Donald Trump Calls for Barring Muslims From Entering U.S

[pnewton]

What makes you qualified to decide a “credible potential president”?

I’m not passing any judgement on his right to stand as a potential presidential candidate, just suggesting that perhaps people might want more from a president than hot air which is impossible to implement in reality, let alone provide protection from terrorists.

I do not think it will happen, but we might well get a chance to test his viability. I am sure Hillary is hoping for such a chance.

 

[Seamus_L]

Oddsmakers have had Hillary Clinton winning in 2016 ever since she announced she was running. I expect her to be the next president, but if there’s one way she could be beaten, it’ll be on her weak position on Islamic terrorism.

 

[Darryl1958]

True on the above; however, I’m not sure if any of these are in the area of being called a “pejorative”.

They are not pejoratives.

 

[Thomas_White]

There are many descriptive words that were originally benign–just an assortment of letters of the alphabet meant to designate something–that over time gained connotations that became offensive. To an extent this is perception, but if it becomes the perception of others that the word is offensive to them, then we ought to respect that and stop using the word.

 

[Darryl1958]

While I tend to go with the mainstream word that everyone understands, calling religionists Mohammedan describes well the modern discussion of what toothbrush to use in order to conform to the behavior of the perfect human example, Mohammed. With countries changing the marriage laws to include pre-pubescent girls in order to conform to what Mohammed would do. 'Mohammedan is not an inaccurate description of that kind of aspect of the religion. WWJD is the attitude that has us being called Christians. WWMD is the attitude that makes Mohammedan an apt description as well.

It may well be a provocative term, but it is not a pejorative term.

 

[TMC]

While I tend to go with the mainstream word that everyone understands, calling religionists Mohammedan describes well the modern discussion of what toothbrush to use in order to conform to the behavior of the perfect human example, Mohammed. With countries changing the marriage laws to include pre-pubescent girls in order to conform to what Mohammed would do. 'Mohammedan is not an inaccurate description of that kind of aspect of the religion. WWJD is the attitude that has us being called Christians. WWMD is the attitude that makes Mohammedan an apt description as well.

It may well be a provocative term, but it is not a pejorative term.

Please, it is absolutely a pejorative term, which is why some people like to use it. It is meant to suggest that Muslims worship Mohammed, which is extremely offensive to Muslims. Frankly, I am surprised that its use is allowed on a moderated religious forum.

 

[Darryl1958]

Please, it is absolutely a pejorative term, which is why some people like to use it. It is meant to suggest that Muslims worship Mohammed, which is extremely offensive to Muslims. Frankly, I am surprised that its use is allowed on a moderated religious forum.

Since I do not use it, you will have to ask people who do whether they believe that Muslims worship Mohammed.
I have no inner knowledge of their intent. Do you?

 

[TMC]

Since I do not use it, you will have to ask people who do whether they believe that Muslims worship Mohammed.
I have no inner knowledge of their intent. Do you?

No, I do not, either. But one can generally infer intent from action. Why use an offensive antiquated term when there is a perfectly acceptable, accurate, non-offensive term? I can only think of one reason to do that. If there is another, I’d like to hear it.

 

[Path_Finder]

No, I do not, either. But one can generally infer intent from action. Why use an offensive antiquated term when there is a perfectly acceptable, accurate, non-offensive term? I can only think of one reason to do that. If there is another, I’d like to hear it.

We must be thinking the same way, because that is the term people were first familiar with.

This certainly is the case where some groups have been called by different terms, Hispanics, Mexican-Americans, Latinos, Chicanos and so on. But now, Hispanics is really the common term and true, Mexican-Americans does not really include other groups.

 

[Thomas_White]

There was a time when the word ‘Moslem’ was in common usage. The usage seems to have virtually disappeared, though I don’t know if its use was perceived as offensive. Another term once in common usage was “Oriental”, and in some way this developed a negative connotation. I don’t know why, but it did and is no longer in common use. What is perhaps interesting is that, not knowing why the word became offensive, it seems like a word that is merely descriptive.

Perhaps “Oriental” was a word coined by colonialists, and if so then the objection is understandable. But that is only a guess.

 

[Path_Finder]

There was a time when the word ‘Moslem’ was in common usage. The usage seems to have virtually disappeared, though I don’t know if its use was perceived as offensive. Another term once in common usage was “Oriental”, and in some way this developed a negative connotation. I don’t know why, but it did and is no longer in common use. What is perhaps interesting is that, not knowing why the word became offensive, it seems like a word that is merely descriptive.

Perhaps “Oriental” was a word coined by colonialists, and if so then the objection is understandable. But that is only a guess.

Good points. I thought I heard “Moslem” used in Bosnia.

Here is an article that talks about the issue.

historynewsnetwork.org/article/524

 

[Path_Finder]

If one can find books or other references that used such words as Mohammedan and not in an inflammatory way, then this show it was in common usage, books do show that. I don’t know if Papist or Romish were ever anything but inflammatory.

The term remains in limited use. **The Government Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College in Lahore, Pakistan retains its original name **while the similarly named “Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College” in Aligarh, India was renamed Aligarh Muslim University in 1920. There are also a number of sporting clubs in Bangladesh and India with the name “Mohammedan Sporting Club” including Mohammedan Sporting Club (Dhaka), Mohammedan Sporting Club (Chittagong), Mohammedan Sporting Club (Jhenaidah) and Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata).

