Jordan Peterson's "Message to Muslims" is diabolical, yet sadly reflective of our world

On July 13, 2022, Jordan Peterson released a video titled "Message to Muslims". In the few days since, the video has garnered significantly more views than most of the acclaimed Canadian psychologist's other videos and rightfully, plenty of criticism from the Muslim community online.

The 6-minute video starts off on a fairly positive note with Peterson expressing his delight on having a sizeable Muslim audience and then, true to his conservative political stance, praising the Abraham Accords - a term used to collectively refer to a series of agreements signed between Bahrain, Israel, the UAE and the USA in 2020. The accords were negotiated by the Trump administration and are accused of denying the Palestinians their right to sovereignty by liberal political pundits globally.

What happens next, however, is simply jarring. Right after hailing the accords as something that has "laid out the possibility for peace between all the People of the Book in an unprecedented manner", Peterson goes on a tirade against all Muslims. All Muslims, he declares, need to stop fighting amongst themselves and should also eliminate their apparently inherent anti-Semitism and Christianophobia.

From that point onwards, the video is Peterson's unbelievably humiliating and misinformed attempt at telling Muslims how to be good Muslims, all the while reeking of intense Islamophobia himself. Perhaps the most stinging comment he makes on Muslims in the entirety of the video is that "...it is time for those who purport to be followers of God to act like it."

The video has moved me in a way that is hard to explain. As a practising Muslim, I feel defeated and disgusted to see someone who is reputed to be a scholar and has a huge following online spew such hatred and falsehood so recklessly. Not only does this video hurt the religious sentiment of thousands, it also confirms the negative misconceptions that many hold against us, especially in the West, and can even trigger some to resort to committing hate crimes against Muslims around them.

Peterson's video, however, is not one isolated incident of cruel ignorance in this world. Considering his supporters are mostly caucasian and Christian like him, it is just another example of the majority abusing minorities, an issue that is disturbingly prevalent in Bangladesh as well.

As someone belonging to both the ethnic and religious majorities in Bangladesh, I have witnessed those like me looking down upon and even severely mistreating others who belong to different backgrounds. I have seen many people of my shared identity embody the unenlightenment of Jordan Peterson and perpetuate harmful stereotypes about minorities, which tremendously affects their lives in many aspects. Ironically enough, these are also people who erupt in outrage when those of our faith and colour are abused as minorities in foreign countries.

What these people, and Peterson, lack are empathy and accountability. While we cannot guarantee personal growth in these people by holding them accountable for their divisive actions every time, we can definitely hope for a systemic change to be set in motion. After all, their hate is grounded in the safety net of their majority status and I believe that tangible positive change will be possible only when the understanding, open-minded members of the majority kill their fear of sectarian seclusion and stand with the unjustly repressed minorities, at home and abroad.

Fabiha is secretly a Lannister noblewoman and Slytherin alum. Pledge your allegiance and soul to her at afifafabiha01@gmail.com