The network explicitly targets Islam and Islamism as a whole, not just violent extremists

Evidence

As the AVOT statement makes clear, it is not simply the violent section of the Islamist movement that they wish to “research,” but “Islam and Islamism” as a whole. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that simply being a Muslim makes you worthy of suspicion, according to this logic. Drawing a page from the McCarthyist playbook, Gaffney was one of many who claimed that Obama might be a “secret Muslim.” The implication, of course, is that being a Muslim is sufficient cause for not trusting him. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 540 (#expands, via linked claim)

The clash of civilizations explanation reduced the conflict between radical Muslim terrorism and the West to something inherent within Islam (and thus something that can only be fixed within Islam). On this understanding, the irrational anger and hatred of Muslims toward the West leads some Muslims to use the teachings of Islam to justify their terrorist activities against innocent people. Neither the Bush administration nor the larger political establishment devoted much effort to reflecting critically on the history of Western involvement in the Muslim world, nor did they seriously consider whether the particular economic and political grievances toward the West articulated by many Muslims, not just the small minority of terrorists, might require a significant rethinking of foreign policy to minimize the chance of future attacks. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 266 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Anti-Muslim suspicion targets all Muslims, not just violent extremists — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 540; Media coverage of Muslim violence superficially supports an Islam-violence link — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 282; Terrorism and extremism are treated as exclusive to Islam (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Terrorism and extremism are treated as exclusive to Islam #corroborates (0.90)
• Anti-Muslim suspicion targets all Muslims, not just violent extremists #expands (0.85) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 540
• Islamophobia works through structural incentives and preexisting prejudice, not organized networks alone #complicates (0.80) — Carl W. Ernst, Islamophobia in America_ The Anatomy of…, 35
• Clash of civilizations framing located terrorism’s cause within Islam itself #expands (0.80) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 266
• Both media and state profit from keeping Islam and violence linked #expands (0.78) — Carl W. Ernst, Islamophobia in America_ The Anatomy of…, 266
• Islamophobia predates organized networks and serves structural functions across the political spectrum #complicates (0.75)
• Media coverage of Muslim violence superficially supports an Islam-violence link #qualifies (0.72) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 282