It is simplistic -- there are many "Islams." And many self-identified "Moslems" are non-practicing "ethnics" and non-believing secularists.
It falsely assumes that Moslem behavior follows from the Qur'an. In fact, the Qur'an (like the Bible) conveys conflicting and often contradictory messages.
Accordingly, islamaphobia is immoral because it attacks innocent individuals.
It is impractical: It undermines the struggle against the radicals by alienating potential allies in this struggle.
It is self-defeating: Persecution and insult provokes resistance and solidifies the loyalty of individuals to their religions.
The ongoing attack of the US government and media against ISIS, Al Qaeda and other radicals is profoundly misguided. It seems that we are more concerned about not offending the Saudis (who significantly supply the radicals), and the Turks (who are profiting from sales of oil stolen by ISIS), than we are about directly engaging the radicals. We alienate potential allies in Moslem countries which detest the radicals. We steadfastly refuse to coordinate our attacks against ISIS with the Russians, who are more threatened by ISIS than we are. Since the 9/11 attacks, Russia has suffered more losses from terrorist attacks than has the United States. These include the school massacre at Beslan, the Dobrovka theater bombing in Moscow, the airliner destroyed over Sinai. Twenty million Moslems reside in Russia, and in addition along the southern border of Russia are Moslem states that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. Most of these Moslems are not immediate threats to Russia. But among them are a few dangerous fanatics, two of whom planted bombs at the Boston Marathon..
The United States and Russia are united by a common enemy -- radical Islam. A recognition of a common enemy was reason enough for the United States and England to forge an alliance with Josef Stalin. Vladimir Putin is no Stalin, and he is the democratically elected leader of his country. If, as some charge, Putin is a thug and a despot, that is the Russians' problem, not ours.
So what prevents us from joining Russia in the fight against this common threat? First of all,we fail to correctly prioritize the threats we face. Second, the American government and media totally refuse to view the struggle against radical Islam through Russian eyes, preferring instead to restart the Cold War, to the great satisfaction of the Military/Industrial (add "Media/Congressional") Complex. But isn't Russia a serious threat once again to our national security? I don't think so. (But that's the topic for another essay -- soon, I hope. In the meantime, see my "Letter to My Friends in Russia").
And so, absent a radical re-assessment of the threats before us (a re-assessment that is nowhere in prospect), we will continue to muddle along with talk of a "clash of civilizations" by intelligent individuals who should know better. Meanwhile, an effective strategic response to radical Islam is set aside.
As the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein wisely observed: "A man will be imprisoned in a room with a door that's unlocked and opens inwards; as long as it does not occur to him to pull rather than push."
* Here is "President Jed Bartlet's" brilliant takedown of Biblical literalism from "The West Wing."
** Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the downfall of Islamic science here: (Re: Hamid al Gazzali, go to time 3.25. For context, go to 1.20).
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