Islamophobia Research

EDL is not a political party for one.....

Also I have to say I detest the word islamophobia (or actually most uses of phobia these days). Someone disliking / criticising a religion does not equate to an "irrational fear".

So no, I've never experienced it or seen it from people I know, because people are well within their rights to be critical.

UKIP has little to do with it considering their focus is on the EU, though it does have a good amount of critical members, as does a lot of the sensible right and left wing.

BNP are just racist.
EDL, not a party again, but vary between critical and racist. Down to the lack of any structure or membership control.
You couldn't generalise the whole, and they did attempt to prevent the racist members, mind - though fail because of aforementioned idiotic organising.

I'd rather eat dirt than read the media as gospel so no they have no meaningful influence than to provide information that one can research independently.

Islamophobia is a nonsensical neologism. It encompasses prejudice and dislike towards Islam and prejudice and dislike against Muslims in the same term when they are too very different things.

It seems to be used mainly as a way of stifling any criticism of Islam as an ideology

BNP = racist

EDL = racist

UKIP = not at all racist and I have no idea why you feel to lump them in with the other two

Islamophobia is a nonsense term used to shut down legitimate debate with false accusations of racism, hatred of Muslims is of course unacceptable, but ideology is never above question and criticism.

The media has no influence on my opinion, partly because I only ever watch sky's financial report

It is a ridiculous terms which emcompasses both the critism of Islam and the abuse of its followers.

Thank you, for your response to my tread, I just wanted to ask you some questions to gain a greater insight into your views on Islamophobia.

1. Could you define what islamophobia is?

An irrational hatred of Muslims

OR

Extreme hatred of Islam

2. Have you ever experienced any form of islamophobia or witinessed any form of Islamophobia ?

I saw it a couple of times at high school

3. Why do you think statistics suggest islamophobia is rising?

I believe there has been an unjustified backlash towards Muslims in this and other European countries

4. Does the media influence your opinion?

I don't think so, the daytime news is too simplistic to really get a good picture from

5.What do you think the media’s view of islamophobia is?

I think the media in Western Europe is largely sympathetic towards Muslims and Islam

6. Do you think people of British Asian heritage experience islamophobia?

Yes I do, I think lots of British Asians/Middle Easterners face abuse and hatred in this country

7. What do you think can be done can done to counter Islamophobia?

It's a complex issue because most people who are hardcore Islamophobes (the sorts who go to EDL rallies) are members of the White working class who have been totally abandoned by the mainstream politicians. These people wrongly take their anger out on random immigrants who look different

8. Do you think certain political parties should have their views censored such as UKIP, EDL or BNP?

I would have the BNP banned, possibly the EDL too.

I don't support UKIP and have never voted for them, but I find it immature and deeply questionable that a party which seeks to put European immigration on the same level as Commonwealth immigration is being branded racist.

Jeremy Corbyn expressed his friendship of members of the Antisemitic hate group Hezbollah and Diane Abbott often makes racist remarks towards White people, is Labour more or less racist than UKIP?

9. Is there anything else you want to add?

There needs to be a greater distinction between hatred of Muslims and criticism of Islam, right now it feels as if hatred of real human beings is not taken seriously enough, but at the same time, the free speech to criticise religious belief, something people in this continent have literally been put to death over is being wrongly eroded.

replies in bold.

Hi thank you for your response,
Can i ask you to expand on question 2, What did you see at high school? what happened?


Once again Thank you for your response

Thank you, for your response to my tread, I just wanted to ask you some questions to gain a greater insight into your views on Islamophobia.

1. Could you define what islamophobia is?
The criticism of Islam and the abuse received by its followers.

2. Have you ever experienced any form of islamophobia or witinessed any form of Islamophobia ?
Given the above definition I have seen Islam criticised a multitude of times.

3. Why do you think statistics suggest islamophobia is rising?
They are meaningless given the above definition.

4. Does the media influence your opinion?
No, I still think Islam is a destructive religion which is in need of some serious reform before I would consider it not be a threat to the West.

5.What do you think the media’s view of islamophobia is?
That really depends on the media source, be that journalism, Facebook, written, TV, etc.

6. Do you think people of British Asian heritage experience islamophobia?
Yes, I'm sure some do.

7. What do you think can be done can done to counter Islamophobia?
For a start change the definition. You can't stop criticism of an idea and label it the same as abusing its followers. They are simply not the same thing. However we already have laws in place to stop religious hate crimes and discrimination. We do not need specific laws.

8. Do you think certain political parties should have their views censored such as UKIP, EDL or BNP?
No, views should never be censored. If you were to go down that slippery slope we must also censor the views of Islam and other religious as they can be just as poisonous as BNP. UKIP is perfectly legitimate political party and shouldn't even be on your list.

9. Is there anything else you want to add?

Thank you, for your response to my tread, I just wanted to ask you some questions to gain a greater insight into your views on Islamophobia.

1. Could you define what islamophobia is?

It has 2 distinct meanings.

Hatred of Islam

Hatred of Muslims

2. Have you ever experienced any form of islamophobia or witinessed any form of Islamophobia ?

Yes of the former, not of the latter. Though I don't deny the former exists.

Any criticism of Islam could in theory be labelled islamophobic, and there is so much to criticise and question about Islam that I see this on a regular basis

3. Why do you think statistics suggest islamophobia is rising?

The increased awareness of terrorist groups like ISIS, the victim mentality of certain Muslim communites and the refusal of political parties to condemn the religion all contribute. Also, thugs will latch on to any movement to cause trouble, and with Islam being so infamous right now it's an easy target.

4. Does the media influence your opinion?

To a certain extent. It would be disingenuous of anyone to say they are entirely unbiased.

5.What do you think the media’s view of islamophobia is?

It varies. Left-leaning outlets like the guardian and the huffingtonpost consider it of paramount importance and in the aftermath of the attacks in Paris seemed more perturbed about an "islamophobic backlash" then the actual event.

6. Do you think people of British Asian heritage experience islamophobia?

Some probably do, yes.

7. What do you think can be done can done to counter Islamophobia?

Islamophobia which criticises Islam as an ideology needs to be encouraged and not countered.

Prejudice against Muslims can be countered by improving education standards in this country ensuring people can discern between an ideology and a person.

8. Do you think certain political parties should have their views censored such as UKIP, EDL or BNP?

Firstly, it is grossly unfair to conflate UKIP with radical groups like the BNP.

I don't think they should be censored purely because they have contrarian views, but if they incite hatred and violence against Muslims (not Islam) then there is an argument that they should be banned.

9. Is there anything else you want to add?

Islamophobia encompassing both prejudice against Islam and prejudice against Muslims makes it an entirely redundant and stupid word, which needs to fall out of use.