Disappointing to see an American Muslim academic amplifying the ugly rhetoric that has justified apartheid and violence against millions of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere. Just below the surface, @JonathanACBrown’s discourse bears hallmarks of anti-Ahmadi hate speech 1/ https://twitter.com/jonathanacbrown/status/1277325172844961794

Ahmadis self identify as Muslims and any suggestion that they are doing “their thing” apart from the “ordinary Muslims” is little more than a dog whistle to the forces that successfully declared Ahmadis non-Muslim in Pakistan and are now seeking to marginalize Ahmadis in USA 2/

Indeed, who is the “ordinary Muslim” to whom . @JonathanACBrown refers? Surely he, a well known academic with a substantial following is hardly “ordinary.” 3/

And on what basis does he conclude that the “ordinary” Ahmadis are not among the “ordinary” Muslims? Who has given him the authority to expel Ahmadis from the fold of Islam? 4/

Perhaps even more concerning is the innuendo reverberating throughout the tweet. He conclusorily asserts that Ahmadis are employing “threats of the security state,” which echoes the well-worn canard that Ahmadis are “agents of the British and Jews/Israel” 5/

Likewise the claim that Ahmadi “activists” are “bullying ordinary Muslims” is entirely without basis and makes . @JonathanACBrown a fellow traveler with those who seek to silence Ahmadis on the basis that they are leading “Muslims” astray. 6/

This view forms backbone of Pakistan’s decision to eff. criminalize the Ahmadi Muslim faith and the publication of Ahmadi literature. Just like @JonathanACBrown they profess to respect “Ahmadis doing their own thing” as long as Ahmadis accept that they are not Muslims 7/

What’s more, it is ironic for the Professor, who in the past has blocked Ahmadi Muslims who engage him intellectually, to complain of bullying. 8/

Finally, the timing of the Professor’s tweet is worth reflection, as it comes on the heels of @QasimRashid’s win in a congressional primary. What is the goal? To prevent an Ahmadi Muslim from entering Congress? If not, what then? end/