There were people in the replies that called it out for being bullshit, and there were others who called those people fascists.
SA can argue that far right groups are being anti Islam for racist reasons, but what they can't do is lump everyone in on the same level and hope it sticks. A lot of ordinary Australians don't like Islam, and it's stupid to do worse than ignore them but call them racist.
The fact that you put it down as HURR DURR shit shows you might be a bit out of touch. Islam isn't a race and disliking a religion shouldn't make you a racist in the eyes of a socialist group.
Ryan Harris
I can see where you're both coming from.
On one hand, it's obvious that "Muslim" is usually used in Australia as a synonym for "Arab". It's rather unlikely that right-wing Australians are too concerned about Malaysian or Indonesian Muslims.
On the other hand, just because the word "Muslim" is often used as a dog whistle for "Arab", it doesn't automatically make it racist to talk shit about Islam or Mohammad (Muslamic Gommunism be Upon Us).
Samuel Torres
Disliking a religion is not the same thing as disliking the people that follow it. Islam is, of course, not a race, but whether or not anyone wants to admit it, there IS a strong racial aspect to fear of Muslims. It's basically code word for "Arab" to a certain degree.
Andrew Stewart
Well I find that really simplistic, and it's a silly way to talk about an issue by conflating people who are either unhappy with immigration, or Islam, with racists straight off the bat.
Except when SA says it, and labels anti Islamists as racists. If it's about race, don't even mention Islam. If it's an anti Islam rally, perhaps try to put forward an point of view that means people can be anti Islam and YES, still be socialist, but not based on race.
Jackson Russell
There is also a difference between not tolerating religion and tolerating theocracy.
Asher Rivera
one is racist and one isn't? One is allowable and one is fascist?
Or perhaps they may be different emotive words, but both ideas should be open to criticism without being labeled as anything other than a socialist.
