It was amusing, in an online debate about Mahatir Mohammad, who is an out and out anti Semite and discriminatory chap, somebody said I was an anti Muslim racist because I said a Muslim was an Anti Semite. Leaving aside the bizarre logical argument, I queried the notion that Muslims are a race. Then some other worthy piped up and said that Muslims can be a race. And threw in an anthropological angle to it. No references at all.
Well, here’s the currently understood meaning of race and racism. I am afraid none of the references quote anything to do with race or racism having anything to do with religion. I am not quoting academic references because they are usually not available publicly, but happy to get other references and be corrected.
So what happened to the debate? Somebody said that they dont care about Mahatir’s anti semitic and discriminatory comments because he developed Malaysia. When I pointed out that that is exactly what Modi is also trying to say in Gujarat and India, come to me for development – forget about the riots and murders, that sort of went up their noses. Heh. This is what happens when one doesn't draw the right conclusions.
After some spluttering about anti Muslim bigot and vague accusations here and there about annoying comments, it went to a grinding and silent halt. Nothing more annoying than arguing with a man who knows what he is arguing about, eh? :P
Very amusing interlude.
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