“You’re Saying Islamophobia Isn’t A Real Thing?”: Ben Affleck's 2014 Discussion With Bill Maher Resurfaces On The Background Of Gaza Assault

Two-time Academy Award winner Ben Affleck”s appearance on HBO”s “Real Time With Bill Maher” in 2014, which sparked a lively debate on liberal principles and Islam, has resurfaced and is going viral on social media platforms. Social media users are posting the video in which Affleck engaged in a heated exchange with Maher and other panelists, expressing his strong disagreement with some of their views to Islam and Islamophobia. This renewed interest in the discussion comes amidst the ongoing discourses surrounding Israel”s continuous air and ground assault on Gaza. The discussion was a major talking point when it aired for the first time, with many viewers praising Affleck”s willingness to challenge Maher”s often controversial statements, which are mostly aligned with the interests of the American right wing.

The Accountant and Air star participated show alongside author Sam Harris and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. The discussion centered on whether liberals were retreating from their core values and neglecting to address concerns regarding Islam”s treatment of women, minorities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, and other religions. The conversation quickly escalated into a heated debate when Harris asserted that liberals had shirked their responsibility to criticize what he perceived as shortcomings of such freedoms in Muslim-majority countries.

Ben Affleck calls out the depraved racist Islamophobia of liberals like Bill Maher and Sam Harris, and explains how this dehumanization is used to justify the mass slaughter of Arabs and Muslims, as is happening now with Palestinians pic.twitter.com/oPg4KJYpIX

— ☀️👀 (@zei_squirrel) November 4, 2023

“This meme of Islamophobia where every criticism of the doctrine of Islam gets confused with bigotry toward Muslims as people,” Sam Harris, the author of “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion”, commented. To this the host was seen responding with: ““These are liberal principals that liberals applaud for but then when you say in the Muslim world, this is what”s lacking, then they get upset”. And then Harris added that his argument is that “Liberals have failed us.”

Then, Affleck joins the debate by asking “Are you the person that understands the officially codified doctrine of Islam?” for which Harris replies that “I am actually well-educated” on the topic.

“I’m asking you, so you’re saying Islamophobia isn’t a real thing?,” Affleck asked Harris.

Then Maher chimed in and asked Affleck why he was being so hostile toward the idea, to which the former Batman actor responded: “because it’s gross, it’s racist, it’s disgusting.”

“Jesus Christ. That’s an ugly thing to say,” responded Affleck when Harris commented that’ Islam at this moment is the motherlode of bad ideas.”