People nowadays talk about how people discriminate againts ethnic minorites...that we treat them different. With all the problems we have nowadays with extremism with certain religions, do you believe that minorities nowadays are being just as racist and segretative as the non-minorities did several years ago?\n\nAn example being for example in Afghanistan a man facing the death penalty for converting to Christianity. \n\nPlease be sensitive when answering this question. I have been very careful in the wording of this question to be open-minded here and not to be discriminat: I trust you will be the same.\n\nThank you :)
122707
yes i agree with you. i feel that racism is like a swinging pendulum. it will never stop in the middle so we can all have peace.
395975
The government say that the muslims should integrate more with us, and then in the next breath say that they are going to have separate classes for muslims. This sends out the wrong message and should be stopped. This will be another lowering of standards as has happened to the police force. The next thing they will say they won't fight as they have to get on their prayer mats and pray, and the government will say it is their human rights and they won't have to fight, especially if it is against other muslims. This shower of shite that we call a government have got their snouts so deep in the trough, that they can't see what harm they are doing to this country and towards racial harmony.
268268
It needs to be pointed out at the beginning: prejudice against Muslims is not "racism."  Islam is a religion, not a race.\n\nThat said, yes, I believe it is understandable, in the sense that it is easy to understand why it happens.  The troublemakers and extremists in the Muslim world are trying very hard to convince the rest of the world that they speak for all Muslims.  To the extent that they accomplish that, they succeed in painting a picture of Muslims IN GENERAL as bloodthirsty, intolerant, xenophobic, irrational, repressive, and hair-trigger violent.  \n\nThis may not be the case for all Muslims, but it is the case for the extremists, and they are tarring all the others with the same brush.
111494
Thing is that are differences in all cultures and religions.  We are people with different ideas and different beliefs.  That shouldn't mean because I am different from some one else they have a right to hate the difference or me.  We are different, we should celebrate that not hate it.  The religious hatred has been going on as long as one can remember I am sure.  Why?  Does it make one better than the other? No.  Just makes you look like an ass when you scream hatred and have no valid reason for it.  \nAnd as far as on this forum goes.  Its sad, I am genuinely curious about other faiths.  Though I do not follow them I do enjoy learning about them and I am constantly bumping into people trying to convert some one.  This should be a place of education and nothing more.  If you are interested in converting people do it else where.. Thats my take on it.  and the VonJumbo character and Schneb, to me, fuel the fire for forced conversion and hatred on this forum.. But again this is only my opinion.
137469
Well, now days anything can happen if you say the wrong thing and offend somebody. But I agree. Where did the rights of freedom of speech go? And I always wondered why we have to allow blacks into our colleges, but they can dissallow whites into theirs. Isn't that racist? So it's okay for them to be but we can't? Other nationalities have different cultures, therefore we get into different negative situations. If we have to allow for their differences,they shouldn't take advantage of it. They should in the first place realize they came from their country to the United States. They need to follow our country rules, they are not here to start their own country in the middle of ours.
300001
I am Muslim, a convert from christianity. I understand fully, I have had the same problem. My mom is a christian and very pro-Israel. She knows that I am Muslim but she forbids me to wear a Hijab or openly practice my religion. She had threatened to kick me out of the house other times for how I vote in elections so, I don't debate my religion with her. I agree with what the others said here that it is those radicals that give us a bad name. But I also think it is because of just pure ignorance of the truth mostly this ignorance is spread by the media.  It even extends to just being Arab or supporting the Arabs. I am originally American but I think of myself as an Arabist. I was in 10th grade english and the teacher announced to the whole class that I was with the Arabs. I didn't expect that but maybe it was because the teacher was Jewish but the whole class looked at me and I thought that I was going to be beaten up by how some of the kids were looking at me. This was shortly after 9/11 too. But above it all, I found happiness, I am happily married to an Egyptian Muslim, and will be making the Hajj in November, Inshallah. Those cartoons were overly offensive and shows why there is still the whole rift between East and West. Regardless of what those people say or do, keep your head up high and never allow them to get to you. Their fate like everything else is in Allah's hands.
563981
I agree with you in principal, and I feel political correctness is a form of "New Age McCarthyism". Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung the other way for now, but it was so badly biased in the past, that this is a natural effect. Hopefully it will find a stasis, and color, race or religion won't matter in the next few generations.
618068
I'm considered as part of the "minority" group...but if and when minorities and people of color take over our government in a complete sense, it will be a living hell. These people have freedom and yet, they continue to live in the past. They have to shut up and let it go. Let's keep things the way they are. We are better off this way!
592278
You know, I was watching Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give his speach on freedom at school tonight and as I watched I noticed that the thousands of people there were not only black, they were white.  I know that on the internet there are a bunch of religious (mostly Christian) people who come on here to "spread" the word of "God."  But I think it has more to do with them than it does with others.\n\nThese people who try and convert you because they know (remember you can't see what a person believes, they have to tell you in some way) are just out to help themselves.  I don't think a being such as a god would need any help from mere humans, of any kind.  I think these people are so afraid of being wrong that they have to reasure themselves by forcing themselves (in the same way a rapist would) onto others.\n\nHowever, there are plenty of tolerant people out there.  I'd love to see a coming together just like what happened in the 60's with Atheists and Christians.  We can agree to disagree.
