CW: Mass murder, islamophobia
Mass murder in New Zealand. I’m really glad there isn’t anyone on the blogroll here anymore in overt denial of the reality of islamophobia. I’d like to encourage any readers that still have any question about that in their head to really really interrogate themselves about it.
You don’t have to come as far as I have, to seeing the mainstream atheist movement as a major catalyst of it, but at least see. Look at the rhetoric about islam, the way people treat it as a unique and special force for violent extremism in the world. Look at the way that makes good old boys feel the need to weapon up and take it down to the mosque. Look at the body counts and the coordination of the newest attacks and just accept the evidence of your eyes.
Islamophobia is real and it’s really fucked up that a lot of people who think of themselves as progressives still don’t accept that. The government of New Zealand is far from perfect, but at least I think they might take this as the impetus to start tackling white terrorism, whereas that wouldn’t happen over a mountain of bodies here. But it’s still a fucking grim situation.
Also be careful what pictures and videos you’re exposed to on the internet for a while because one of these terrorist shitlords filmed and distributed video of his actions, and you know damn well channers and encyclopedia dramatica types are going to be planting that shit everywhere like rickrolls.
–
I believe that no small amount of islamophobia is just christian supremacy rearing its ugly head again. Evangelical christianity has had it in for muslims since 1095, and they have hardly backed away from that position (though they have backed away from the methods) since.*
(* although I will note a distressing crusading tendency in the US the last few decades)
It hasn’t been as socially acceptable for them to go after Jews since WWII.
Ironically, I considered including a footnote that there is prejudice against xtians of a similar nature, though it’s less extreme now than it has been. Anti-catholic prejudice in the US has been, at times, as bad as antisemitism. As recently as the 70s I think catholics were a whipping boy of birchers and klansmen. And as recently as last year, some xtian I personally know was spouting some shit about catholicism being a “cult.” Ditto mormonism from the same person.
All of these religions are major horseshit and occasionally evil, but we no longer have any right to pretend atheism is better except in the tiny detail that it’s true. Atheism is zero protection against unreason and evil, regardless of the strength of its truth. That shit makes me sad.