* When the sly grandson of Hassan al Banna, father of the Muslim brotherhood, gives unsolicited advice, you know its best to do the exact opposite. For frere’ Tariq the Islamization of Europe is a one way street. He would never make the same demands on behalf of infidels to an Islamic nation.
As Europeans adapt to a more diverse citizenry, they must avoid any kind of cultural, religious, or racial determinism
The growing Muslim presence in Europe has become a central issue for all European countries, east and west. The numerous debates that have been breaking out across the continent about “multiculturalism,” “secularity”, or even “identity” are almost always connected to this “Islamic” factor.
This link is not necessarily bigoted, because there is a fundamental relationship between “values” and “laws” on the one hand, and “culture” and “diversity” on the other. Indeed, more than a debate over “Islam” and the “Muslims”, Europe needs a serious dialogue with itself over this relationship, for it is facing a crisis.
* This crisis can be resolved:
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The right question to ask is this: can Europe remain consistent with its own values (democracy, equality, justice, respect, etc) and at the same time tolerate and accommodate new citizens from different backgrounds and religions? Or, to put it differently, are Europeans intellectually, linguistically, and culturally equipped to face the challenge of marrying equality with an ever more diverse European citizenry?
The starting point here is actually clear: governments should not confuse socioeconomic problems (unemployment, violence, marginalisation and so on) with questions about culture and religion. In other words, one should not “culturise”, “religionise”, or “Islamise” social problems.
 * For the West to maintain the excellent levels of human rights we enjoy, that questioning is crucial (and that of ALL elements of western society), so the plea is pointless. Why, with reference to culture and religion, are human rights not respected in any Muslim country to remotely near western standards? Â
The fact that a majority of Europeans who face unemployment or social marginalisation are black, Asian, North African, or Muslim does not mean that their religion, ethnicity, or culture explains their situation. Any kind of cultural, religious, or racial determinism is dangerous: unemployment and marginalisation reflect socioeconomic processes, and we need clear social and economic policies to resolve them. Resorting to vague cultural/religious/racial explanations is a recipe for inaction, if not for misguided action.
Cultural, racial, and religious dimensions may, of course, be subordinate factors that need to be considered, but they are not the main causes of unemployment and marginalisation. European governments, instead of following the suggestions of far-right rhetoric, should reconcile themselves to pursuing strong and creative policies to address the underlying problems of education (segregated or second-class schools, curriculums, etc), unequal employment opportunities, and urban decay.
* Our societies are based on the individual, on the rights of individuals and on their freedom of choice. What Ramadan is suggesting here is just more government interference. SOCIALISM…We can’t breed entrepreneurs. Europe is not, and won’t be the dumping ground for African have nots. Europe is not the place where failed Islamic nations  can dump their human waste, which is the result of excessive overbreeding.
Indeed, contrary to what has become conventional wisdom (sadly, normalising what far-right parties have been saying), young European Muslims do not have a problem with religious or cultural “integration”. Instead, they are frustrated by the absence (or the failure) of social policies to address their needs.
* So much for integration or assimilation. It is the responsibility of the infidel nation state to spoon-feed the Muslims…
This failure does not mean that a new kind of racism – “Islamophobia” – is on the march. But no one can deny that some individuals do face discrimination because of their “religion” (according to a recent Pew survey, 45% of Europeans have a negative image of Islam).
* If Muslims would stop engaging in jihad, stop hating infidels and Jews and behave like civilized human beings, that image of Islam might change. Fact is, however, the more people know what Islam is all about the less we want to be bothered with it. Islam be gone!
The key sign that discrimination has been injected into the current discourse is the obsession with the idea of “integration”, despite the fact that the vast majority of European Muslims abide by the law, know the language of the country in which they reside, and are loyal to their country (though sometimes critical, like their fellow citizens).
* The prisons in Europe are full with Muslims, the only law thy respect is the sharia and there is no sign of integration. The academic qualifications of Muslims lack behind everyone else.. Integration means you add value. Muslims don’t add value, they ruin what exists. If you add one drop of petrol, you spoil the water. More than 1 % Muslims are ruining the substance. No more, please!
