“Islamophobia” in one state (2)

Today’s Star Tribune publishes a letter to the editor criticizing my column on the uses of “Islamophobia” in Minnesota. My column was published on Monday as “Islam and Minnesota: Can we have some straight talk for a change?” Today we have this insanely stupid letter that serves as a marker for others that will seek to restore silence and enforce the taboos governing the subject in Minnesota:

ISLAM IN MINNESOTA

Opinion writer’s risk assessment is, yes, discriminatory

Scott Johnson (“Can we hear some straight talk for a change?” Opinion Exchange, Dec. 28) believes it’s OK to be Islamophobic — although he is unpersuaded by the term — because 10 Somali-American Muslims have been charged with serious crimes. By his own figures, that’s 10 out of 100,000 Somali-Americans in Minnesota, or 0.01 percent. I’m pretty sure that more than 0.01 percent of non-Islamic Minnesotans have been charged with serious crimes. So by his logic, we should hate everyone.

David Weisberg, Minneapolis

Every word of this letter is off in one way or another, but, as I say, it’s only a marker.

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