On Ben Carson and Islamophobia
Image Source: whitehouse.gov
Ben Carson’s recent comments regarding the ineligibility of Muslim-Americans to run for the Presidency are quite troubling. At the very least, such a proposition is unconstitutional and unlikely to pass muster, namely because of the explicit provisions enumerated in Article VI and the First Amendment of the Constitution. Yet given Carson’s history of outlandish statements, one could argue this latest round of remarks is not entirely out of character.
More disturbing, however, is the sense of Islamophobia present in his sentiments; indeed, even some on the left are guilty of this. And these politicians and pundits would not quite be alone in that regard: recent polls have shown that Muslims are perceived as being among the most distrusted demographic subgroups in the American public, second only to atheists. With that in mind, it would not be a stretch to imagine that Islamophobia has taken root in the public consciousness since 9/11.
It is all the more ironic, then, that such attitudes are largely inconsistent with actual facts. Time and time again, studies have shown that Muslim-Americans largely repudiate the same terrorist/extremist actions that they are accused of supporting. The Islamic community on a global scale is very diverse in terms of attitudes and beliefs, and support for terrorist organizations such as ISIL and Al Qaeda is far from common. Even further, of all the actual cases of terrorism committed in recent years in Europe and the United States, only a minuscule number were committed by Islamic extremists. As of 2015, the New York Times reported that the most dangerous terrorist threats currently facing our nation stem from radical right-wing extremist groups; the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI in particular have singled out the “sovereign-citizen” movement in that regard.
In short, those who stereotype Muslims unfairly and bring up accusations of terrorism may do well to remember former President George W. Bush’s statement that, “The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends; it is not our many Arab friends.” Indeed, the main enemies of the United States in that regard are bigotry, intolerance, and violent extremism.
