Reza Aslan Slams 'Bigoted' Media For Generalisation about Muslims

[mentalfloss]

Reza Aslan Slams 'Bigoted' Media For Generalisation That Muslims Are Misogynistic And Violent

American religious scholar Reza Aslan gave a bravura interview to CNN this week, lambasting the “bigotry” of the media for perpetuating the generalisation that “Islamic countries” are more susceptible to misogyny and violence.

The academic appeared on the broadcaster to react to comments made by comedian Bill Maher, who last Friday characterised female genital mutilation as an “Islamic problem”. Maher said: “If we’re giving no quarter to intolerance… shouldn’t we be starting with the mutilators and the honour killers?"

In response, Aslan said the comedian’s comments were “facile” and “not very sophisticated” before lambasting the media for suggesting all Muslim nations were identical. “To say Muslim countries, as though Pakistan and Turkey are the same… it’s frankly, and I use this word seriously, stupid!” he said.

“The problem is that you’re talking about a religion of one and a half billion people… and certainly it becomes very easy to just simply paint them all with a single brush by saying, ‘Well in Saudi Arabia women can’t drive,’ and saying that’s representative of Islam. That’s representative of Saudi Arabia.”

Reza Aslan Slams 'Bigoted' Media For Generalisation That Muslims Are Misogynistic And Violent

 

[Twila]

It's never a good thing to you pit yourself against a witty comedian.

 

[Locutus]

poor old cosmic reza.

 

[mentalfloss]

The guy is absolutely right and neither of you have anything to say about it.

 

[Twila]

The guy is absolutely right and neither of you have anything to say about it.

Opinions are like @ss holes. Everybodies got one.

 

[Tonington]

Maher was saying that liberal Western society is better. How is he wrong? The kid who took a picture in a position that looked like Jesus was sucking his schlong? He won't be put to trial in a religious court, or stoned to death by mobs. When Muslims move over here, because they can have the freedom that we have, that's not a bad thing.

If Reza wants to take everything one piece at a time, like Saudi driving laws, of course he's going to make the case that the brush strokes were broad. But if he steps back and looks at the whole picture? Turns out it's some street art on the side of a gigantic building that maybe he doesn't want to see.

The challenge then is simple. Name one country from the Middle East with a legal system derived from Islam, where they have more civil liberties than we have here in Canada for example.

To me, there is a big difference between broad generalities about societies, and broad sweeping statements about individuals. Maher was making the case for our society being better, and I agree. Those Muslims that move over here to have the same freedoms? They are making the case that our society is better, and it's folks like that who we should stand up for when someone tries to deny them avenues to citizenship.

84% of Egyptians polled by Pew in in 2010 agreed with a death penalty for apostasy, 86% of Jordanians agreed, and 76% of Pakistanis agreed. In Turkey, only 5% agree. How is Turkey different? For one, it's laws are integrated with the European Union, that is to say, a Western liberal society.

If anyone disagrees with Maher's statement that our society is better, I'd like to know why.

 

[Twila]

If anyone disagrees with Maher's statement that our society is better, I'd like to know why.

What if they disagree because they can? Unlike certain muslims in their home countries..well they could disagree and then have their heads removed....

 

[Tonington]

What if they disagree because they can?

Perfectly fine. We can have adult conversations about why they disagree.

 

[Twila]

Perfectly fine. We can have adult conversations about why they disagree.

highfalutin conversation? well how very western society of you.

 

[Colpy]

The guy is absolutely right and neither of you have anything to say about it.

The guy is an idiot, and anyone that believes his crap is following in his footsteps.

Essay question for you:

Refer to the following ranking of countries by their respect for human rights:

Countries

Please notice that the top 20 countries include exactly ONE majority Muslim nation (surprisingly, the UAE, at number 14)

And that an aberration, as the NEXT Muslim nation does not appear until number 69, Morocco.

Please note that 12 of the 20 WORST nations are majority Muslim.

And the vast majority of the worst 50 nations on earth are majority Muslim.

Please explain.

 

[Goober]

The guy is absolutely right and neither of you have anything to say about it.

I go with Tonnington on this one.
Shocking eh. 3 now.

 

[mentalfloss]

I agree with his comment about generalizing all Muslims based on the extremists.

On that point he is irrefutably correct and you guys know it.

I know this may be weird for people like Colpy who live in a trailer packed with shotguns, but peaceful muslims exist.

They don't go home scheming about the next kill lol

 

[Goober]

I agree with his comment about generalizing all Muslims based on the extremists.

On that point he is irrefutably correct and you guys know it.

Generalizing, yep, that is exactly what he is doing.

 

[CDNBear]

The guy is absolutely right and neither of you have anything to say about it.

No he's not, lol.

If anyone disagrees with Maher's statement that our society is better, I'd like to know why.

Flossy's not big on answering questions, honestly or otherwise.

I agree with his comment about generalizing all Muslims based on the extremists.

On that point he is irrefutably correct and you guys know it.

Here's what he said...

American religious scholar Reza Aslan gave a bravura interview to CNN this week, lambasting the “bigotry” of the media for perpetuating the generalisation that “Islamic countries” are more susceptible to misogyny and violence.

You know why Flossy? Because they are.

I can post a thread where Cannuck kept throwing Islamic country after country at me, and I kept showing him their Islamic laws that were draconian at best.

It ended with him posting some video, trying to imply I'm a bigot. It's what you guys do when you get spanked. Well that or get all ageist and stuff.

 

[SLM]

Perfectly fine. We can have adult conversations about why they disagree.

Because it's all or nothing. There is no avenue available where one can discuss the factual information, pros and cons, of any group or nation because it's all taken as one brush stroke. There is far, far more grey area, or if you prefer gray area, in this world than there is black and white. To follow the later so whole heartedly is incredibly limiting.

 

[mentalfloss]

I would only agree with you if you can prove that all Islamic countries suffer from this.

Otherwise, it's not an inherent characteristic of being Islamic.

For example, how do we explain Turkey?

 

[CDNBear]

I would only agree with you if you can prove that all Islamic countries suffer from this.

Otherwise, it's not an inherent characteristic of being Islamic.

I already did. But you ave yourself a lovely blindfolded day.

 

[mentalfloss]

Turkey.

Isn't that a democratic, progressive Islamic state?

 

[Goober]

Turkey.

Isn't that a democratic, progressive Islamic state?

have you followed the news for the past 8 years in Turkey

 

[mentalfloss]

I am going on the assumption that not all Islamic states are problematic and not we every Muslim is a terrorist.

Are you seriously saying I'm wrong on both counts?