Anti-sharia panic manufactures political support while Muslims pose no such threat

Evidence

If we persist in portraying Islamophobia as an irrational force of misperception—the bad citizen’s response to the bad Muslim—we will render ourselves oblivious to Islamophobia’s ultimate causes, which are not simply ignorance or xenophobia. Pastor Terry Jones is rightly criticized for both, but he has never invaded and occupied an independent (Muslim-majority) nation-state, authorized the torture of (Muslim) alien combatants held in secret prisons, killed hundreds of innocent (Muslim) people in unmanned drone attacks, propped up (Muslim) dictators against the will of their (Muslim) subjects, and given orders to detain, deport, and assassinate (Muslim) terror suspects without trial. — Carl W. Ernst, Islamophobia in America_ The Anatomy of…, 706 (#expands, via linked claim)

In this book we have journeyed from the seventh century to the twenty-first and found that the relationship between the “East” and “West” has not been characterized by a transhistoric “clash of civilizations.” We also saw that the image of the menacing “Muslim threat” has been mobilized largely by ruling elites to serve a political agenda, whether the domination of Europe by the papacy in the eleventh century or US expansionism today. An external enemy is usually paired with an internal one against whom palpable fear and hatred are generated. It follows that Islamophobia is about politics and not religion; it is therefore in the realm of politics that Islamophobia must be fought. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 576 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The 2016 race weaponized nonspecific Muslim fear for electoral gain — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 33; Anti-Sharia initiatives function like anti-gay marriage initiatives as a GOP wedge issue — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 602; Anti-Sharia legislation spikes in pre-election years to mobilize conservative voters. — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 634 (+10 more)

Related

• Islamophobia is increasingly theorized as a form of racism rather than mere religious prejudice (similarity 0.86)
• Anti-Muslim sentiment operates independently of local political ideology (similarity 0.85)
• Islamophobia stems from nationalism’s ambiguities rather than fear of Islam (similarity 0.83)
• Anti-sharia campaigns exploit fabricated fears to gain political support (similarity 0.83)
• Anti-Sharia legislation spikes in pre-election years to mobilize conservative voters. (similarity 0.82)
• The 2016 race weaponized nonspecific Muslim fear for electoral gain (similarity 0.82)
• Islamophobia has material and political causes beyond ignorance or xenophobia (similarity 0.81)
• Islamophobia is political rather than religious and must be fought politically (similarity 0.81)
• Anti-Muslim fear-mongering empowered by right-wing foundations fuels mainstream hatred. (similarity 0.81)
• Islamophobia predates organized networks and serves structural functions across the political spectrum (similarity 0.81)
• Anti-Sharia initiatives function like anti-gay marriage initiatives as a GOP wedge issue (similarity 0.81)
• Islamophobia is a largely unwarranted social anxiety about Islam and Muslims (similarity 0.81)
• Anti-Muslim sentiment spans opposing political groups, not just white conservatives (similarity 0.80)
• Elites mobilized Islamophobia to advance their political agendas across centuries (similarity 0.80)
• War on Terror Islamophobia empowered populist demagogues to seize power against Muslims (similarity 0.80)

Broader Connections

• Islamophobia has material and political causes beyond ignorance or xenophobia #expands (0.65) — Carl W. Ernst, Islamophobia in America_ The Anatomy of…, 706
• Islamophobia is political rather than religious and must be fought politically #expands (0.60) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 576
• Anti-Muslim sentiment spans opposing political groups, not just white conservatives #corroborates (0.60)
• Anti-Muslim sentiment operates independently of local political ideology #corroborates (0.55)
• Anti-Muslim sentiment persists regardless of local political ideology. #corroborates (0.55) — Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, 119
• Islamophobia stems from nationalism’s ambiguities rather than fear of Islam #expands (0.50)
• Gallup polling shows Muslim religiosity correlates with rejecting rather than supporting terrorism #corroborates (0.50) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 674
• Anti-Muslim fear-mongering empowered by right-wing foundations fuels mainstream hatred. #expands (0.50) — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 626