Islamophobia
© The Postil Magazine
Why is anti-Muslim sentiment so pervasive in the West? Who profits from promoting the fear and loathing of Islam?

There is an entire Islamophobia industry whose job is to soke anti-Muslim sentiment. It is also known as the "Islamophobia network" in the United States is a well-funded, interconnected group of organizations, individuals, and donors that actively spread misinformation, fear, and hatred about Islam and Muslims. This network has been documented to receive tens of millions of dollars in funding from a small group of foundations and wealthy donors, totaling at least $57 million between 2001 and 2012, with estimates reaching $1.5 billion in revenue capacity during 2014-2016. These funds support right-wing think tanks, misinformation experts, grassroots organizations, and right-wing religious groups that produce and disseminate anti-Muslim propaganda through books, videos, reports, and media outlets.

This network is a tight-knit group of organizations that often share and financially support each other's activities, creating a symbiotic relationship with right-wing media outlets and politicians who amplify their messages. The largest funder is the Adelson Family Foundation, as well as about a thousand others.

The Adelson Family Foundation, established by Sheldon and Miriam Adelson in 2007, is a significant private donor to groups identified as promoting Islamophobia. Between 2014 and 2016, it gave $5.85 million to anti-Muslim groups, and nearly $4 million more between 2017 and 2019. The foundation has funded organizations such as the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA), and the Endowment for Middle East Truth, all of which have been criticized for spreading anti-Muslim narratives.

Sheldon Adelson himself was described as a "committed Islamophobe" and openly used terms like "Islamo-fascism" and "Islamo-terrorist" to describe terrorists, linking them broadly to Islamists. The foundation also financially supported the marketing of the anti-Muslim film Obsession, which has been criticized for promoting fear and hostility towards Muslims.

The Adelson Family Foundation ranks among the top funders of Islamophobic groups in the US, giving nearly $106 million to anti-Muslim groups between 2017 and 2019. These groups are accused of spreading misinformation and perpetuating negative stereotypes about Muslims.

The Adelsons were also major Republican donors with close ties to President Donald Trump, influencing the GOP's stance on Israel and the Palestinian issue, which intersects with Islamophobic agendas.

Then, there a small number of individuals who orchestrate much of the misinformation about Islam, many of whom are not experts or Muslims but claim insider knowledge about radical Islam to legitimize their narratives.

Individuals who organize this misinformation, particularly in the United States, are a small group of conservative figures and think tanks often described as "Islamophobia misinformation experts." They produce and spread false narratives portraying Islam as inherently violent and seeking domination over non-Muslims. Key figures include: Frank Gaffney (Center for Security Policy), David Yerushalmi (Society of Americans for National Existence), Daniel Pipes (Middle East Forum), Robert Spencer (Jihad Watch and Stop Islamization of America), Steven Emerson (Investigative Project on Terrorism).

These individuals and their affiliated organizations create talking points and conspiracy theories, such as claims that Sharia law is a totalitarian threat or that Muslim American groups are controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood with hostile intentions toward the U.S. They have influenced political discourse and media narratives, often spreading misinformation for political or ideological purposes.

Additionally, media promoters like David Horowitz have played significant roles in publicizing and amplifying Islamophobic misinformation through campaigns, websites, and media appearances, linking Muslim organizations to terrorism without factual basis.

Next, there are grassroots groups acting as the engine of the network, using sophisticated communication strategies to recruit volunteers and raise funds, often seeded by the main think tanks.

The groups include:

ACT for America: Described as the largest grassroots anti-Muslim group in the U.S., ACT for America operates chapters nationwide and provides the "grassroots muscle" to the Islamophobia movement. It has been noted for embracing a nativist tone and circulating petitions against Muslim immigration and refugees. Despite its denial of being anti-Muslim, it continues to invite speakers known for anti-Muslim views.

Stop Islamization of America: Led by Pamela Geller, this group is part of the core anti-Muslim activist network. It is known for organizing protests and spreading alarmist rhetoric about Islam.

Jihad Watch: Run by Robert Spencer and affiliated with the David Horowitz Freedom Center, Jihad Watch publishes content framing Islam as a civilizational threat and is considered a significant player in the anti-Muslim ecosystem.

