at
community# academic and corporate landscapes.
*ressure points of 2iscrimination and Islamophobia
3. 4mployment
5. Hate crimes
6. *risons and Hospitals
7. Bureaucratic Inaction on 0rievances aired by Muslims
8. *olicies and legislation that allo" less protection or disenfranchisement of Muslimsor
incite hate and bigotry against them.
0lobally the Muslims have become in the language # the &0lobal Black'. 2espite the different
governments repeated avo"als that ordinary Muslims are not implicated in the anti%terrorist
crusades# at times the condemnation that Muslims regularly gives becomes a sort of an
Having a Second Take at Islamophobia.
By Yusuf Morales
Ateneo de amboanga
inverse apology for acts of terrorism befalling the "orld. And Muslims are e9pected to feel
guilty forever. An ironic as Muslims also lost lives in the global terror crusade through
innocent blood and collateral damages.
The entrenchment of Islamophobia is felt in schools# institutions and most significantly in
Media# and it must be immediately confronted and addressed.
*roposed Integration points for eliminating Islamophobia and discrimination of Muslims in :on
Muslim countries (integration "ishlist) for policymakers;
Muslims are able to fully participate in the political # cultural# social and economic life in
the country.
Their voices are heard and held in the same respect as the voices of other
communities and groups.
Their contributions# individually and collectively "ill be ackno"ledged and accepted as
part of the country/s heritage.
Islamophobic behaviour "ill no longer tolerated in *ublic and publicly condemned.
+egal sanctions on religious discrimination and dealt "ith severely
The state system ackno"ledges an inclusivity allo"ing the entry of religious care and
addressing the educational# medical# cultural and other concerns of Muslims. <ne
good indicator "ould be the academic achievement of Muslim students "ould stand
e.ual to the academic standings of students from other groups.
Institutions are compliant to legal provisions that demonstrate regard for cultural
diversity.
Having a Second Take at Islamophobia.
By Yusuf Morales
Ateneo de amboanga
Historical -onte9t of institutional Islamophobia
Hostility to"ards Islam and Muslims is not a recent trend. It has been present in 4uropean
societies since the eight century only changing its manifestations and the geographical reach
affected by -oloni$ation# Imperialism and recently# 0lobali$ation. 4ach phase different from
the other "ith its o"n features and simmilarities.
Todays -onte9t is 0lobal geopolitics #=%33 and the Arab >inter.
-onte9tual factors affecting Islamophobia
Media demoni$ation of *+T/s
Secular agnostic outlook of Media# although it also attacks the -hristian churches# but
since the -hristian -hurches are systematically "ell organi$ed and have a unified
system of governance# they are able to effectively respond and defend themselves.
Muslims are unable to do this due to the diversity and plurality of groups and
organi$ational structures and lines.
0overnment?s foreign policies that are dependent and influenced by e9ternal factors
"hich puts Muslims at risk.
The result of these conte9tual factors is that the cummulative effect on Muslims are not
"anted in these countries and are considered to be a risk and thought of as the fifth column.
49tremism and the implications to"ards propagation of Islamophobia.
The recent events of the Arab >inter# "herein different Arab regimes collapsed under the
s"ay of Islamist movements# hi!acking the genuine people?s struggle against oppressive
regimes presents another problematic issue.
Having a Second Take at Islamophobia.
By Yusuf Morales
Ateneo de amboanga
The collapse of the rather stable yet repressive regimes of Tunisia and +ibya are clear cut
e9amples# "here civil "ar has no" occupied these countries (no thanks to "estern
intervention) due to the noticeable lack of governance structures demolished by these
Islamist groups "ho effectively destroyed governance in these t"o countries.
>hat makes things "orst in these t"o countries is that 49tremist groups have attempted to
supplant the homegro"n practice of Islam by demolishing the symbols and identity of the
Islamic heritage in these sites like the graves and monuments f great Islamic personalities
"ho have contributed to the Islamic "orld. And although >estern media has no longer given
attention to these t"o countries# they are still e9periencing civil unrest and bloodshed
perpetuated by these groups.
The current humanitarian crisis in Syria and Ira. has been perpetuated by these Islamist
groups "ho in the guise of helping legitimate struggles have in fact supplanted it by
establishing a neo%caliphate "hich for all points and purposes have began one of the most
bloody campaigns to rid of non%adherents to their brand of *olitical and ideological
understanding of Islam.
2ue to the success of this movement (although they are no" gradually encountering strong
resistance from local Arab and @urdish groups)# other groups based in other countries kno"n
for their notoriety in conducting terrorist and revolutionary activities such as the Aamaah
islamiyah (Indonesia)# the Abu Sayyaf 0roup (*hilippines)#*hilippine -onverts (both "ho are
incarcerated and not) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Breedom Movement (-otabato#
*hilippines) have among many other groups s"orn allegiance to the Islamic -aliphate
(formerly kno"n as ISIS1ISI+).
The result of "hich considerable sho" that increasing threats to national security "ould
increase the level of Islamiphobia among government agencies and noticeably in Media.
Having a Second Take at Islamophobia.
By Yusuf Morales
Ateneo de amboanga
0iven these issues present the ma!or .uestion "ould be ;
H<> 2< >4 A22C4SS IS+AMI*H<BIA >ITH<,T :4S-4SSACI++Y SA-CIBI-I:0
:ATI<:A+ S4-,CITY -<:-4C:S.
The ongoing concerns of both the issue on Islamophobia as "ell as addressing :ational
Security "ould re.uire a clear balance from both sectors in the government# academe# ulama
and civil society groups in balancing needs of the community and needs of the state to protect
the people.