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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the United States, Congressman Chip Roy’s Texas campaign has introduced “arguably the most obnoxious piece of nativist legislation in living memory” with the MAMDANI Act, which would threaten the legal status of immigrants based on political association, elsewhere in the country, Piers Morgan described American politician, Valentina Gomez as a “vile” and “disgusting, Islamophobic bigot” after she railed against Muslims and said “I prefer one dog over a hundred million Muslims”, and lastly in India, millions in West Bengal are voting in a tight state election, but more than 9 million names have been deleted from the voter list in a rushed revision that disproportionately affects Muslims. Our recommended read of the day is by Aamna Mohdin for The Guardian on how several faith leaders organized an interfaith walk on St. George’s Day in London this year to bring Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities together in a show of unity and coexistence. This and more below:
United Kingdom
‘Our duty is to bring people together’: interfaith St George’s Day events seek to counter hatred | Recommended Read
Maurice Ostro, founder patron of the Faiths Forum for London, has been engaged in interfaith work for decades. For much of that time, he said, he was teased by good-natured people who insisted there was little need for it in the UK. “People used to laugh at me for doing this work,” he said, but now, amid record-breaking incidents of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, the jokes have stopped. The group gathered at St John’s Wood church in Regent’s Park on a sunny Thursday afternoon, where they were welcomed by the Rev Anders Bergquist, before walking to a nearby synagogue. The event ended at London Central mosque, tracing a route that reflected the city’s religious diversity. “You are all very welcome,” said Bergquist, pointing to two St George’s flags flying above the church. He reminded the group that St George is also the flag of the Church of England, which has pushed back at the surge in Christian nationalism in recent months. At the mosque, Imam Sheikh Khalefa Ezzat spoke about the “value of unity, peace, and courage”. “Our duty is to bring peace and bring people together … not to divide them,” he said. It was one of nearly a dozen events taking place across the country over the week. read the complete article
‘Toxic’ views of Reform UK candidates raise questions about party’s vetting
A Reform UK candidate who called for a “white Britain” and said Keir Starmer should be shot is among a number of contenders fuelling doubts about the party’s claim to have tightened up its vetting. The past comments of Linda McFarlane and other political hopefuls have been unearthed ahead of the 7 May elections, including one who complained about “constant kowtowing to the black community” and others who endorsed the far-right activist Tommy Robinson. On Friday morning, Labour released a party election broadcastthat exposed some of the “toxic” views of Reform figures, warning viewers in advance of offensive language. While Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, and senior colleagues have insisted the party’s vetting processes are as tough as any other, Reform was under pressure this week over views and positions linked to a fresh batch of candidates identified by the anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate. read the complete article
United States
Chip Roy’s MAMDANI Act Is a New Low in Nativism
Congressman Chip Roy’s campaign to succeed Ken Paxton as Texas attorney general must not be going very well. For whatever reason, Roy has just introduced arguably the most obnoxious piece of nativist legislation in living memory, which is saying a lot. He calls it the MAMDANI Act, as The Hill explains: The Measures Against Marxism’s Dangerous Adherents and Noxious Islamists Act proposes amending the Immigration and Nationality Act, which dictates federal immigration law, to allow for the deportation, denaturalization, denial of citizenship or entry to any migrant that is a member of a socialist party, communist party, the Chinese Communist Party or Islamic fundamentalist party. Denaturalization of U.S. citizens is even more radical than the MAGA goal of abolishing birthright citizenship, since it involves stripping new Americans of rights thought to be inalienably secured. This unserious legislation asserts that all sorts of political and religious beliefs should become grounds for losing or not obtaining citizenship. read the complete article
The Bigotry of Sam Harris Continues to Hit New Lows
