Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE
In the wake of the synagogue attack in Texas, one Muslim professor at Duke University is calling on other Muslims to address the issue of antisemitism in American Islam.
Imam Abdullah T. Antepli, who is a professor of the Practice of Interfaith Relations of the Divinity School at Duke University, believes that “we Muslims in America undeniably have an increasing anti-Semitism [sic] problem.”
The comments come in the aftermath of a terrorist incident involving hostages taken by a Muslim gunman at a synagogue in Houston, Texas, on Saturday.
Speaking on Twitter and via a linked podcast, Antepli spoke about how “we need to honestly discuss the increasing anti-Semitism within various Muslim communities.” Antepli stated his belief that the American Muslim community in general and as a whole has failed to address antisemitism “honestly, morally and accurately.”
In addition, Antepli specifically called out Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as part of the problem, bringing up her past anti-Semitic comments, such as stating that Israel’s allies in America were “all about the Benjamins,” which was seen as pandering to an anti-Semitic trope of Jews as greedy hoarders, prompting outrage even among other Democrats and drawing the rare strongly-worded and public rebuke from her own party’s Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!
Now that, alhamdulillah, the hostages are rescued unharmed and safely reunited with their loved ones…We North American Muslims need to have the morally required tough conversations about those “ …polite Zionists are our enemies…” …..++— Abdullah T. Antepli (@aantepli) January 16, 2022
“…The Benjamins!!!…” voices and realities within our communities. We MUST!
Without ands and buts, without any further denial, dismissal and or trivializing of the issues… we need to honestly discuss the increasing anti-Semitism within various Muslim communities. ++— Abdullah T. Antepli (@aantepli) January 16, 2022
Yes, we Muslims living North America undeniably have an increasing anti-Semitism problem and seemingly we have yet to even begin to address the issue honestly, morally and accurately…but again we have to.
I am really sick and tired of the over all defensiveness and tribal ++— Abdullah T. Antepli (@aantepli) January 16, 2022
nature of our reaction to this alarming internal problem. We are better than this! We can no longer pretend the problems of anti-Semitism within us does not exist. There are more urgent moral calls than “Let’s not bring shame to our already vulnerable communities..”++
— Abdullah T. Antepli (@aantepli) January 16, 2022
kinds of reactions. We must do better! In light of the last 24 hours and the lessons to be learned, I am sharing my recent conversation on this very same issue not too long ago.
I repeat: Houston! We have a problem. Not going anywhere….quite the contrary getting worse…. ++— Abdullah T. Antepli (@aantepli) January 16, 2022
There is a moral call for action for the soul of Islam and Muslim identities in North America and our place as a minority faith communities here at home. More on this podcast: https://t.co/skWMaUPTCD
— Abdullah T. Antepli (@aantepli) January 16, 2022
The reaction on Twitter was mostly positive, with many Jews chiming in to thank him for breaking ranks with the likes of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Omar to critically address an issue within his own community – something that is rarely appreciated by the community in question, especially as the Democratic Party begins to pivot away from its support of Israel and America’s Jews.
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- Patriotic symbols, loved one’s urn miraculous survive house fire, give California family hope - May 17, 2022
- Elon Musk says Twitter deal ‘cannot move forward’ until CEO proves his claim of low bot rate - May 17, 2022
- Poll shows 1 in 4 men believe women should face murder charge if they get illegal abortion - May 15, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
