Myths and Realities about Muslims in the West THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH Confronting Islamophobia: Promoting Human Rights in Public Policy KEYNOTE  PROFESSOR JOHN BOWEN Myths and Realities about Muslims in the West  Sponsored by:

Muslims in the West Three ‘reasonable’ claims: Muslim immigrants will not integrate.   2) Sharia is creeping into U.S. law. 3) Islam inspires home-grown terrorists.

Muslims in the West Three ‘reasonable’ claims: Muslim immigrants will not integrate. Jobs Values Trust Demography  

Muslims in the West United States: 2.7 m. <1% Great Britain: 3 m. <5% France +/- 5 m. <8%

Muslims in the West United States:

Well-being US Muslims US Average Incomes >$100,000 16% 17%   Satisfied with life in US 38% 32% Poverty “gap” Muslims/Average 2%

Well-being? Muslims/average

The Economist , September 5, 2015

Muslims in the West Three ‘reasonable’ claims: Muslim immigrants will not integrate. Jobs Values Trust Demography  

"Muslim Americans who subscribe to Islam are just as bad as ISIS.” -- John Bennett, US Rep (Oklahoma), Septemmber 14, 2014

One view: Geert Wilders Urged that the Qur’an be banned, likening it to Mein Kampf

Can US Christians accept Muslims? 45% of 1,000 senior Protestant pastors surveyed in 2015 say that ISIS "gives a true indication of what an Islamic society looks like.“ (Source: LifeWay, a Nashville-based, non-profit Christian research group.)

Confidence in Institutions, Muslims v. General Public, 2009    In your country, do you have confidence in each of the following or not? How about...? % who say yes Military Courts Govmt. Banks French Public 81% 61 45 54 French Muslims 65 52 41 45 British Public 86 55 32 56 British Muslims 52 76 40 62 Source: Gallup Coexist Index 2009: A Global Study of Interfaith Relations, at: http://www.cmes.lu.se/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-gallup-coexist-index-2009.pdf.

Challenges and Opportunities But aren’t Muslim women oppressed?

Women in lower or single House of national parliament (2/2015) Bolivia 53% Tunisia 31% Afghanistan 28% France 26% UK 23% Pakistan 21% Saudi Arabia 20% US 19% Indonesia 17% (http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm5)

Three ‘reasonable’ claims: 2. Sharia is creeping into U.S. law. "Florida Democrats just voted to impose Sharia law on women," April 30, 2014, WesternJournalism.com,

Muslims in the West Three ‘reasonable’ claims: Muslim immigrants will not integrate.   2) Sharia is creeping into U.S. law. 3) Islam inspires home-grown terrorists.

Work to do for Muslims "You have two choices: either hijra (emigration) [to a Muslim country] or jihad (holy war)," Anwar al-Awlaki.

Work to do for Muslims “Am I not in a safer place, in the West, than in the majority of the so-called Islamic countries experiencing dictatorship?” Tariq Ramadan.

"Muslim Americans who subscribe to Islam are just as bad as ISIS.” -- John Bennett, US Rep (Oklahoma), Septemmber 14, 2014

Source: FBI Database

Jihadist: 26 Right-wing: 48 More Americans have been killed in right-wing attacks than jihadist ones since 9/11 Jihadist: 26 Right-wing: 48 Source: http://securitydata.newamerica.net/extremists/deadly-attacks.html The Washington Post October 2015

Motives MI5: “a well-established religious identity actually protects against violent radicalisation” Marc Sageman: “more religious education for these young men might have been helpful.”

Ideas have consequences

Suhail Alkaabi @swedaaan22 Follow #NotInMyName Since Islam means living in a peaceful environment between world 8:26 AM - 18 Sep 2014 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates,

View image on Twitter Athkar @athkaar5_ Follow We Muslims condemn ISIS's horrible actions. These terrorist doesn't represent our religion. #NotInMyName 5:49 AM - 19 Sep 2014