Prophet Muhammad is recognized as the world’s first “anti-racist.” He knew racism was a disease of the heart and mind. He made it clear that no person is superior to another by virtue of race. He was the first person in history to assert that: “An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab… a white…… Continue reading Video: Prophet Muhammad – The World’s First Anti-Racist
Dr. Craig Considine explores the reasons why the Irish support the Palestinian cause of freedom. Considine focuses on several historical similarities between the history of Ireland and Palestine including themes like settler colonialism, ethnic cleansing, dehumanization, and racial and religious institutionalized bigotry. The talk was given at the River Oaks Islamic Center in Houston, TX…… Continue reading Lecture: Why Do the Irish Support Palestine?
“Irish America,” if I may use that term, has a problem with racism. As Niall O’Dowd of Irish Central (as discussed here) recently pointed out: “The belief among many [Irish Americans]… is that America today is fading fast because of overly intrusive government, too many handouts, minority mollycoddling, and a fear of saying the wrong thing.”…… Continue reading The Irish Were Once the Muslims, Mexicans, Haitians and Africans: That’s Why I’m Anti-Racist
The USA Today reports a Delaware man threatened his neighbors who he believed to be Muslims. The man – Gerard Medvec (63 years old) – alluded to firebombing their house – or “taking the fight to them” – and said he “seriously thought about throwing some Molotov cocktails” at his neighbors’ house, according to court…… Continue reading The Latest Wave of Islamophobia: Hate Crimes Against Non-Muslims
Published by Amy McCaig at Rice University News and Media Islamophobia represents a form of racism mixed with cultural intolerance as a whole, rather than simply intolerance of Muslims and Islam, according to a new paper from a Rice University sociologist. “The Racialization of Islam in the United States: Islamophobia, Hate Crimes and ‘Flying While…… Continue reading Islamophobia Represents a Form of Racism Mixed with Cultural Intolerance
Jagmeet (Jimmy) Singh Dhaliwal (pictured) is a Canadian politician who represents the riding of Bramalea-Gore-Matlon in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. From 2015-2017 Jagmeet served as deputy leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party. He is also the first turban-wearing Sikh to sit as a provincial legislator in Ontaria. Jagmeet made headlines in a Huff Post…… Continue reading Sharia, Sikhs and the Racialization of Islam
My new peer-reviewed journal article is now published by Religions. Here is the abstract: This paper explores the intersectionality of race and Islamophobia by using a set of empirical data relating to the experiences of American Muslims and non-Muslims in the United States. Through a multi-tiered methodology, the paper reveals how racialization processes interact with…… Continue reading The Racialization of Islam in the United States
Let me explain to you why it is hypocritical to say that Islamophobia is a simple result of “rational disagreement” with the tenets of Islam and not the distrust of people who look different from “normal” Americans. Consider this CNN story which documents another hate crime perpetrated by Islamophobic individuals. Again and again, we are witnessing how…… Continue reading Attacks on Sikhs Prove Islamophobia is More Than “Rational Disagreement” With Islam
Islamophobia is real. An event like “2 Indian-Americans Shot, Mistaken for Arabs” reminds us that Islamophobic sentiments are currently produced through a racialization that includes a combination of “old racism” (skin color and ancestry) and “new racism” (culture and religious background). The shooter in this event linked imagined features of “Muslim-ness” to people who are not…… Continue reading The Racialization of Islam and Attacks On Non-Muslims
This is why we say “Islamophobia is racism.” A Muslim woman walking on the streets of NYC was literally lit on fire by a “stranger.” She was targeted based on her “traditional clothing,” or her physical appearance. Her body was used as a “text” of sort to categorize, label, and demonize. Her article of clothing…… Continue reading Muslim Woman in NYC Lit on Fire – This is Why We Say “Islamophobia is Racism”
For the last several months on Twitter, I have responded to Islamophobic comments by coming up with different definitions of an “Islamophobe.” Here is a compilation of my definitions. Leave your own definitions in the comment section. Perhaps in the future I can put together another post with all of your contributions. ****** Islamophobe (noun)…… Continue reading Definitions of “Islamophobe”
A new News.com.au piece by Emma Reynolds cites my article “Muslims Aren’t A Race, So I Can’t Be Racist, Right? Wrong”. Reynolds wrote the following: Sociologist Craig Considine points out in the Huffington Post that White and Black, Asian and Indigenous Americans are not races either. He says race is not a biological reality but…… Continue reading Cited in “Pauline Hanson’s Claims on Islam, Broken Down”
The following lecture, which I broadcasted first on Periscope, is based on my recent article, “Muslims Aren’t A Race, So I Can’t Be Racist. Right? Wrong”. I argue that although Islam is not a race, Islamophobia should be treated as a form of racism.
