are muslims the new j00s?

[Aimless]

Wired has published a series of articles examining how the feds approach Islam and Muslim:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/tag/islamophobia/


Some titles:

FBI Teaches Agents: ‘Mainstream’ Muslims Are ‘Violent, Radical’

FBI Trainer Says Forget ‘Irrelevant’ al-Qaida, Target Islam

New Evidence of Anti-Islam Bias Underscores Deep Challenges for FBI’s Reform Pledge

Justice Department Official: Muslim ‘Juries’ Threaten ‘Our Values’

Congress Grills FBI Chief About Anti-Islam Training





I'd recommend reading some of the articles at your leisure, because the headlines don't necessarily tell the whole story. With that said, some of the things being taught at these briefings seems to me to be a great way to make things worse eg. wrt relations with parts of the US Muslim population. Other experts in the field seem to think so too, although it's hard to separate genuine concerns from opportunism and political correctness.

I'm a little torn myself. There is something intuitively appealing about the notion that, if you want to fight Islamic terrorism, you'd do well to focus your efforts on reducing the influence/authority of the Koran and of clerics. But that may be too challenging a task

[Loki]

While I don't think the government is actively discriminating against Muslims in most arenas (there are exceptions), I do think that Muslims are becoming the "Jews" of the early 20th century to average Joe, particularly outside of a few cities on the coasts and in Michigan. As a result, there are some politicians, mostly of a local variety, that are explicitly campaigning on platforms that can be deemed anti-Muslim. And while legislation hasn't necessarily followed rhetoric, I would imagine this does have an effect on local affairs.

[Dreadnaught]

I didn't read the links, but I have read into this a bit. Based on what I've read about the FBI training, it's mostly not too objectionable assuming intelligent people are viewing said materials.

But I think Loki has a point that, across a swath of the country, Muslims are the latest social outsider. And this is in a society that has integrated millions if immigrants over the years; but because of the relative geographic concentration of Muslims and September 11, it becomes easy for many to see them as an "other".

[Hazir]

Jews? Not really, maybe the Chinese of the west.

[Dreadnaught]

That's an interesting comparison. Though probably more applicable in Eurostan than Amerika, as the numbers of Muslims in Europe are far larger than here.

[Hazir]

That's an interesting comparison. Though probably more applicable in Eurostan than Amerika, as the numbers of Muslims in Europe are far larger than here.

Well, I also doubt Jews were ever seen as part of an attempt to destroy America, so for your part of the world to call them 'new Jews' is even less accurate.

[Dreadnaught]

Mmm, they have been at various times. Some of the early movements to close our borders to immigration were partially rooted in the idea that Bolshevik Jews were flooding the place. I believe Jews were more demographically strong and growing much faster 80 years ago in Amerika than now.

And even some of the crazies continue to bubble to the surface at Occupy Wall Street, though this guy seems more concerned about Russia.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLSvK2eIoBs

[CitizenCain]

Well, having had the misfortune to listen to some of the "Occupy" protestors around where I reside, no, Muslims are not the new j00s [in America, anyway], because the Jews are still the j00s.

Regarding the FBI shit, well, they said the same things about returning soldiers and libertarians a couple years back too, so I don't think Muslims are being singled out... the FBI's really an equal-opportunity offender, and will happily fuck over every group and person in the country for little to no reason. Remember their campaign against gardeners that Flixy posted a story on? "He's growing flowers and someone else mixed up the paperwork! Quick, arrest him!!!!"