Nationwide Anti-Muslim Protests This Weekend Demonstrate Intense American Islamophobia October 9, 2015

Nationwide Anti-Muslim Protests This Weekend Demonstrate Intense American Islamophobia

Christians think they’re persecuted? They can talk to me when their new normal looks like what Muslims will be dealing with this weekend:

Organizers, who are calling for protests on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 9 and 10), are billing the events as the “Global Rally for Humanity.” [The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Heidi] Beirich describes the protesters as a loose affiliation of anti-Muslim extremists who do not seem to be organized by larger, better-known anti-Muslim groups, such as Pamela Geller’s American Freedom Defense Initiative.

“This mix of racist groups, anti-Muslim groups and anti-government groups is basically a recipe for disaster,” Beirich said.

Kalia Abiade, of the Center for New Community, a Chicago-based anti-bigotry group, said some of the largest crowds are expected to protest outside mosques and Muslim community centers in Phoenix; Arlington, Texas; Dearborn, Mich.; and Ocala and Spring Hill, Fla. At least 20 protests are planned.

Some are scheduled for Friday, the Muslim day of prayer, but many are scheduled for Saturday, when mosques are often filled with children going to religious class.

It’s one thing to take issue with the way a religion is practiced or the tenets of the faith itself. It’s entirely different to organize events for spouting hate speech, encouraging discrimination, and cultivating ignorance. That’s exactly what these rallies are. People like them fret about Sharia Law and Muslim takeover plots until they convince themselves the threat is real, fanning the flames of a prejudice that has been burning ever since 9/11… and peaceful Muslims pay the price of their ignorance. These sentiments aren’t held by some fringe zealots, either. A recent poll found that more than half of Americans have an unfavorable view of Islam. This weekend, that hate and fear is taking to the streets.

Let’s hope it doesn’t translate into violence against Muslims. Stay safe, folks.

(Image via Facebook)

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