My grandfather, Joseph Tedesco, passed away when I was 15 years old. I remember his burial – the first in my life – like it was yesterday. Family and friends of all backgrounds gathered in a beautiful cemetery in Newton, Massachusetts. As you can imagine, it was a difficult moment for everyone in attendance. Tears flowed. The…… Continue reading Even in Death, People Are Afraid of Muslims
A new Salon article by Qasim Rashid cites a few passages from my recent piece titled “Muslims Aren’t A Race, So I Can’t Be Racist. Right? Wrong.” Rashid wrote the following: Some are quick to argue, “Muslims aren’t a race, so I can’t be racist.” Rice University sociologist Dr. Craig Considine repudiates this simplistic understanding of racism, writing,…… Continue reading Cited in “We’re Not Taking Islamophobia Seriously”
Support for Donald Trump is surging across the United States. This is particularly troubling because in recent weeks, he has called for banning Muslim immigration, shutting down mosques, spying on Muslims, making Muslims carry ID badges, and a few other blatantly Islamophobic things. It’s like Hitler, American-style. Clearly, Trump and his supporters (maybe not all of…… Continue reading What Trump and His Supporters Can Learn From Muslim Leaders
“Nonsense.” That is what people say when I accuse them of being racist. Their argument goes something like this: “Muslims are not even a race, so how the hell could I even be racist? You’re an idiot.” Because Muslims are not a race, people believe that any type of violence or oppression directed towards them…… Continue reading Muslims Aren’t A Race, So I Can’t Be Racist. Right? Wrong.
“35 people dead in Paris. They don’t know what it is yet. Not sure if there were bombs.” That was the text message I received on Friday during my walk home from Rice University. Here we go again, I thought… My first reaction: the media will instantly assume Muslims carried out the attack, regardless of…… Continue reading The Paris Attack and My Racist Facebook “Friends”
A few weeks ago, I posted about the Genocide Initiative, a new interfaith movement calling on world leaders to classify ISIS’s actions in the Middle East as “genocide.” The Genocide Initiative has launched a petition on change.org that calls on political powers to unite and proclaim the…… Continue reading The Deafening Silence on the Genocide of Christians in the Middle East
Published on Huffington Post (February 23rd, 2015) Relations between different ethnic and religious groups in the Middle East, US, and EU are deteriorating at a rapid pace. Across these three areas, Muslims are pitted against non-Muslims and black and brown people are pitted against white. What is needed now more than ever is a role…… Continue reading Prophet Muhammad’s Example of Anti-Racism
They cause anger, social panic, and fear. We have been told that their culture is overwhelming and that they are breeders of terrorists and other types of criminals. People claim that they must be crushed before “we” lose “our” way of life. I am talking about two groups – Jews of 20th century Europe and…… Continue reading Yes, Muslims are the New Jews of Europe
19th century Irish immigrants fled from desperate poverty and arrived to the US in destitute conditions … In the United States, the Irish experienced not only religious and political bigotry, but they were also discriminated against through racial overtones. The use of racism against the Irish was at times more prevalent than the racist discrimination…… Continue reading How Irish Slaves Were Worse Off Than African Slaves During 19th Century, USA
Jonathan Freedland’s article in the Guardian on English identity discusses the differences between the “ethno-nation” which is defined by “blood and soil” and the “civic nation” which is defined by egalitarian values and democratic institutions. These two types of competing national identities are also discussed in my PhD dissertation which focuses on the experiences of young first- and second-generation Pakistani…… Continue reading Ethnic Vs. Civic Nations: A Comparison Between England, Ireland, and the United States
Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora. Published by Routledge – Taylor & Francis Group in July 2017 This book explores the Pakistani diaspora in a transatlantic context, enquiring into the ways in which young first- and second-generation Pakistani Muslim and non-Muslim men resist hegemonic identity narratives and respond to their marginalised conditions. Drawing on…… Continue reading Multiculturalism in Ireland – Fighting Racism Against Pakistanis in Dublin
