A survey carried out recently by Global Market Insite, Muslim Voice UK, Queens University in Belfast and the University of Liverpool, found that UK Muslims blame media bias towards them and the negative portrayal of Islam for the widespread misconception about the noble religion and the rising Islamophobia, according to UK’s The Guardian.
According to the survey, 40% of Muslims blame the media for widespread anti-Islamic feelings, while 74% of non-Muslims blame Islamophobia on September 11 attacks.
"The Muslim-West relations have become increasingly strained due to a string of events such as the September 11 attacks in 2001, the Afghanistan war in 2002, the Iraq war, the London bombings in 2005 and the Danish cartoon row,” said the report by Shaista Gohir, from online forum Muslim Voice UK.
"In this current climate, it is essential to gauge Muslim and non-Muslim attitudes with a view to resolving differences."
"It was striking that Muslims feel more strongly about international issues than say, their treatment by police or discrimination in the UK,” she said in her report.
"It also appears that Islamophobia, Western foreign policy and human rights abuses of Muslims are contributing substantially to the alienation of UK Muslims.
"On the other hand, non-Muslims are concerned about extremism, the lack of integration, Muslims not being proud to be British and the lack of tolerance by Muslims. However, the biggest threat to good Muslim and non-Muslim community relations is the misinformation on Islam in the media."
Islamophobia whether in the UK or elsewhere is not something that has suddenly appeared over the horizon because of the weather.
Anti-Muslim bias emerged from the policies of many Western governments, including the U.S. and Britain, who seek protecting their hegemony in the Middle East, through tarnishing the Muslims’ image to justify political and military interference in Arab and ME nations.
The rise in Islamophobia following September 11 attacks affected Muslims’ efforts to integrate in Western societies, and took them two steps backward.
However, Muslims started in recent years to play an active role in western nations’ societies, and in many countries they proved to have successfully integrated into the West, breaking the barrier that has long prevented real participation in those countries’ social life and political system.
Obviously there will be a certain feeling of Islamophobia by many people because of the state of Western/Islamic relations. Terrorism is obviously the main reason, and while the media does cover terrorism quite a bit, and I'm sure that raises the amount of Islamophobia, it would be disengenious to assume the media are the only ones to blame. Terrorism from Islamic extremists exists, and of course this leads to a certain reaction from Europeans and Americans towards Muslims in their communities. Doesn't justify it, but its just a reality.
Lol, I wanted to give you rep for that one, but the rep thingy won't let me.
I blame the media about this. Recently I feel like the media bias is going down (terrorists are now called extremists rather than Islamists or fundimentalists), but the damage of the previous 'attacks' by the media has been done.
Islamophobia in schools is also awful. We had to watch a really offensive film in our French lesson (Team America), and I only found one pupil who didn't find the anti-Islamic and anti-Arab insults funny.
It’s the media’s fault. Of course. Blame the messenger. Don’t blame the terrorists. They are just a bunch of nice guys. Besides if we blame the media we don’t have to take any responsibility. Of course denial is a good thing.
Lol, I wanted to give you rep for that one, but the rep thingy won't let me.
I blame the media about this. Recently I feel like the media bias is going down (terrorists are now called extremists rather than Islamists or fundimentalists), but the damage of the previous 'attacks' by the media has been done.
Islamophobia in schools is also awful. We had to watch a really offensive film in our French lesson (Team America), and I only found one pupil who didn't find the anti-Islamic and anti-Arab insults funny.
Team America is hilarious, lol. You can't seriously call it islamophobic, it's comedy for Gods sake.
I'm suprised you would watch it at school though! It is pretty offensive in general. And in French class, of all things! Although the opening scene in Paris was priceless, though a bit Americanophobic .
Team America is hilarious, lol. You can't seriously call it islamophobic, it's comedy for Gods sake.
I'm suprised you would watch it at school though! It is pretty offensive in general. And in French class, of all things! Although the opening scene in Paris was priceless, though a bit Americanophobic .
I certainly didn't find it funny, I thought it was really racist and Islamophobic. And if 'derka derka Muhammad jihad' is not taking the mick out of Muslims and/or Arabs, then what is it?
I felt horrible after watching that for three hours afterwards.
The only thing that I found funny was 'Gary Dammon', or whatever that actor said.
I certainly didn't find it funny, I thought it was really racist and Islamophobic. And if 'derka derka Muhammad jihad' is not taking the mick out of Muslims and/or Arabs, then what is it?
I felt horrible after watching that for three hours afterwards.
The only thing that I found funny was 'Gary Dammon', or whatever that actor said.
It was Islamophobic for the most part, but there was a funny Kim-Jong Il scene I'll never forget
Lol, I wanted to give you rep for that one, but the rep thingy won't let me.
I blame the media about this. Recently I feel like the media bias is going down (terrorists are now called extremists rather than Islamists or fundimentalists), but the damage of the previous 'attacks' by the media has been done.
Islamophobia in schools is also awful. We had to watch a really offensive film in our French lesson (Team America), and I only found one pupil who didn't find the anti-Islamic and anti-Arab insults funny.
They crack on everyone in that movie, The French, The UN, the NK, Americans, celebrities, Arabs, actors, they were an equal oppurtunity offender. Actaully I liked it. I would have figured the puppet sex scene alone would have gotten it banned at school
What country you go to school in becuase I gotta call bs on this one. Be truthful.
United Kingdom.
We only watched part of the film, and on the next day when we came back in, the teacher decided that she found it offensive too (because of the sex and constant swearing), and made us watch Garfield instead.
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