The Murders in Paris and Lebanon: Why Muslims Should Not Apologise

Our terrorism double standard: After Paris, let’s stop blaming Muslims and take a hard look at ourselves.

Mohamad Abdalla 16 Nov 2015 “The murder of so many people in Paris and Lebanon over the last few days is, to say the least, outrageous and inhuman.

This condemnation must be repeated to reinforce the horror of these crimes. And my deepest sympathies go to the families of the victims during this tragic and heart-breaking time.

Although I have said this many times over, it must also be repeated that these crimes do not represent Islam or Muslims - just as the recent killings of Myanmar's Rohingya minority Muslims by Buddhists dos not represent Buddhism and Buddhists, the killing of Palestinians by Israelis does not represent Judaism and the Jews, and the child sex abuse in Christian institutions do not represent Christianity and Christians.

15 Nov 2015, Muslims have taken to Twitter to show support for Parisians affected in the attacks, and to show that the terrorists are not a part of Islam after the attacks in Paris on Friday night.

There were seven apparently coordinated terrorist attacks in the French capital on Friday night, and Isis took responsibility for the violence.

People from all around the world, of all religions, have taken to social media to show solidarity with the French.

Muslims have used social media to demonstrate that they want no part in the extremism and violence that terrorists commit in the name of Islam.

The "hashtags" Not In My Name and I Am A Muslim used to say that extremists will not be tolerated and their messages of hate contradict the messages of peace that Muslims want to promote.

Our terrorism double standard: After Paris, let’s stop blaming Muslims and take a hard look at ourselves.

NOV 14, 2015,  We must mourn all victims. But until we look honestly at the violence we export, nothing will ever change.

Any time there is an attack on civilians in the post-9/11 West, demagogues immediately blame it on Muslims. They frequently lack evidence, but depend on the blunt force of anti-Muslim bigotry to bolster their accusations.

Actual evidence, on the other hand, shows that less than two percent of terrorist attacks from 2009 to 2013 in the E.U. were religiously motivated. In 2013, just one percent of the 152 terrorist attacks were religious in nature; in 2012, less than three percent of the 219 terrorist attacks were inspired by religion.

The vast majority of terrorist attacks in these years were motivated by ethno-nationalism or separatism. In 2013, 55 percent of terrorist attacks were ethno-nationalist or separatist in nature; in 2012, more than three-quarters (76 percent) of terrorist attacks were inspired by ethno-nationalism or separatism.

These facts, nonetheless, have never stopped the prejudiced pundits from insisting otherwise.

On Friday the 13th of November, militants massacred at least 127 people in Paris in a series of heinous attacks.

There are many layers of hypocrisy in the public reaction to the tragedy that must be sorted through in order to understand the larger context in which these horrific attacks are situated — and, ultimately, to prevent such attacks from happening in the future.

Right-wing exploitation

As soon as the news of the attacks broke, even though there was no evidence and practically nothing was known about the attackers, a Who’s Who of right-wing pundits immediately latched on to the violence as an opportunity to demonetize Muslims and refugees from Muslim-majority countries.

In a disgrace to the victims, a shout chorus of reactionary demagogues exploited the horrific attacks to distract from and even deny domestic problems. They flatly told Black Lives Matter activists fighting for basic civil and human rights, fast-food workers seeking liveable wages and union rights, and students challenging crippling debts that their problems are insignificant because they are not being held hostage at gunpoint.

More insidiously, when evidence began to suggest that extremists were responsible for the attacks, and when ISIS eventually claimed responsibility, the demagogues implied or even downright insisted that Islam — the religion of 1.6 billion people — was to blame, and that the predominately (although not entirely) Muslim refugees entering the West are only going to carry out more of such attacks.

Clampdown on Muslims and Refugees

Every time Islamic extremists carry out an attack, the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims are expected to collectively apologize; it has become a cold cliché at this point.

Who benefits from such clampdown on Muslims and refugees?

Two primary groups: One, Islamic extremist groups themselves, who use the clampdown as “evidence” that there is supposedly no room for Muslims in the secular West that has declared war on Islam; and two, Europe’s growing far-right, who will use the attacks as “evidence” that there is supposedly no room for Muslims in the secular West that should declare war on Islam.

Although enemies, both groups share a congruence of interests. The far-right wants Muslims and refugees from Muslim-majority countries (even if they are not Muslim) to leave because it sees them as innately violent terrorists. Islamic extremists want Muslim refugees to leave so they can be radicalised and join their caliphate.

More specifically, to name names, ISIS and al-Qaeda will benefit from the clampdown on Muslims and refugees, and Europe’s growing far-right movement will continue to recruit new members with anti-Muslim and anti-refugee propaganda.~~Al (Alex- Alexander) D Girvan.