The excuse that’s even worse
When Tommy Robinscum and Donald Trump fans whine: "BUT ISLAM'S NOT A RACE" intelligent people hear: "But I spent so long waiting for a way I could be racist and get away with it. Don't take this from me!"
— Will Black 🍓🍄🚀 (@WillBlackWriter) August 8, 2018
Here is the exchange on Sky:
"Some people are saying it's racism…last time I last time I looked Islam wasn't a race" – Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen defends Boris Johnson's article comparing Muslim women in burqas to bank robbers and letterboxes pic.twitter.com/hDUXy7I5cn
— Sky News Politics (@SkyNewsPolitics) August 7, 2018
Viewers are unimpressed
Viewers were far from impressed at Bridgen’s defence:
People that say "Islam isn't a race" aren't looking for a nuanced discussion about the nature of racism, they're just seeking cover for their bigotry.
— EL4C #WeAreCollective (@EL4JC) August 7, 2018
“You can’t be racist against Muslims cos Islam isn’t a race.” pic.twitter.com/yh2dVWCofz
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) August 8, 2018
When did you last look,@ABridgen? Because discriminating against Muslims is indirect discrimination on the grounds of race. https://t.co/p8aS8Ae1Zf
— Jo Maugham (@JolyonMaugham) August 7, 2018
It deteriorates further…
Bridgen also said
“What has he said that’s wrong?” the MP for North West Leicestershire also lamented.
But Johnson is a high-profile lawmaker, and Muslim women have said they “feel unsafe in the street”. Niqab-wearing molecular geneticist Sahar Al Faifi added:
We are already facing triple discrimination against our faith, our race and our colour
We must shut down the normalisation of anti-Muslim prejudice at every opportunity. Johnson’s comments give a green light to racists and those disposed to bigotry up and down the country.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from responsibility for what you say. Along with the ‘Islam is not a race’ idiocy, Bridgen somehow managed to outdo Johnson on Sky News. Quite the achievement.
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Featured image via Sky News/ Twitter and Think London/Wikimedia Commons