Bill Warner (writer)

Last updated
Bill Warner
Born1941 (age 82–83)
OccupationFounder and President of the Center for the Study of Political Islam International (CSPII)
NationalityAmerican
Education North Carolina State University, Ph.D.
SubjectWriter
Website
www.politicalislam.com

Bill Warner is the pen name of Bill French (born 1941), [1] a former physics professor and anti-Islam writer. He founded the Center for the Study of Political Islam International, which is based in the Czech Republic. [2] The Southern Poverty Law Center in 2011 described him as one of a core group of ten anti-Islam hardliners in the United States. [3] [4] He has also been regarded as a part of the counter-jihad movement. [5]

Contents

Biography

Warner graduated from North Carolina State University where he got his PhD in physics and mathematics in 1968. He is a former Tennessee State University physics professor. [3] Warner does not have an academic background in religious studies. [6] He participated in the Murfreesboro protests where he spoke to a group of opponents of the mosque and sold his books. [7] The protests included a legal case arguing that Islam is not a religion. [8]

Reception

Middlebury Institute professor and terrorism expert Jeffrey M. Bale refers to Warner as an example of writers who identify Islam with Islamism. According to Bale, these writers relate all the characteristics associated with Islamism with Islam as a whole, alleging that "such characteristics are intrinsic to Islam itself, and therefore that Islamism and jihadism are simply logical extensions - or simple applications in practice - of the authentic tenets and core values of Islam." He argues that, what they "fail to acknowledge is that these particular interpretations are by no means the only possible interpretations of core Islamic doctrines, traditions, and values, nor are they necessarily the most authentic, valid, or widely shared interpretations." This he says, is like claiming that Christian Reconstructionism is identical to Christianity. [9]

American Muslim religious liberty lawyer Asma Uddin considers groups like Warner and his organization as anti-Muslim entities that mainstream the idea that Islam is not just a religion but also a political ideology which aids in legitimizing restricting the religious freedom of American Muslims. Warner's organization has said that “Statistics show that Islamic politics is what brought Islam success, not religion” and journalist Uddin described the organization's statement that Islam is mainly a political ideology as "pseudoscience and these quote, unquote ‘think tanks’... are responding to the work of actual legitimate think tanks using the language of statistics." [6]

Zafar Iqbal, professor at Pakistan's International Islamic University, has compared Warner to Geert Wilders in that both consider Islam to be a totalitarian political ideology demanding complete submission. [10]

Czech politician Jiří Kobza lists 4 publications by Warner in his "list of the most important books that every citizen should read". [11]

Center for the Study of Political Islam International

The Center for the Study of Political Islam International (CSPII), based in the Czech Republic, was formed by Warner and Milan Podlipný from the Czech Republic in 2014. [12] According to its website it has branches in 11 countries. [13]

The Southern Poverty Law Center states that the CSPII ran two lectures in the Czech Republic in 2017 where lecturers described "Muslims as being encouraged to promote principles in contradiction with a European understanding of human rights." [14]

The Council on American–Islamic Relations has described the CSPI as Islamophobic, listing it as part of the" U.S.-based Islamophobia network’s inner core". [15]

The Czech branch distributed one of Warner's books to the Slovak National Council in 2016. Luboš Kropáček, a Czech Islamologist at Charles University stated that "As far as I know, no Orientalist, Arabist or Islamologist pays attention to this man, he has no business in our field of science." Bronislav Ostřanský, a researcher at the Oriental Institute, ASCR, said that his apparently scientific approach impresses many people "including otherwise educated and politically influential personalities" but that he should be quoted "in a professional work in only one context, namely as relevant source material for the study of contemporary Islamophobia." [16]

In 2010 the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought commented on Warner's article "Is a nice Muslim a Good Muslim?" which is now on the CSPII site. [17]

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

Islamophobia is the irrational fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when perceived by outsiders as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism.

Political Islam is any interpretation of Islam as a source of political identity and action. It can refer to a wide range of individuals or groups who advocate the formation of state and society according to their understanding of Islamic principles. It may also refer to use of Islam as a source of political positions and concepts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert B. Spencer</span> American anti-Muslim writer and blogger

Robert Bruce Spencer is an American anti-Muslim author and blogger, and one of the key figures of the counter-jihad movement. Spencer founded and has directed the blog Jihad Watch since 2003. In 2010 he co-founded the organization Stop Islamization of America with Pamela Geller.

FrontPage Magazine, also known as FrontPageMag.com, is an American right-wing, anti-Islam political website edited by David Horowitz and published by the David Horowitz Freedom Center. The site has also been described by scholars and writers as far-right and Islamophobic.

The post-9/11 period is the time after the September 11 attacks, characterized by heightened suspicion of non-Americans in the United States, increased government efforts to address terrorism, and a more aggressive American foreign policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Horowitz Freedom Center</span> Non-profit organisation in the USA

The David Horowitz Freedom Center, formerly the Center for the Study of Popular Culture (CSPC), is a conservative anti-Islam foundation founded in 1988 by political activist David Horowitz and his long-time collaborator Peter Collier. It was established with funding from groups including the John M. Olin Foundation, the Bradley Foundation and the Scaife Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stop Islamization of America</span> Political advocacy organization

Stop Islamization of America (SIOA), also known as the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), is an anti-Muslim, pro-Israel American counter-jihad organization known primarily for its controversial, Islamophobic advertising campaigns. The group has been described as extremist and far-right. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) lists SIOA as an anti-Muslim hate group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Investigative Project on Terrorism</span> Non-profit organization in the US

The Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) is a non-profit research group founded by Steven Emerson in 1995. IPT has been called a prominent part of the "Islamophobia network" within the United States and a "leading source of anti-Muslim racism" and noted for its record of selective reporting and poor scholarship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamophobia in the United States</span> Prejudice towards Islam or Muslims in the US

American Muslims often face Islamophobia and racialization due to stereotypes and generalizations ascribed to them. Due to this, Islamophobia is both a product of and a contributor to the United States' racial ideology, which is founded on socially constructed categories of profiled features, or how people seem.

Islamophobia in Australia is highly speculative and affective distrust and hostility towards Muslims, Islam, and those perceived as following the religion. This social aversion and bias is often facilitated and perpetuated in the media through the stereotyping of Muslims as violent and uncivilised. Various Australian politicians and political commentators have capitalised on these negative stereotypes and this has contributed to the marginalisation, discrimination and exclusion of the Muslim community.

Islamophobia in the media refers to negative coverage of Islam-related topics, Muslims, or Arabs by media outlets in a way that is hostile, untrue, and/or misleading. Islamophobia is defined as "Intense dislike or fear of Islam, especially as a political force; hostility or prejudice towards Muslims", and the study of how and to what extent the media furthers Islamophobia has been the subject of much academic and political discussion.

Islamophobia in Canada refers to a set of discourses, behaviours and structures which express feelings of anxiety, fear, hostility and rejection towards Islam or Muslims in Canada.

Islamophobia in the United Kingdom refers to a set of discourses, behaviours and structures which express feelings of anxiety, fear, hostility and rejection towards Islam or Muslims in the United Kingdom. Islamophobia can manifest itself in a wide range of ways; including, discrimination in the workforce, negative coverage in the media, and violence against Muslims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamophobia in China</span> Prejudice towards Islam or Muslims in China

Islamophobia in China refers to the set of discourses, behaviors and structures which express feelings of anxiety, fear, hostility and rejection towards Islam and/or Muslims in China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WikiIslam</span> Wiki covering selective topics on Islam and owned by Ex-Muslims of North America

WikiIslam is an anti-Muslim and anti-Islam wiki. The website was founded by Ali Sina in 2006. Registered users may modify and edit its content; in 2015, the website was acquired by the Ex-Muslims of North America and underwent a major revision in 2020.

The New English Review is an online monthly magazine of cultural criticism, published from Nashville, Tennessee, since February 2006. Scholars note the magazine to have platformed a range of far-right Islamophobic discourse including conspiracy theories. An eponymous press is run by the same publisher.