Sam Harris, the rationalist and New Atheist, recently went on a rant against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani that offers one of the most vile, putrid displays of Islamophobic bigotry that I can recall ever seeing in my life. At its core is the belief that because Mamdani is a Muslim, he’s bad. You might think this is an exaggeration. But here’s what Harris said: Harris: He’s not the equivalent of Trump. He’s a very different sort of character than Trump, but also one who we should want nothing to do with politically. I think he’s a sinister figure. I think he’s a none-too-closeted Islamist, or at a minimum an apologist for Islamists. He’s a sinister figure? That’s the word you use to describe Zohran Mamdani? “Sinister”? And does Harris have any idea what the definition of an Islamist is? An Islamist is somebody who wants to run the country, or in Mamdani’s case New York City’s government, by implementing Islamic law. Harris is effectively accusing Mamdani of being the equivalent of ISIS, the Taliban, or at least the Muslim Brotherhood. There is zero indication that Mamdani wants political Islam to be the rule of law in New York City. Harris has no evidence. He pulled this out of his ass. Why, then, did he say it? Well, because when Harris looks at a Muslim, he thinks they’re all the same. read the complete article
He wants Muslims out of the U.S., and he’s Blakeman’s opener
As Nassau County Executive, Republican Bruce Blakeman has welcomed Muslim residents with open arms. He’s eaten at their Ramadan Iftar dinners, appointed the first Muslim chaplain to the county’s police force and talked about the value of Muslims as Nassau County county residents and Americans. But as he tries to win a statewide race for governor, Blakeman is now aligning himself with a leader of the anti-Muslim faction of the national GOP — and he’s not responding to questions about it. On Friday night, Blakeman will appear with Rep. Andy Ogles — the Tennessee Republican who has led the effort in Washington to “denaturalize” and “deport” Mayor Zohran Mamdani — at the Metropolitan Republican Club’s annual gala. “Muslims don’t belong in American society,” Ogles has said. He’s also called Mamdani “Little Muhammad” and claimed that “denaturalizations and deportations are the only way to save the Big Apple.” Blakeman’s team declined to comment on Ogles’ past statements or the gubernatorial candidate’s upcoming appearance with the House member. Blakeman will deliver the gala’s keynote speech, and Ogles will be honored with the club’s Ronald Reagan Award for the Advancement of Individual Liberty. read the complete article
International
‘Shame On You!’ Piers Morgan Snaps at ‘Vile’ and ‘Disgusting, Islamophobic Bigot’ Valentina Gomez
Piers Morgan snapped at one of his guests on Piers Morgan Uncensored on Wednesday, describing Valentina Gomez as a “vile” and “disgusting, Islamophobic bigot” after she railed against Muslims and said they like to “rape goats.” Speaking to Morgan after she was banned from entering the United Kingdom by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who she went on to call a “dirty Pakistani Muslim,” Gomez said, “Piers, let’s be honest, Muslims are a threat to national security. That’s why Christians in Nigeria are being slaughtered by Muslims.” “Do you know how many Muslims there are in the world?” questioned Morgan, to which Gomez replied, “No. I don’t need to know.” Morgan pressed, “Well have a guess. How many Muslims do you think there are in the world?” “Way too many, Piers. I prefer one dog over a hundred million Muslims,” Gomez responded. read the complete article
‘Political elites driving anti-Muslim hatred’, UN expert warns Islamophobia is being fuelled from the top in Europe
A leading academic has issued a stark warning at the UN that Islamophobia across Europe is being fuelled by a “lack of political will” and driven not by the public, but by those in power. The intervention came on March 24 in Geneva at the UN Human Rights Council, where Professor Enes Bayraklı and other international experts gathered to raise alarm over what they described as a growing and under-recognised wave of anti-Muslim racism. Speaking at a panel organised by COJEP International, Bayraklı warned that Islamophobia in Europe is not simply a social issue, but a political one, shaped and driven by elites. “What we are facing is anti-Muslim racism,” he said, arguing that many European leaders deliberately avoid using the term Islamophobia. Instead, politicians increasingly opt for softer phrases such as “anti-Muslim hate” — something he said fails to reflect the true scale and systemic nature of the problem. read the complete article
Canada
Crisis hotline aims to fight Islamophobia as province rolls out new funding to combat racism
A Vancouver-based anti-hate hotline says new provincial funding can open doors for more opportunities to raise awareness in the community amid the recent rise of Islamophobia. Hasan Alam, a labour and human rights lawyer who founded the Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline, says the new provincial funding will expand outreach to communities affected by Islamophobia. On April 23, the B.C. government announced grants totalling $300,000 to over 60 community organizations to fund projects, such as cultural festivals, anti-hate helplines, and educational workshops that address racism and promote multiculturalism. “These are exactly the sort of projects and initiatives, when it comes to combating hate, that the province should be putting money into,” Alam said while expressing his gratitude for the funding. read the complete article
India
Why Indian Muslim voters say they’ve been frozen out of this state election
Millions in West Bengal are voting in a tight state election, but more than 9 million names have been deleted from the voter list in a rushed revision that disproportionately affects Muslims in key districts. read the complete article