Legislating against ‘Islamophobia’?

May 17, 2019 by Andrew Symes

[Editor’s note: This is important, because a law against Islamophobia according to the proposed definition could severely restrict freedom of speech, for example proclaiming the uniqueness and Lordship of Christ compared to other faiths.]

Most recent at the top:

Record of debate on Islamophobia in the House of Commons, from Hansard, which concluded: “Resolved, That this House has considered the definition of Islamophobia.” Speeches largely supportive of adopting the definition, but Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood who opposes it, saying: “We need balance in this issue, with we as Muslims able to condemn both sides. When radical action, radicalisation and terrorism take place, we should condemn that, just as we should condemn attacks from the right…We are proud Muslims, and we should start to move away from a victim mentality and be positive about who we are.

The Tories are right to reject the flawed definition of ‘Islamophobia’, by Ed Husein, Spectator

We are exaggerating and conflating the notion of ‘Islamophobia’ with socio-political factors of collectivism, victimhood culture and identity politics in a world in which attitudes are increasingly dominated by the sewage pipes of social media.

We must have the right to mock Muslimness, by Brendan O’Neill, Spiked: “Here’s one of the weirdest things about 21st-century Britain: we have a real problem with radical Islam and yet politicians want to make it harder for us to talk openly about Islam.

Government rejects proposed Islamophobia definition but will give issue ‘consideration’, James Brokenshire says, by Lizzie Dearden, Independent

Open letter to Home Secretary rejects Islamophobia definition, from Christian Concern

An open letter to the Home Secretary warning against the adoption of a proposed definition of Islamophobia has been signed by over 40 leading experts from a range of religious backgrounds… the letter argues that the definition could easily be “used to effectively shield Islamic beliefs and even extremists from criticism, and that formalising this definition will result in it being employed effectively as something of a backdoor blasphemy law.”

Adopting official definition of Islamophobia ‘could hinder counter-terror efforts’, Mailonline

Fear and free speech: why defining Islamophobia could do more harm than good, by Irene Lancaster, Christian Today

Thousands rally to defend doctor ‘forced out’ for asking Muslim woman to lift veil, by James Tozer, MailOnline