Why should I choose to reserve more anger about one form of racism on Facebook than any other? The answer is simple, I do not get more worked up about anti-Islamic posts than other forms. I do despair at how easily nearly every one of these posts go unchallenged by the majority of my 'friends' or even their friends. When these posts go ignored it is implicitly condoning the belief that Islam and the Islamic people being targeted are incompatible with civilised society. It further marginalises a large stratum of society already quite marginal in terms of relative power.
Ironically, many of these posts criticise Islamic people for not wanting to accommodate another religion or set of societal values whilst simultaneously neither wishing to accommodate their beliefs or values. Of course the people who make and share these posts often do not realise this inherent hypocrisy. When they are on occasions forced to acknowledge this, usually (although far too rarely) by someone challenging their choice to spread marginalising or racist propaganda, many go through a process of reconciliation in an attempt to bring their beliefs in line with the acceptable. Tellingly, this process usually involves warping the non-racist position more than the racist one in order to concede as little ground as possible, thus in (their minds at least) validating their beliefs.
Most of these techniques are easily recognisable. It might involve projecting their own privileged position onto Islam, thus switching the blame for the perceived incompatibility of coexistence within one society from the majority group onto the minority one. They might ridicule an aspect of Islamic belief to show its irrational nature therefore relegating it below their 'superior' culture, whilst ignoring how perfectly reasonable the request or concession would be if it was coming from a group not currently the subject of such unconditional hatred. More often than not they simply will not have to bother.
The only reason I mention the way these posts are made compatible with acceptable views is because within these techniques the truth of why they are so frustrating to see go unchallenged everyday surfaces. They are in all forms only used as a way to reaffirm the poster's racist beliefs. Even when hiding under the guise of something 'humorous' or 'banter', such as the inspiration for this post.
Whilst boredom scrolling through Facebook I came across this innocent looking photo of a London cabbie grabbing his door handle, which I must have passed on half a dozen occasions, before noticing two words that jumped out at me on screen, they were "Arab Muslim". Knowing Facebook posts are usually fall into one of four categories; reactionary, inflammatory, incorrect, or just plain boring, I knew I was onto something.
Accompanying the generic looking photo were these words:
London cab driver's answer to a request from a Muslim to turn of the radio. (You just got to love the Brits.) A devout Arab Muslim entered a black cab in London. He curtly asked the cabbie to turn off the radio because as decreed by his religious teaching, he must not listen to music because in the time of the prophet there was no music, especially Western music which is the music of the infidel.
The cab driver politely switched off the radio, stopped the cab and opened the door.
The Arab Muslim asked him, "What are you doing?"
The cabbie answered, "In the time of the prophet there were no taxis, so piss off and wait for a camel.."
Many people would wrongly argue that this is just a humorous anecdote, that it is a reasonable response to someone trying to force another person to adhere to their religious beliefs, and that those beliefs are clearly irrational and incompatible with a developed, modern, and (without even a subtle hint of irony) tolerant society.
But would this be interpreted the same way if it were a story about a Christian taking offence to a piece of music? I would argue no. Instead of laughing it off and agreeing with what it, the likely reaction from the very same would be to meet it with huge amounts of hostility. There is plenty of evidence of this if you look at stories in the many racist, right-wing mouthpieces about 'good ol' Christians' being subject to discrimination where Muslims would ALWAYS be accommodated. Such as in the wording of this article and the comments scribbled with crayons by the readers.
Additionally, the "Arab Muslim" in this (I suspect fake) story was not just anybody asking something unreasonable. He or she is a paying customer and most of the people who are sharing or posting this rubbish most likely adhere to the old adage that "the customer is always right". If that saying holds any truth and the "Arab Muslim" was paying for this service, why should he or she not be allowed to ask for something they find offensive to be switched off?
The only reason that is is differentiated so much from what someone who posts this would expect for themselves can be because the subjects are an "Arab Muslim" and a Londoner (who is white if you look at the picture). Its is all about location and race, Western European versus Middle Eastern, Christianity versus Islam, Normal versus Abnormal, Right versus Wrong and nothing else.
As with all of these posts, it marks Islam out as the antithesis to Western Culture. To ignore and leave it be, is to condone and to agree. Opposing racism online is becoming increasingly pertinent as more and more of our social interactions and knowledge dissemination are being conducted on social media platforms such as Facebook. So next time you see one of these posts ask yourself... who will challenge their racism if not you?
As with all of these posts, it marks Islam out as the antithesis to Western Culture. To ignore and leave it be, is to condone and to agree. Opposing racism online is becoming increasingly pertinent as more and more of our social interactions and knowledge dissemination are being conducted on social media platforms such as Facebook. So next time you see one of these posts ask yourself... who will challenge their racism if not you?
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