,
6 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
And, FWIW, to people who've written books on the origins of Islam, and then found that the accusation of 'islamophobia', sprayed around like a tom cat marking its territory, is one that can result in multiple death threats.
The definition of Islamophobia the Govrnmnt is being asked to approve is one that threatens to criminalise "claims of Muslims spreading Islam by the sword or subjugating minority groups under their rule". But most Muslims, for most of history, wld have been fine with these claims
The definition of Islam we are being given is of a liberalised, westernised Islam - but Islamic civilisation is not to be defined solely by liberal, Western standards. Military conquest & the subjugation of minority groups have absolutely been features of Islamic imperialiasm.
We risk the ludicrous situation of being able to write without fear of prosecution about the Christian tradition of crusading or anti-semitism, but not the Islamic tradition of jihad or the jizya.
Attacks on Muslims are criminal, and should obviously be punished as such. Pointing out that there was a religious motivation behind, say, the Muslim sieges of Constantinople or the Caliphate's imposition of discriminatory taxes on Jews and Christians absolutely should not be.
Good on @wesstreeting - absolutely one of British politics' good guys - for replying. I'd be very interested to hear what reassurances he can give.
