Monia Mazigh on the rising tide of Islamophobia

Quote:

I don't like the term "Islamophobia"

Personally, I don't even much care for the term "homophobia", which I think is probably where the whole "_____-o-phobia" thing started.  When did "-phobia" stop meaning "fear of" and start meaning "dislike of"?

That is true, and despite my misgivings about the term (by the way, these derive from secular friends of Muslim cultural origins, certainly not from nativist bigots) I think we have to accept this flawed term describing bigotry, given the gravity of the situation. Though it is essential to stand up for secularists of any faith community who refuse sexism, homophobia or restrictions on people's personal behavour that hurts nobody. And that does not refer only to Islam.

We have to remember that this is about a racist MURDERING people, and gravely injuring others.

Despite the inappropriateness of the term "Islamophobia", it is absolutely necessary for all Canadians to take a clear stand condemning this rising tide.

Monia Mazigh, sadly, isn't the best spokesperson for human rights in this regard. To this day, she candidly opposes homosexuality, citing her religious beliefs. That just isn't good enough. Years ago, she declared that if elected she would abstain on the same-sex marriage vote (2004), in defiance of the NDP's clear policy in favour. I'm sad to note that she hasn't seen the light to this day, invoking offensive arguments like, "well, it isn't just us Muslims who are against homosexuality":

Monia Mazigh, in 2016 wrote:

In 2004, I run as a federal candidate for the New Democratic Party in the Ottawa South riding. I run in the midst of the same-sex marriage debate in Canada. My position was the following: as a religious person, I couldn’t vote for the same-sex legislation but as I human right advocate I couldn’t oppose rights to other groups who have been persecuted and oppressed. So I decided that in case I will be elected, I would abstain from voting. [...]

Islam is not the only religion that doesn’t accept homosexuality. So why are the calls today are directed exclusively to Islam to re-examine its attitudes? Why aren’t we talking more about the extremists white supremacist Christian groups celebrating the killings of homosexuals or the heavy presence (in numbers and in funding) of US evangelical Christians in Uganda for instance, and their role in passing the “Kill the gay Bill” in 2014?

Using women rights, freedom of expression, LGBT rights, as wedge issues to demonize Islam and Muslim should be questioned as this will serve to only to make some bigots more confortable in their bubbles and speeches and won’t help us to see and get to know all the ongoing discussions and diversity of opinions of Muslims on these issues.

She makes important points about imperialist aggression against Muslim and other countries. It's a shame that she doesn't yet acknowledge that her personal religious beliefs - to which she has an absolute democratic right - don't give her or anyone a pass for homophobia. Not in this century.