Rhetoric In The Perpetuation Of Islamophobia

Many have stated that western politicians and their actions, both direct and indirect, regarding Middle East political turmoil and religion-based conflicts are what truly cemented anti-Muslim prejudice into the western stream of consciousness. Islamophobia is a problem that has plagued western society for decades, present in various forms and demonstrated in a multitude of ways. To many, Islamophobia has become a seemingly indestructible social construct in the western world. The research presented in this paper will examine the roll played by political rhetoric in the perpetuation of Islamophobia in western society, focusing primarily on American politicians and the global repercussions of their often divisive positions regarding Islam. Political

A general sense of disdain towards political correctness is one of the ways political rhetoric is structured to gain support from the massive christian majority in western society. Jaideep Singh highlights a particularly relevant example of this behaviour in an article written for “Sikh Formations: Religion, Culture, Theory”. He discusses how former Republican Presidential candidate Gary Bauer responded to the decision by Portland government officials to simply call the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony the “Tree Lighing”. Bauer “raged that, ‘radical Islam’s secular enablers have been driving Christianity from the public square for

By capitalizing on the presence of Islamophobia, politicians have been able to renew and grow radical nationalism. The use of entrapment and unnecessary surveillance has created an environment where the Muslim-minority can be easily targeted and identified as a threat through damaging rhetoric. The rate of anti-Muslim crime over the past two decades has risen exponentially, leaving many to have to fend for themselves and fight injustice in a society where their mere presence is considered threatening. Rhetoric framing the privileged majority as somehow under attack has allowed politicians to enter wars and maintain damaging military presence while justifying the acts, stating that they are necessary for national security. It is clear that until political rhetoric completely shifts away from its pattern of marginalization and Muslim-focused hate, Islamophobia will remain a painful element of western society, leaving many to suffer the consequences of acts completely unrelated to