Ceaseless reference to citizens “with an immigrant background”, or to the “host society,” only serves to nurture the idea that Muslims are not “truly” Europeans or “at home”. Such talk implies that European Muslims must constantly prove their loyalty. This perception of “Muslims” as being the “other” or the “foreigner” is the central factor that incites discrimination in the job or housing markets.
* Muslims prove at every step that they are not loyal to the infidel nation state, that they can’t be; and that their only loyalty lies with the ummah…
Beyond insecurity and fear, it is crucial to rely on facts and figures to show that, both at the local and the national levels, the situation is much better than the passionate and polarised debates fostered in the media and some political circles. Far from the ongoing controversies, European Muslims are doing very well today, and the future is promising.
* Muslims do very well on welfare, Tariq. That’s not what we call success…
If European countries want to remain faithful to their embrace of universal and equal human rights and avoid any temptation or slide towards racism and xenophobia, all Europeans must act. European Muslims should avoid nurturing a “victim mentality” and acknowledge their responsibilities within their respective societies. European governments and citizens, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, must shun any kind of racism.
* Cut the ‘racism’ BS, Tariq. We know what you really mean by that is the rejection of Islam.  Repeating the racism chestnut ad infinitum doesn’t make it true. Equality ? Do you think Sharia is consistent with Equality? You want equality? You want to be trusted? Then you should make it clear that you accept permanent secular democracy and one set of laws for all citizens. Until Europeans hear this, you will continue to be mistrusted, and for good reason.
Education is central here. School curriculums must become more inclusive (to build a common history of memories) and broaden students’ knowledge of religions and cultures. In the media, journalists should be trained to spot “success stories”, not just problems. In all cases, rhetoric that draws an implicit link between the words “illegal”, “criminal”, and “immigrant” or “Muslim” should be seen as nurturing fear and xenophobic reactions.
* No, we must teach OUR history in the schools. Not Islamic history. Not Islamo-BS!
Muslims are facing a new racism, and they have to strive for their rights, but they should do so alongside their fellow citizens and in many fields: domestic and foreign politics, education, media, and social activism. Europeans must stop being complacent in the belief that they are somehow protected from any resurgence of racism or betrayal of fundamental human rights. And European Muslims must stop acting (and reacting) to their problems in isolation
* Islam is not a race and the fact that Chinese, Koreans, Indians,  peoples from all over the world  integrate in a productive society without any problems just proves that Islam, as an ideology, stifles mental growth and is as such a nightmare to itself and to the rest of the world. Only a total moratorium and mass repatriation can solve this problem. In fact, repatriation should start with the likes of Tariq Ramadan himself….
A fairly typical Tariq Ramadan article …
Lets take that sentence:
‘(according to a recent Pew survey, 45% of Europeans have a negative image of Islam).’
Well, in Germany that figure rises to 75-85%.
And now, lets ask ourselves, do 45% of Europeans have a negative image of Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism …
I think most people would agree, that the answer is ‘No’.
Well, why is that?
Here’s one example …
In February of this year, the Turkish prime minister Erdogan made the comment “I repeat… assimilation is a crime against humanity,” and repeated the same comments in front of thousands of Turks in Germany.
http://europenews.dk/en/node/7132
A crime against humanity?!
See more here:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,534519,00.html
To be continued …
“This failure does not mean that a new kind of racism – “Islamophobia†– is on the march”.
Same old BS-Islam is a race. Well, even if this was the truth the thing about racism is that a lot of it would go away if race baiters would quit using race as a tool to further their own agendas. But that’s not happening and, in fact, the new race baiters (so to speak)-Koranists, have added their own unique contribution to the issue that never dies-‘islamophobia”, further inflaming things. This is why racism, real or made up (like when Koranists name their PHILOSOPHY as a race) will be with us for as long as there are scoundrels in this world.