Quickies: Islam And The “Racism” Gambit

     One thing we can count on from Islamic apologists is that they’ll use any tactic that seems effective:

     Anti-Muslim bigots often try to escape accusations of racism by proclaiming that Islam is not a race.
     Vilifying, marginalizing or hating others because of their gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or skin color is not acceptable. But beyond bigotry, current anti-Muslim sentiments are racist.
     Racism is racial prejudice powered by actions and institutional structures.
     All elements that define racism are prevalent in the recent anti-Muslim wave of xenophobia.

     Of course, this is merely standard Leftist racialist huckstering with a few words changed so it can be put it to the service of Islam. Yet we see it from Islamic apologists routinely. Via Cold Fury comes a smashing return of serve:

     What difference would it make if I was a racist? It simply means that a racist is right and you are wrong. Moreover, let’s say that I am a racist and a bigot and this is all an elaborate con. Doesn’t that make you morally obliged to take this seriously, to read through it and offer a comprehensive refutation? If you just dismiss this, won’t you be letting other people get conned by me?...

     But if [you] insist on this argument that loathing of Islam is some sort of irrational bigotry, to be lumped in with racism, well, that’s very convenient. A certain fraction does exist that use hostility to Islam as a way of being generally xenophobic. However, before you get smug, let’s take a look at the other side of the coin – what sort of people tend to like Islam, defend it?

     I shan’t excerpt any more than that. Please read it all!