To those of us—Iranians, Jews, Yemenis, Lebanese, Assyrians, Syrians, Afghans, Indians, Kurds, Iraqis, Yazidis, Saudis, Emirates, and even westerners—who have been touched by the bony finger of death, our fear of Islamic extremism is not “irrational.” When a noose was thrown around our brothers & sisters necks while chanting “allahu akbar” alongside the morning prayer as their bodies were lifted above the gallows, the fear that developed in Iranians was not irrational. When Shani Louk’s naked body was abducted and thrown onto the back of a truck, legs turned back to front and neck snapped while being spat on and roars of “allahu akbar” coming from the crowd, the fear that developed in Jews and Israelis was not irrational. When Hezbollah kidnapped and murdered Lebanese dissidents, the fear that developed in Lebanese was not irrational. When the Houthis set fire to Yemenis homes, lashed their backs to deformity, and sentenced them to death by stoning for criticizing them, sieg heiled ritualistically and called out “allahu akbar” as they delighted in watching their killings, the fear that developed in Yemenis was not irrational. When their women and children were kidnapped, raped, and disappeared by the Islamic State, the fear that developed in Yazidis was not irrational. When laws were written under guise of “Sharia” to execute Iranian and Afghan women for showing parts of their face or hair, the fear that developed in Iranians and Afghans was not irrational. In fact, it is the exact biological fear response that naturally arises from the stimulus. To deny this natural fear response and reframe it as a form of bigotry is an abusive tactic known in psychology as “gaslighting.” In this way, those who call us “Islamophobes” are not just doing the work for our abusers, they are our abusers.
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