Took part in a panel discussion on Islamophobia and BLM at SJFC today. I started with an intro to the Islamophobia industry, defined the term itself by breaking it down into its components, mentioned the existence of anti-Muslim prejudice prior to 9/11 (Orientalism), and finally examined the overlap between Islamophobia and racism.
Thomas Gibson provided a broader context by tying Islamophobia and racism to American military interventions abroad, from the Cold War to the War on Drugs to the Global War on Terror.
Nick Robertson explained how BLM is a non-hierarchical movement (reminiscent of Ella Baker’s work in the Civil Rights movement) and how it aims to center those who are marginalized in the black community. He talked about mass incarceration as a caste system, a way to contain poor blacks.
Finally, Arlette Miller Smith underlined how BLM is a movement, not a moment. She talked about police terrorism and how it had galvanized a Black Spring.
Some interesting questions afterwards. The usual issue of accounting for “black on black” violence. Nick made the excellent point that no stats were available for “white on white” violence, which would lead us to believe it’s an ideological distraction more than anything else. Tom discussed Franz Fanon’s work and his observations about violence within oppressed/colonized communities. He also mentioned how when the state is absent, people develop codes of honor in order to survive.
A man who had harangued me earlier when I had shown The Muslims I Know at the same venue, was back with more accusations. He focused mostly on the Pakistani Army and their genocidal violence in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) back in 1971. I am sadly aware of that shameful chapter in history but I don’t see what that has to do with Islam or the existence of Islamophobia in the West. I wasn’t invited to discuss the social, political, economic and military histories and peculiarities of the 57 separate countries that fall within the realm of the “Muslim World.” Tom suggested he watch “The Fog of War” and learn something about American militarism and its horrors.
Afterwards, several young women in the audience apologized to me for the man’s behavior. One of them even gave me a hug and told me she loved my films. Sisterhood!
