last week i wrote a short paper on “islomophobia: the new racism” in which i tried to break down islamophobia in order to highlight overlaps with racism and antisemitism. i presented it this past sunday at a church where it was well-received and triggered a lively discussion. the only dissenter was an older man: tall, immaculately dressed, he started with his bio (including an ivy league education) and then proceeded to describe “this so-called” islamophobia (if, in fact, it existed) as part of a routine pattern of demonization in american history. nothing to worry about. we are sure to move on to something else pretty soon. he also defended the media, which i had gone after quite aggressively, by saying that the NYT, the washington post and the wall street journal were “equal atrocity reporters” (whether the atrocity happened here or in the middle east). finally, he described how all the doctors and engineers he knew seemed to be muslims and therefore the muslim community had hardly anything to complain about. hmm. there is a certain mindset which i find immoveable, ponderous, arrogant and self-satisfied. the kind of mindset which can convince itself that we live in a post-racial world. it’s v establishment, privileged, out of touch. and perhaps an ivy league education is the problem.