Why Is Race Relevant?

Submitted by Rachel Peck (United States), Sep 6, 2005 at 16:58

Excellent and timely article---thank you for publicizing this. However, I see no value added by putting "black" in front of the words "inmate" and "convert." There is no reason I can think of to do that, since you were not giving a physical description for purposes of identification. It would read strangely to say that, for example, "Richard Reid is a white convert to Islam...."

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Daniel Pipes replies:

Good question. It is necessary to know the race of the Muslim converts because, in the United States, African-American Islam is highly distinct from immigrant and (what one might call) non-Black convert Islam. This makes, for example, the inclusion of a Pakistani in the alleged plot of particular importance.

DP