An Imaginary Racism

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The term 'Islamophobia' has been around since the nineteenth century, but Pascal Bruckner argues it has recently become a tool to silence criticism of Islam. This term allows its users to 'freeze' Islam, hindering necessary reform. Unlike Christianity and Judaism, which have evolved through external critique, Islam has largely avoided such scrutiny. Bruckner highlights the hypocrisy of Western defenders of Islam who, while promoting Enlightenment values, seek to silence critics of Islam while freely criticizing other religions. This dynamic is detrimental to Western democracies facing immigration and terrorism challenges. The resurgence of religion in these societies should not be confused with the endorsement of fanaticism; the right to religious freedom must coexist with freedom of expression, openness to critique, and a rejection of extremism. There are already numerous forms of racism, and inventing more is unnecessary. While all violence against Muslims must be condemned, labeling these acts as 'Islamophobic' rather than criminal ultimately harms Islam and undermines the position of Muslims.