Are you an Islamophobe?

[Ben Davis]

The one thing I know, or at least the only image that reaches me, is that I'll be torn to pieces in the west for being a Muslim, and end up losing everything, including my own life.

Not true of the UK. I know that things aren't perfect here but Brits do not fit this profile.

1. There's an apparent & equal upswing of both far-right and far-left politics as people have become disenfranchised with the major political parties but that has had no impact on legislation or practices. A recent poll for the BBC showed that the overwhelming majority of respondents think that UKIP are a bunch of anti-immigration nutters who only care for the interests of the rich and that the Greens have naive views of national & global economics with no solid plans for education, health or jobs. The major parties have brought certain issues to the top of their priority lists in response to the perceived upswing but that's lip-service to assuage the fears of voters. In fact, we have an election in May so we'll be able to see how many people actually vote for 'extreme' parties.

2. Have a look at the Office of National Statistics data. In the 'Crime & Justice' section, you can see that there's been no overall rise in crimes against muslims even though the press have been heavily publicising 'the rise of the political right'. You can also see that the likelihood of muslims suffering crime is the same as the general population. This is due to the UK's (justified) reputation for having a diverse & tolerant population and also of the type of Islam which is practiced here (more enlightened, less fundamental). Come to the UK! You'll be fine!

That said, there are a couple of European countries where the above points aren't true but those are places where the governments have legislated to marginalise muslims or to silence those with justified grievances against them. On the whole, you have nothing to fear from the people of Europe and that's because we're an overwhelmingly secular, tolerant set of populations.

Eventually led me to manifesting my view : we are all humans, it's our culture that makes us grasp the illusion of difference ; eventually we are all members in the same family.

^^^This. This is where we have common ground. And I don't have to share or practice your religion to think so.