Islamophobia: what it is and how to fight it

After 9/11, it has unfortunately become all too common in Western countries to subject Muslims to racial profiling and discrimination. While Islamophobia is an unusual form of racism, since it targets those who practice a certain religion rather than just a single ethnic group, it is racism nonetheless.

In the wake of the horrible terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo, Harper and other Western leaders have ramped up their anti- Muslim rhetoric. By painting Muslims as all being terrorists, the ruling elites have paved the way for a wave of anti-Arab racism, and provided a rationale for further restrictions of Canadian civil liberties and increased involvement in war in the Middle East.