230728
I don't think racial discrimination is as extreme in the UK as it is in other countires, but it is still present. The recent victories of the BNP in local elections is very worrying. People must realise that minorities have just as much a right to be here as the "indigenous" population (as the BNP call them), as most people don't realise that our current population comes from millions of immigrants over history (the Celts, Anglo-saxons, Vikings, Jutes, Normans, the Dutch, Irish, Huguenots to name but a few).\n\nAlot of people who are racist don't even realise they are doing it.
436838
We're not racist to Islam. Also, Islam is not a race. It's a religion. \nWe just hate the extremists who want to see you and me dead because we are Christian.
348678
Unfortunately there are still people out there that are still racist, they are not used to different things. They do indeed bring back crafts and gifts and I do not understand that either, if they hate the people so much, why visit the country if you're not going to have a positive attitude and a good mood to go with it. I'm British myself, as some of you may say we are moaners because I have come across people on holidays where they are rude to the locals when all they are doing is running around backwards for them to make sure their holiday is as comfortable as possible and there is no pleasing them! I find this frustrating too, and thankfully you can tell everyone else that this Brit is not the same as the rest. I am so friendly to the local people and I appreciate their culture, language and respect their country. I love to travel and yes, some racists are two faced, when they are confronted with someone of power they will hide away and act like the cowards they are! This is pathetic of them and I myself am ashamed that in this day and age, there are still people who are prejudging or stereotyping people of a race or nationality. This just needs to stop because quite frankly it's getting boring!
180289
Muslims cop so muh flack as we are so called terrorists and apparently hate Jews - I don't know about being the new Jews,  but mulims are certainly gettting persecuted in many parts of the world - its ridiculous how much the fear of what you dont understand influences so many people!!\nThe fact that in many places now, muslims can be viewed so negatively, (and this is not even covered up) I feel that in some sense we are like a group in socielty that is being seriously mistaken and marginalised.
473618
Jim W, when was the last time "sounds like someone else I know", (which is what you meant by "sound familiar?")behead someone for their religion??? People need to wake up. The threat is real. They are integrating into society everywhere. Look at France!! Look at Britian, hell and even Cananda, where they also have been given pretty much free reign.
326452
To Wazzo2005: Muslim is not a race, it's a religion.  Before you lash out and call people names you should probably understand what you are talking about.\n\nI don't think that this is just a European-Muslim issue but rather a bigger issue around the world.  If any group migrates to a new country they need to show that country respect by assimilating and following their laws.  To do anything less is disrespectful and will breed resentment and eventually hate.  We see this here in America with the illegal Mexicans coming in and refusing to assimilate and follow the laws.\n\nI believe that a lot of this comes from jealousy.  It's not fair that one country is prosperous while another is in utter poverty but life isn't fair.  You reap what you sow.  Many Muslim countries (as well as Mexico) are so corrupt and inept and the people are forced to live in poverty.  With the big media they can see what they don't have and this breeds jealousy.  \n\nInstead of being thankful to their host country for sharing in their riches many falsely believe that their host country caused their pain and suffering back home and they want to take this away from them.  \n\nI believe that America will overcome this but I am skeptical of Europe.  Overall Europe is very liberal and willing to allow this to continue until blows up.  I hope for your sake that this doesn't happen.
111823
I think Native Americans feel the same about the sudden popularity of "shamans" and sweat lodges among those who don't know.  And I've also heard that some Muslims, at least, have issues with the Nation of Islam.  \n\nI think in all cases, it starts with someone on a spiritual quest trying to find something to bring them closer to God.  They do not intend to mock, but they do not study in depth.  They take a few ideas, some rituals, and cobble together something they feel comfortable with.  They do not intend to offend and I don't think they realize they do.  Then they pick up followers who have less of an idea....\n\nPlease don't feel that they are mocking you or your beliefs.  They aren't -- they just don't understand.  They mean well and they may indeed be extremely religious -- just not in the way you are used to!  It is possible to be extremely religious and sincere in your longing to draw closer to God without understanding the history or beliefs behind some of the rituals you have copied.\n\nIt is possible to be a Christian without following the rituals of the Catholic church.  There are many varieties of Christians, Muslims, etc.  From my reading, I think there are also many varieties of Hindus.  Can't you just see them as a small sect -- even if they don't understand your religion as you do?  I'm sure it would be easier for you to do that than it is for most Christians to deal with the Westboro Baptist Church (the bigots who picket funerals of gays) or for moderate Muslims to deal with having their religion smeared by the actions of a few terrorists.
163895
For me, living in the US as a muslim, I think it's pretty easy. In all my 15 years of living here, I honestly haven't met one person who discriminates, hates, or just doesn't like me because I am muslim. It's just the media and a couple of uninformed people that try to scare you about us muslims. Yes, there are some bad people out there that do bad things and call themselves muslims, but every religion has it's goods and bads. Take christianity for example, priests molesting children, Jews bombing Palestinians, Muslims flying planes into buildings, theres just good and bad in EVERY religion. Oh boy, I've gone off topic again, haven't I?