David Horowitz Freedom Center: This organization publishes FrontPage Magazine and other materials that vilify Islam and Muslims, often promoting conspiracy theories about Muslim threats to America.

The Anti-Muslim Inner Circle: A small, closely knit cadre of hard-line activists who have disproportionate influence in spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric, often amplified by right-wing media and politicians. This circle consists of: P. David Gaubatz: Associated with the Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE), co-author of Muslim Mafia, and involved in projects targeting American mosques; David Horowitz: Founder of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, described as a leading voice promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and misinformation; Pamela Geller: Leader of Stop Islamization of America, known for inflammatory rhetoric and hate speech against Muslims, and frequently cited by extremist individuals; Brigitte Gabriel: Founder of ACT for America, known for spreading conspiracy theories and lobbying for anti-Muslim policies. Other figures often connected to this circle include Terry Jones, Debbie Schlussel, John Joseph Jay, and activists like Steve Emerson, Daniel Pipes, and Frank Gaffney, although some are considered somewhat more moderate.

Lastly, there are Political figures who promote policy recommendations and speeches aligned with the network's anti-Muslim agenda, often shaped by fundamentalist religious worldviews.

Thus, President Donald Trump has actively pursued policies and rhetoric widely characterized as Islamophobic, continuing and expanding upon his previous administration's controversial Muslim travel ban. Early in his second term, Trump signed an executive order titled "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats," which lays the groundwork for a new version of the Muslim ban, often referred to as "Muslim Ban 2.0." This order grants broad authority to federal agencies to identify countries with inadequate vetting processes and potentially suspend entry for nationals from those countries, many of which are predominantly Muslim.

This executive order also includes provisions targeting foreign nationals who "espouse hateful ideology" or are perceived to undermine American constitutional rights, with critics arguing that it effectively targets Muslims and suppresses Palestinian rights advocates by defining acceptable American identity and patriotism in a way that excludes them. The order's ambiguous language has raised concerns among activists about increased deportations, family separations, and ideological exclusion under the guise of national security.

Trump's rhetoric has reinforced Islamophobic narratives by associating Islam broadly with terrorism, as seen in his quick attribution of violent acts to "Radical Islamic Terrorism" even when facts did not support such claims. This rhetoric has fueled anti-Muslim sentiment and legislative efforts such as bills banning Sharia law in multiple states, which promote the idea of Muslims as outsiders hostile to American values.

Muslim advocacy groups and civil rights organizations have condemned these developments, warning that the new policies and rhetoric stoke Islamophobia and racism, disrupt immigrant families, and undermine civil liberties. The broader context includes a national strategy that some perceive as a continuation of Islamophobic and anti-Arab hate under the Trump administration in 2025.

The Islamophobia network's influence extends into various sectors such as politics, media, law enforcement, education, and lobbying, making anti-Muslim bigotry a prominent institutional feature rather than a marginal phenomenon.

For example, the Adelson's funded the film Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West (2005) has had a deep influence in consolidating Islamophobia in the West. The film portrays radical Islam as a significant threat to Western civilization. It uses footage from Arab television and interviews with experts to depict the hatred preached by Islamic radicals, their incitement of global jihad, and their alleged goal of world domination. The film then draws parallels between radical Islamism and the Nazi movement of World War II, emphasizing the danger it perceives from these groups and the Western response to them. This is why there is the persistent narrative of equating Muslims and Hamas with the Nazis.

Some notable organizations within this network include the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT), which portrays Islam as inherently violent and radical, receiving significant funding from the network and affiliated groups like the Middle East Forum. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has documented and reported extensively on this network, highlighting its impact on civil rights and liberties of American Muslims and the broader public discourse.

The Islamophobia network in the U.S. is a complex, well-funded system that fuels anti-Muslim sentiment through coordinated misinformation campaigns, media amplification, and political advocacy, with significant consequences for civil rights and social cohesion. These narratives are then picked up and disseminated throughout the Western world, and beyond, to drive anti-Muslim hatred, fear and suspicion.

Who profits from all this hatred? Israel.