Islamophobia in France holds a particularly political significance since France has the largest proportion of Muslims in the Western world, primarily due to the migration from Maghrebi, West African, and Middle Eastern countries. The existence of discrimination against Muslims is reported by the media in the Muslim world and by the perceived segregation and alienation of Muslims within the French community. The belief that there is an anti-Muslim climate in France is heavily criticised by some members of the French Muslim community who terms it an 'exaggeration'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamophobia in Italy</span> Prejudice towards Islam or Muslims in Italy

Islamophobia is characterized by a hatred against the religion of Islam and those perceived to be following the religion, typically fueled by fear and hatred and sustained through the evolving stereotype of the Muslim identity. It has become increasingly common and widespread throughout the world, in particular since the September 11 attacks in the United States, however it existed in society before this. In Europe, there has been an increase in cultural tensions between national majorities and marginalized Muslim countries, as shown by the results of the 2009 elections in the European Parliament with a large vote toward anti-immigration. Within Italy, there is a large Islamic presence of approximately 1.25 million people, stemming from the widespread migration and settlement that began in the 1970s, in particular from North Africa. The Islamic population of Italy increasingly faces challenges when it comes to their position in society, with the increasing cultural hostility that stems from the growing presence of Islamophobia. Islamophobia has been present within Italy for many years; for example, in the 1920s, Muslims were not permitted to settle in the country due to their religion being viewed as "against common morality." The intensity of Islamophobia in Italy is enhanced by the historical religious structure of the state – which is heavily based on the Catholic Church.

Islamophobia in Poland is the fear, hatred of, or prejudice against the Islamic religion or Muslims in Poland. Since the Muslim community in Poland is small the situation has been described as "Islamophobia without Muslims". According to Monika Bobako, Islamophobia is one of the main elements of the Polish nationalist discourse. Islamophobia in Poland takes the form of racism and xenophobia towards Muslims or those perceived as Muslim.

References

  1. ↑ Smietana, Bob (October 24, 2010). "Anti-Muslim crusaders make millions spreading fear". The Tennessean. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  2. ↑ "About us". www.cspii.org. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 Steinback, Robert. "THE ANTI-MUSLIM INNER CIRCLE". splc.org. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  4. ↑ Campbell, Kay (2012-08-27). "Anti-Islam writer Bill Warner warns of political Islam". al. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  5. ↑ Nissen, Anita (2022). Europeanisation of the Contemporary Far Right: Generation Identity and Fortress Europe. Routledge. ISBN   9781000547085.
  6. 1 2 Khan, Aysha (2019-07-16). "A Push to Deny Muslims Religious Freedom Gains Steam". religionandpolitics.org. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  7. ↑ Smietana, Bob. "Anti-Muslim crusaders make millions spreading fear". The Tennessean. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  8. ↑ Loller, Travis; Press, Associated (25 April 2012). "Trial begins in suit against proposed Tenn. mosque". San Diego Union-Tribune. AP. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Bale, Jeffrey M. (2017). The Darkest Sides of Politics, II: State Terrorism, "Weapons of Mass Destruction," Religious Extremism, and Organized Crime. Apple Academic Press. pp. 217–231. ISBN   978-1138785625 . Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  10. ↑ Iqbal, Zafar (2019). Islamophobia: History, Context and Deconstruction. SAGE Publishing India. p. 199. ISBN   978-93-5328-697-2 . Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  11. ↑ "Library of Jirí Kobza". Jiri-Kobza.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  12. ↑ Warner, Bill (1 April 2023). "Personal Statement: I have merged with the Center for the Study of Political Islam International". Dr. Rich Swier. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "About us". www.cspii.org. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Hate in Europe: June 2018". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  15. ↑ "ISLAMOPHOBIC ORGANIZATIONS: Center for the Study of Political Islam" . Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Does Bill Warner understand Islam? We asked Islamologists in the Czech Republic and Slovakia". ISLAMONLINE.sk (in Slovak). 23 November 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  17. ↑ Warner, Bill (7 January 2010). "Is a Nice Muslim a Good Muslim?". Political Islam. Retrieved 1 May 2023.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.