Labour leader Ed Miliband meets The Muslim News

Miliband interview causes a Twitter storm     

 
In the midst of Britain's general election campaign, The Muslim News reports:

"A future Labour government is committed to outlaw the scourge of Islamophobia by changing the law and making it an aggravated crime, according to the party's leader Ed Miliband."

This has caused hysteria on Twitter with claims that it would mean banning free speech, introducing blasphemy laws, giving free rein to sharia, etc, etc.

What Miliband actually said, as reported by The Muslim News, was that Islamophobia would be treated as an "aggravated" crime:

"We are going to make sure it is marked on people's records with the police to make sure they root out Islamophobia as a hate crime.

"We are going to change the law on this so we make it absolutely clear of our abhorrence of hate crime and Islamophobia. It will be the first time that the police will record Islamophobic attacks right across the country."

Miliband said something similar, with a bit more detail, earlier this month at the launch of the Labour party's manifesto. The Jewish News quotes him as saying:

"We need to confront the scourge of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia head on with strong action on hate crimes.

"For the first time ever we are going to make sure that when people commit hate crimes they are clearly marked on the criminal records of those who commit them. And, tough new sentencing guidelines which ensure aggravated criminal offences based on hate crime are properly dealt with by the courts."

So it looks as though Labour has two specific proposals: (a) to ensure that hate crimes are recorded as such on criminal records and (b) to introduce tougher sentences for hate crimes. 

The Labour manifesto itself says the threat from Islamist extremism is increasing and talks about ways of combating it. It adds:

"We will take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime, such as anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. We will challenge prejudice before it grows, whether in schools, universities or on social media. And we will strengthen the law on disability, homophobic, and transphobic hate crime." 

There's nothing in any of this to suggest a Labour government would change the law regarding what people can or cannot say about Islam. Also, while it's understandable that Miliband would talk to The Muslim News about Islamophobia in particular there's no reason to think he would treat Islamophobia any differently from other kinds of hate crime.

It would certainly be inequitable to have a law against Islamophobia rather than hate crime in general (and there are already laws to deal with the latter). There are, however, some Muslim groups with dubious motives who are pressing for just such a law – which is another good reason to resist the idea. In the words of one organisation that monitors anti-Muslim attacks ...

"There are groups who are travelling the length and breadth of our country promoting the notion that this country is one that is Islamophobic and that this is a major issue affecting Muslim communities. In fact, there are lots of issues that are affecting Muslim communities from employment rates through to housing and poor health indicators.

"These groups ... are playing politics on an issue which Muslim communities are sensitive to and trying to build support whilst caustically talking about our country in the bleakest of ways. Such groups play down our country, insinuate that most non-Muslims are Islamophobic and that the future of Muslims in the UK is bleak. These statements are simply not true and simply keep individuals in a mindset where they feel dis-empowered. This is the last thing that Muslim communities need."

On the other side are some who oppose action against Islamophobia on the grounds that it would interfere with free speech and prevent genuine criticism of Islam. It need not impede free speech, but that largely hinges on how "Islamophobia" is defined. The term itself has often been criticised as misleading and the late Professor Fred Halliday suggested "Anti-Muslimism" would be more accurate, since it usually refers to hostility directed against Muslims rather than Islam and its tenets. 

Despite the lack of a precise and generally-accepted definition, though, Islamophobic prejudice does exist and is usually not difficult to recognise. Typically, it involves sweeping and misleading generalisations about Islam and/or Muslims (along with others who are presumed to be Muslim) in order to portray them in a negative light. 

There is widespread agreement, though, that the term "Islamophobia" cannot sensibly be applied to genuine critiques of Islam as a religion. Tackling Islamophobia should not become a mandate for stifling free and fair comment, as the British-based Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism (FAIR) has made clear:

"It is not Islamophobic to disagree or disapprove of Muslim beliefs, practices or actions. Indeed, within the Muslim community, both in Britain and globally, it is recognised that disagreements, discussions and debates are an important part of contemporary Islam and Muslim societies, and absolute requisites to maintain the relevance of Islam. Legitimate disagreement and criticism by non-Muslims, is therefore, not only expected but appreciated. However, we would urge that this is done sensibly and sensitively." 

Note that FAIR talks about Muslim practices and actions as well as beliefs. Freedom to criticise the beliefs also has to include the effects of those beliefs in the hands of individual Muslims. As far as Islamophobia is concerned, though, the important thing is not to pre-judge people just because they are Muslim. A note posted via Twitter illustrates this point:

"If your Islam says that apostates, blasphemers, infidels, homosexuals and people who have sex outside marriage need to be killed, harmed, imprisoned or discriminated against, I am against your Islam.

"If your Islam says women or LGBTs should have fewer rights and freedoms than men and straight people, I am against your Islam.

"If your Islam says none of these things and is applied to your own life whilst you support the rights and feedom of everyone else (including other Muslims who disagree with you and ex-Muslims) to live differently, I am not against your Islam. I think you are mistaken about the whole supernatural thing but I defend your right to be."