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Here is an excerpt from something written by a sociologist at Rice University titled, "Muslims Aren't a Race, So I Can't Be Racist, Right?. Wrong."
"Because Muslims are not a race, people believe that any type of
violence or oppression directed towards them cannot be racially
motivated; that this form of hatred — known as Islamophobia — cannot be
racism.
First, let me be clear. It is true that Muslims are not a race. The
word “Muslim” itself connects to followers of Islam, a world religion —
not a “race.” Muslims are a diverse religious grouping, and, in fact,
one of the most heterogeneous populations in the world. In theory, the
ummah - or global Muslim community - is made up of many “races.”
Moreover, not all Muslims are simply born “Muslim,” like people are born
White or Black. Muslim identity is something that one can acquire
through conversion. In this sense, Muslim identity is nurtured and not
natured.
Since I am focusing on the subject of identity and race, let me extend this discussion to other social groupings.
If Muslims are not a race, than which group is? Some people might
immediately point to Black people, and say, “that is definitely a race.
Look at their skin color.” But, to be exact, Black people are not a race
either. Neither, for that matter, are White people.
Okay, now you might wonder about Jewish people? Certainly they are a
race, right? Science proves they — like White and Blacks — are not a
race either.
And what about Asians? Are they a race?
Nope. Asians are not a race.
The Indigenous People of America, a race?
Nope, not a race.
You see, there is no such thing as race or races,
traditionally understood. Scientists long ago proved that race is not a
biological reality but a myth, a socially constructed concept. Yet,
despite the data, human beings have been programmed to associate
specific things to certain “racial groups”; things like intelligence,
work ethic, family values, and behavior. As such, we have been
brainwashed to think that some groups are inherently better than others,
and that the White race — to be frank — is better than all.
Race — as one of my favorite sociologists, the late (and great) Stuart Hall put it - is a “floating signifier,”
meaning that it is a fluid concept which has specific connotations
during certain moments in history. Races, in short, have never been
exclusively biologically determined but rather politically constructed
by powerful people, usually dominant groups in societies.
According to Hall, there is a new type of racism — “cultural racism,”
which is my focus here. Racism is no longer about race (skin color) but
culture. People are Othered and discriminated against not (simply)
because of the color of their skin (or other phenotypes) but because of
their beliefs and practices associated with some “imagined culture.”'"