A letter recently mailed to mosques throughout Ireland has raised alarm for its racist tone and incitement of violence against Irish Muslims. The letter suggested that Irish people were willing to kill Muslims in order to prevent the “Islamization” of Ireland. The letter also suggested that Irish Muslims have not – and are not interested in -…… Continue reading Debunking the myth that Irish Muslims do not integrate
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Racial harassment, discrimination, and violence against Pakistanis in Dublin has spiraled out of control. Last week, Al-Minnah Foods, a halal food store in Cookstown Industrial Estate, was ransacked at night. Images of the ransacking, which were posted on Facebook, show graffiti, including the words ‘Pakis out’ and ‘Niggrs out’, on white walls in the store.…… Continue reading Racist Attacks Against Pakistanis in Dublin Must Stop
Far-right Eurosceptic politicians Marie Le Pen (French National Front (FNF) and Geert Wilders (Party for Freedom (PVV) – Holland) met yesterday in The Hague to launch what they have described as a “historic alliance” in Europe. Le Pen and Wilders’s alliance encourages ethno-nationalism, anti-immigration policies, anti-Islam fervor, and rejection of European integration. The FNF and…… Continue reading Far-Right “Historic Alliance” to Liberate a Europe “Too Tolerant” of Islam
Source: TheJournal.ie According to investigators, intruders made their way into the Tallaght property between closing time on 2 November and opening on 3 November. An unknown quantity of items were taken, the place was ransacked and property damaged, a garda spokesperson told TheJournal.ie. Director of the Al-Minnah Foods outlet, Mohammed Djellal, says food, fridges and fittings…… Continue reading “P*kis out”/”N***rs out” Scrawled on Walls of Halal Store in Dublin
Source: Electronic Intifada By Ali Abunimah Despite the government having fairly clear definitions of what constitutes an act of “terrorism,” the terms “terrorist” or “terrorism” are used not to describe actions but to label people. It is clear these are racialized terms, applied in a discriminatory way to people perceived as Muslim, Arab or nonwhite.…… Continue reading “Terrorist” as a Racist Term
This morning I woke up to an e-mail from my father which noted how an Indian American had just won Miss America 2013. In addition, on my Facebook feed I clicked on a story that read “Miss American crowns 1st winner of Indian descent; racist tweets follow.” Clearly many Americans were disturbed and even angry…… Continue reading Americans Should Reflect More Tolerance in Light of Miss America Crown
”Modern life is hurried and multifarious…there is neither time nor opportunity for intimate acquaintance. Instead we notice a trait which marks a well known type, and fill in the rest of the picture by means of the stereotypes we carry about in our heads…the subtlest and most pervasive of all influences are those which create…… Continue reading Stereotypes
Racism and ignorance feed off each other like no other. Here’s a classic case. During the 2013 M.L.B. All Star game, many Americans took to Twitter to share their raw emotions (see more of those feelings here) over a “Spic” and “Mexican” singing God Bless America. The singer, Marc Anthony, was born in NYC, which makes…… Continue reading When a “Spic” sings God Bless America
According to my go-to Irish American news website Irish Central: “Congressman Peter King, the most prominent Irish American for decades in the House of Representatives, is considering a run for the White House, Newsmax magazine confirms.” (See the article here) If he indeed runs for president in 2016, King will continue with the recent tradition of the Republican Party…… Continue reading Congressman Peter King and the Run of Anti-Muslim Republican Presidential Candidates
I think you would be surprised at how much anti-American backlash I have to entertain when I’m not in the U.S., my country of birth. Just the other night, I had an earful from two young and intelligent Irish women who bashed America for everything under the sun. Nothing I could say or do would…… Continue reading Zimmerman not guilty: Another reason for the world to hate Americans
Follow Craig Considine on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ToBeCraig Tommy Robinson, leader of the anti-Muslim group English Defence League, used some racy language in his response to the recent killing of a British soldier by a young British Muslim man in Woolwich, London. Referring to the actions and religion of the murderer, Robinson stated that “This is Islam… They’ve…… Continue reading An Islamic History Lesson for the Leader of the English Defence League
Basically the U.S. was a country built on “illegal immigration,” so who has the right or power to stop “illegal immigration” now!? Did the indigenous Americans (“Native Americans”) ask the European settlers for their green cards? Did they ask for any identification? How about their visas?
