Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Islamophobia Charges Are ‘Way of Shutting Up Debate’

Author and activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali said that calling people Islamophobic is “a way of shutting up debate” on Monday’s “Kelly File” on the Fox News Channel.

Hirsi Ali argued that calling people Islamophobes is “a way of shutting up debate. And I want to give a shout out to a friend Asra Nomani, who did a fantastic piece on it in the Washington Post…she calls it the honor brigade. It is, and it’s been going on for at least over a decade, there are countries involved, there are movements involved, there’s a lot of money. Anybody who tries to draw attention to the shortcomings of the theology the narrative of jihad, is labeled an Islamophobe, and that needs to stop.”

She added that feminists won’t speak out against Islamic radicalism “because they’ve been frightened. They’ve been told that if you are a white woman and you care about the equality of women and men, that if you do it, you are an Islamophobe. That, you, as a white woman, you are imposing your values, — this is now imperialism, this is now colonialism, and that needs to stop…we understand the Islamic State is Islamic. Jihad is Islamic. It’s all in the legacy of the theology for those of us who are born into it. Now is the time to change it…there are now voices within Islam, within Muslim-majority countries and in Muslim communities who want that change. So, I’m not the only one. I’m not that lone voice out there.”

Hirsi Ali also commented on President Obama’s rhetoric regarding Islamic extremism, stating “I completely understand and appreciate the fact that he doesn’t want any backlash against Muslims, and he’s trying to protect the Muslim community. But as the leader of the free world, i think the best way to protect Muslim communities here in the US, and at large, is to insist and help those who are saying from within ‘let’s try and reform our religion now.'”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett