In my most recent posts, I’ve discussed the terrorist attacks in Norway, offering quite a depressing analysis of their causes and implications, many of which are related to Islamophobia in America. Fear of Muslims existed in the American psyche before September 11, 2001, but the terrorist attacks ten years ago only amplified and cemented those …
The Oslo Opportunity, Part 4: ‘He’s not a Christian!’
As the terrorist attacks unfolded in Norway but before their origins were fully known, many assumed that the perpetrator was a Muslim. To everyone’s surprise, the terrorist wasn’t Muslim, but rather a blond, Christian, anti-Muslim extremist, Anders Behring Breivik. Immediately after the attacks, American anti-Muslim activists (like those I mentioned in Wednesday's post) frantically distanced …
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The Oslo Opportunity, Part 3: ‘Counter-jihad’ crusaders
The terror attacks in Norway occurred on foreign soil, but they have a disturbing connection to our own country and those who perpetuate fear of Islam here. To understand the link, we need to look no further than Anders Behring Breivik’s anti-Muslim 1,500 page manifesto, which cites a number of leaders active in the Islamophobia …
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The Oslo Opportunity, Part 2: Fears of an emerging “Eurabia”
I write often about Islamophobia in America, and while it is a massive and growing problem, it plagues Europe far more. Let’s uncover why. Unlike America, which was founded to embrace diversity, western European states each grew out of a common national identity. Those living within the borders of a country generally shared a similar …
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The Oslo Opportunity, Part 1: Talking about Terrorism
In the weeks since the terrorist attacks in Norway, I’ve read a lot of articles and op-eds attempting to flesh out their implications and identify the tensions that led to them. Though the attacks were truly horrific, they present us with a much-needed opportunity to discuss a topic that is too often ignored in the …
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