Many Americans around the United States are making a fuss about Al Jazeera’s purchase of Current TV, which will allow the Arab based channel to air its content in the United States. Some Americans have called Al Jazeera a threat to national security, while others have even suggested that Al Jazeera spreads anti-Semitic propaganda. The Fox News commentator,…… Continue reading The similarities between Al Jazeera and Fox News
Thinker and author Chris Hedges, who sued the Obama administration in federal court over the National Defense Authorization Act, recently debated Dinesh D’Souza over the inflammatory documentary 2016: Obama’s America (which D’Souza created). Hedges states: ‘Well, Dinesh is a better propagandist than he is psychoanalyst. It (2016: Obama’s America) is vile in terms of its underlying…… Continue reading Film-work: Chris Hedges on the monstering of Obama in 2016: Obama’s America
About five minutes ago, I had a link ready for posting on my Facebook profile. The link had to do with Eilat, Israel’s (mis)treatment of the children of African migrants. In a nut shell, the rulers of Eilat want these children to be placed in separate schools and away from the ‘real’ and more ‘authentic’…… Continue reading Politics: Politics of ‘Anti-Semitic’
Ibn Percy just blogged about Muslim Graves Defaced With Words of Hate. Whoever was behind this crime should visit Arlington National Cemetery so they can see that Muslim Americans have died in some of the US’s wars. Would these criminals deface those tombstones or are they off-limits? I have blogged about my visit to Arlington…… Continue reading Attacks on Muslim gravestones
This is what sociologists call microaggression: ‘Why isn’t there a White Entertainment Television?’ ‘Jews were slaves too, but you don’t hear us complaining about it all the time…’ ‘You can say the N word but I can’t? How is that okay?’ ‘He’s so cute for a black guy’. ‘The thing I like about them is like…… Continue reading Video: I’m not racist, but… (Shit White Girls Say… to Black Girls)
I hear you say, with a cancerous rage, ‘LET’S TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!’ But where are you taking it back to, who are you taking it back with, and who are you taking it back from? Why are some people joining you, while others are not? Why do some people yearn for the past, while…… Continue reading Poem: A racing country
NOTE: Not sharing Twitter handles to protect identities. British Pride yayy Imperialism, Destroying 3rd World Lands This would be accurate if the black boy was to be stopped & searched by the police. Then shot & killed by the police #olympicceremony Aww, they are getting nostalgic. The good ol’ coloniasist days This is what the opening…… Continue reading Reactions to the Opening Ceremony
Stuart Hall is a theorist who has contributed a great deal to our understanding of identity and racism. He is one of the ‘founding fathers’ of cultural studies and here discusses race as a floating signifier. I was not able to find all the videos but you should be able to search for them on…… Continue reading Sociology: The way to understand ‘race’ and ‘racism’
One can only face in others what one can face in oneself. On this confrontation depends the measure of our wisdom and compassion. This energy is all that one finds in the rubble of vanished civilizations, and the only hope for ours. – James Baldwin, ‘NOBODY KNOWS MY NAME’
Have you heard about the ‘European problem’? To your likely surprise, the problem has nothing to do with debt, sovereignty, Brussels, or the devaluing euro. As George Weigel posits in The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America and Politics Without God, the ‘European problem’ is atheistic humanism or, as he often calls it in more academic…… Continue reading Religion: Atheistic humanism in The Cube and the Cathedral
Note: Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher’s research here is quite similar to my own. I want to share with you her important findings. One of Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher’s explications examines a cultural production process called religification, in which religious affiliation, rather than race or ethnicity, has become the core category of identity for working class Pakistani-American youth in the United…… Continue reading Religification of Pakistani-American youth
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