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammedan

Hence, that is in Pakistan itself, a strongly Muslim nation.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

I asked my friend if “Mohammedan” was offensive and she didn’t think so at all. She is a very devout Muslim. It seems that, after asking my friend and looking at answers online, only some people consider it offensive while others see no problem with it. If someone told me that it offends them, then I would apologize and use a different term, but I don’t think it should be banned simply because a few people see it as offensive. Not to mention that the offense derived from the term stems from a misunderstanding of what the term actually means. I had never heard of it as an offensive term until people said so in this thread.

 

[Path_Finder]

And why was it changed in India then? Can’t they do that in Pakistan?

 

[tomarin]

I asked my friend if “Mohammedan” was offensive and she didn’t think so at all. She is a very devout Muslim. It seems that, after asking my friend and looking at answers online, only some people consider it offensive while others see no problem with it. If someone told me that it offends them, then I would apologize and use a different term, but I don’t think it should be banned simply because a few people see it as offensive. Not to mention that the offense derived from the term stems from a misunderstanding of what the term actually means. I had never heard of it as an offensive term until people said so in this thread.

I’d rank it as slightly less offensive than ‘Chinaman’ but it certainly sounds weird to modern ears.

 

[Darryl1958]

There was a time when the word ‘Moslem’ was in common usage. The usage seems to have virtually disappeared, though I don’t know if its use was perceived as offensive. Another term once in common usage was “Oriental”, and in some way this developed a negative connotation. I don’t know why, but it did and is no longer in common use. What is perhaps interesting is that, not knowing why the word became offensive, it seems like a word that is merely descriptive.

Perhaps “Oriental” was a word coined by colonialists, and if so then the objection is understandable. But that is only a guess.

What is being rejected with the term ‘Oriental’ is the whole field of study called Orientalism that has had Bernard Lewis at the forefront. In its place comes what amounts to an apologia or Islam and Arabs via the rather leftist critiques of Edward Said.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

I’d rank it as slightly less offensive than ‘Chinaman’ but it certainly sounds weird to modern ears.

Yes, since it seems that it is an old-fashioned term.

 

[EmperorNapoleon]

Something happened in Ohio today that really highlights how ridiculous the paranoia and has become and I’m sharing it here to remind everyone that anti-Muslim rhetoric has consequences for real people. The Lima Police Department was flooded with calls and photos were circulated on the internet of a “suspicious woman” in a burqa taking a photo outside of a Joanne’s Fabric store. The response was unbelievable. The police posted the following on their Facebook Page:

“We have identified the woman in the photo that is circulating on the internet in the vicinity of Joanne Fabrics. We have spoken to the woman and her mother. After speaking to her, we have confirmed that there is no danger to anyone in the community. We are asking that you respect their family involved and do not comment negatively on this post.
Thank you for your cooperation.”

Turns out the “suspicious woman” was a 15 year old girl thoroughly embarrassed by the experience and sadly, the general public in Lima didn’t oblige the request of the police to be respectful. One such comment read: “Wake up people they are here waiting for their opportunity to kill you and your family. Buy a gun while you can.” Surprisingly enough, the girl responded to this by saying, “Actually, no. I am not planning on killing anyone in Lima. I took a selfie while I was waiting for the bus. Don’t profile me.”

The latest update is that she had to leave town due to concerns for her safety stemming from death threats. Running a 15 year old girl out of town is unacceptable and the rhetoric needs to stop before worse happens.

 

[2Rollin_Stoned]

Well it’s regarded as perjorative so how about stop using it.

Kindly prove it.

I think you know it is don’t you

Sure they do or they wouldn’t use it.

 

[2Rollin_Stoned]

Something happened in Ohio today that really highlights how ridiculous the paranoia and has become and I’m sharing it here to remind everyone that anti-Muslim rhetoric has consequences for real people. The Lima Police Department was flooded with calls and photos were circulated on the internet of a “suspicious woman” in a burqa taking a photo outside of a Joanne’s Fabric store. The response was unbelievable. The police posted the following on their Facebook Page:

“We have identified the woman in the photo that is circulating on the internet in the vicinity of Joanne Fabrics. We have spoken to the woman and her mother. After speaking to her, we have confirmed that there is no danger to anyone in the community. We are asking that you respect their family involved and do not comment negatively on this post.
Thank you for your cooperation.”

Turns out the “suspicious woman” was a 15 year old girl thoroughly embarrassed by the experience and sadly, the general public in Lima didn’t oblige the request of the police to be respectful. One such comment read: “Wake up people they are here waiting for their opportunity to kill you and your family. Buy a gun while you can.” Surprisingly enough, the girl responded to this by saying, “Actually, no. I am not planning on killing anyone in Lima. I took a selfie while I was waiting for the bus. Don’t profile me.”

The latest update is that she had to leave town due to concerns for her safety stemming from death threats. Running a 15 year old girl out of town is unacceptable and the rhetoric needs to stop before worse happens.

I completely agree with you. That kid would be welcome around me and my friends.

Those comments make me ashamed of my country and fearful for its future…not from the outside but from “Americans” themselves.