The American Spectator

At Large

Blue Helmet Bigotry

By Doug Bandow on 1.11.08 @ 12:07AM

(Page 2 of 3)

Moreover, resolution supporters proclaimed themselves not just alarmed, but "Deeply alarmed at the rising trends towards discrimination based on religion and faith, including in some national policies and laws that stigmatize groups of people belonging to certain religions and faiths under a variety of pretexts relating to security and illegal immigration, and noting that the increased intellectual and media discourse is among the factors exacerbating such discrimination."

Finally, the resolution expresses "deep concern that Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism" and over "the intensification of the campaign of defamation of religions and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities in the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September 2001."

Undoubtedly, some Muslims in some nations have been treated unfairly. However, the idea that Islam is under siege and Muslims are being victimized is nonsense.

PERSECUTION RUNS almost entirely in the other direction. Congressional staffer Tina Ramirez pointed out when the resolution was before the Council that In Egypt, "Muslim bloggers are sentenced to prison for criticizing the actions of adherents of their own faith and Baha'i have been declared by the Supreme Court as non-Muslims and as such are discriminated against."

She had more:

*"In Saudi Arabia and Palestine, textbooks teach religious intolerance towards the Jews and Christians."

*"In Iraq, the ancient Mandaean and Chaldo-Assyrian communities have fled due to specifically being targeted for their religious beliefs."

*"In India, several states have passed anti-conversion laws that threaten religious freedom and allowed violence to be carried out against the Muslim and Dalit communities."

*"In Sudan, individuals practicing indigenous beliefs were enslaved and forced to convert to Islam."

Indeed, the offenses against Muslims pale compared to the role that Islamists have played in committing terrorism against the U.S., Israel, and other states. Mistreatment of Muslims is infinitesimal compared to the abuse of Christians before, during, and after September 11 across the Islamic world.

Irrespective of the resolution's claims, Islam is intimately associated with "human rights violations and terrorism," even though there are other factors at play as well.

The real target of the resolution is anyone, especially journalists, who criticizes a certain religion. In practice, the resolution means: "Thou shalt not speak ill of Islam."

Pakistan led the campaign on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC], which routinely denounces "Islamophobia." Indeed, Pakistan first introduced the issue in 1999 in a resolution entitled "Defamation of Islam."

In 2006 the OIC sought to enlist the Human Rights Council in suppressing "actions against religions, prophets and beliefs" and declaring that "defamation of religions and prophets is inconsistent with the right to freedom of expression."

Pakistani UN Ambassador Masood Khan complained that Islamophobia "is an alarming and growing phenomenon in several countries, threatening social harmony and integration in their societies."

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