I have. Did aid work in the region. More than once actually. I’m gay as fuck. People welcomed me as much as the rest of the group. They were some of the kindest people I’ve met. People aren’t a monolith. I’m sure there were shitty people there too, just like there are shitty people in the west. People hate me and essentialize me everywhere. How does it make sense for me to do the same?
I could have very well have had a negative experience too btw. But if I did, I still wouldn’t condemn and entire people to die because of it. I’m not a coward.
Copying this from a previous comment as it’s basically the same ignorance so I don’t care enough about changing the context.
Just ignore the fact Christians are doing the same thing. It’s not an Islamic issue. It’s a conservative issue. Muslims in America are predominantly left leaning and their views reflect it. I’m more worried about Christians in America trying to kill me than Muslims. They are more accepting of me here than Christians. My local mosque has a big trans rights flag in protest of our local politicians, and guess who were the ones to get upset about that. I’ll give you a hint. It wasn’t the people who were worshiping under the trans rights flag.
As a subject of hate born from essentialization, it’s bad. Don’t do it. Regardless of who you’re essentializing. Systemic oppression can only happen with underlying dehumanization that comes from this thinking. Before you say “what about Nazis?”, still no. It removes responsibility from them. That was the immediate and obvious excuse the people under Nazi Germany used to absolve themselves when the war ended. It was what was used to excuse the people brought to Western nations under programs like paper clip. They are people. They are just like you. You are capable of becoming just like them. Unless you’re willing to accept that, you’re much more susceptible to becoming like them.