Talking About Islam Without Being Eiynah

Since the appalling attack in Christchurch, New Zealand by a White Supremacist Anti-Muslim terrorist, public focus has refreshingly fallen upon the ideology of the attacker. There has been next to nothing of the usual dismissal of stated motive, concerns over potential backlash, or calls to consider the political grievances of this terrorist. Much scrutiny has also fallen upon the kind of remarks made by critics of Islam, and speculation has begun to take place as to whether such criticism played a part in prompting this devastating massacre.

Reluctant to miss an opportunity to disparage “movement atheism”, this has rather predictably become the topic of a new Life After God podcast hosted by atheist ex-Pastor Ryan Bell (@RyanJBell), and guested by ex-Muslim illustrator and podcast host in her own right, Eiynah Mohammed-Smith (@NiceMangos).

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Terrorism in Christchurch

Another vicious act of large-scale cruelty has been carried out by an adherent to a despicable and poisonous ideology. 28 year old Australian white nationalist Brenton Tarrant livestreamed himself marching into Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, and shooting dead 41 of the Muslim worshipers inside, beginning with a gentleman whose poignant and tragic final words were an offer of friendship. “Welcome brother” Tarrant’s unsuspecting victim exclaimed, having barely finished the sentence before being callously gunned down by him.

 

Fake News and Twitter Lynch Mobs

Over the weekend a video filmed at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC went viral which appeared to show a rather smug looking teenage Trump-fan standing uncomfortably close to Native American activist Nathan Phillips in an apparent act of intimidation, whilst his large group of school friends danced around chanting and mocking Phillips’ display of tribal drumming.

This video first came to my attention courtesy of social justice activist Shaun King who posted it on Twitter accompanied by the following emotional commentary:

 

The Trial of Tommy Robinson

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – better known by his pseudonym Tommy Robinson – has been making headlines again. He is currently on bail due to his proclivity for repeatedly filming himself on court premises during active rape cases, and broadcasting the footage to his sizable Facebook audience. In his capacity as a guerrilla journalist for Rebel Media, Robinson turned up outside Canterbury crown court in May 2017 and attempted to film four defendants in a Muslim Grooming Gang trial. He was charged with contempt of court as a result and given a three month suspended sentence, along with an absolutely explicit warning that any repeat offence within an 18 month period would see his three month term of imprisonment activated immediately.

 

Doubling Down

On 3^rd of March 2018, Sam Harris appeared in front of a packed house at the Majestic Theatre, Dallas, Texas for a long-form public conversation with former neo-Nazi skinhead Christian Picciolini.

Picciolini was, up until 1996, a proud white supremacist of the sort that would cover his “superior” white skin with black swastika tattoos and attempt to demonstrate the “superiority” of his race by beating seven bells of shit out of innocent people on the basis that they didn’t look like him.

 

Out For the Count – The Protest For Dankula and Free Expression

The list of things that could persuade me to take a fine springtime Monday off of work, is about the size of the yellow pages and crammed full of trivialities. The list of things that could persuade me to willingly spend that same work-free and temperate Monday navigating Southern Rail’s incompetent shitshow to travel into the bustling, crowded heart of our country’s capital, is virtually non-existent. It’d need to be something I view as essential or otherwise impossibly tempting. Something like a protest against the governmental erosion of our most important fundamental principle, maybe. Or beer. Beer will do it too.

 

Islamic Terrorism is Motivated by Religion, Not Retribution

Imagine the following scenario: During the morning rush hour commute, a young man enters a busy New York subway station armed with an improvised explosive device. The device is detonated, and owing to a technical malfunction, a lack of competence, sheer blind luck, or a combination of all three, only a handful of people are injured. This is viewed essentially as a “failed” attack by some, and by others; a relatively minor contribution to a series of far more prolific terrorist atrocities which have killed tens of thousands around the globe in the last sixteen years.