The Global Peace and Unity Event: Extremists, Bigots, Supporters of Terrorism… and Senior Labour Politicians
A couple of months ago, the fascist British National Party held a rally in a field in Derbyshire. Anti-racist groups (and the Socialist Workers’ Party) converged on the site of the so-called “Red White and Blue Festival” to voice their opposition.
By contrast, this year’s Global Peace and Unity Event, organised by the pro-Muslim Brotherhood Islam Channel, is attended by The Rev Jesse Jackson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and a number of senior Labour politicians.
Yet there is scarcely a speaker at the GPU Event who is not an extremist, bigot, or a supporter of terrorism. Some are all three.
First the good news. Past GPU events have been sponsored by the Metropolitan Police. Since the unlamented retirement of the Muslim Contact Unit’s Detective Inspector Bob Lambert - who pioneered the strategy of promoting Hamas/Muslim Brotherhood as a counterweight to Al Qaeda - sponsorship now seems to have ended. Neither is the former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, anywhere to be seen. Boris Johnson has merely sent a nice note.
The bad news is this. The following senior Labour politicians are participating in the GPU Event:
- Lord Nazir Ahmed - Hosted the neo Nazi “Israel Shamir” when he held a meeting at the Houses of Parliament.
- Sadiq Khan - Minister for Community Cohesion.
- Stephen Timms - Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform at the Department for Work and Pensions and Labour Party Vice Chair for Faith Groups
The Tory Deputy Mayor, Richard Barnes is also taking part in this event.
Let’s have a look at the other participants in this event, shall we? Who will these senior politicians be sharing a platform with?
“People even under the pressures that you and I know about, the deen of Islam is growing because people see even within all of this struggle it is better to be a Muslim under these conditions than to be a kaffir under any conditions… before Allah closes our eyes for the last time you will see Islam move from being the second largest religion in America-that’s where we are now- to being the first religion in America.”
All of these Polish Jews which Hitler was supposedly trying to exterminate, that’s another point, by the way, Hitler never intended to mass-destroy the Jews. There are a number of books out on this written by Christians, you should read them. The Hoax of the Holocaust, I advise you to read this book and write this down, the Hoax of the Holocaust, a very good book. All of this is false propaganda and I know it sounds so far-fetched, but read it. The evidences [sic] are very strong. And they’re talking about newspaper articles, clippings, everything and look up yourself what Hitler really wanted to do. We’re not defending Hitler, by the way, but the Jews, the way that they portray him, also is not correct.
In his lawsuit, Rodriquez made hundreds of allegations, including – but not limited to – allegations that the Twin Towers were destroyed by means of “controlled demolitions”; that members of the FDNY were ordered, on instructions of the CIA, not to talk about it; that the FDNY conspired with Larry Silverstein to deliberately destroy 7WTC; that missiles were fired at the Twin Towers from “pods” affixed to the underside of the planes that struck them; that FEMA is working with the US government to create “American Gulag” concentration camps which FEMA will run once the government’s plan to impose martial law is in place; that phone calls made by some of the victims, as reported by their family members, were not actually made but were “faked” by the government using “voice morphing” technology; that a missile, not American Airlines Flight 77, struck the Pentagon; that United Airlines Flight 93 was shot down by the US military; that the defendants had foreknowledge of the attacks and actively conspired to bring them about; that the defendants engaged in kidnapping, arson, murder, treason, conspiracy, trafficking in narcotics, embezzlement, securities fraud, insider trading, identity and credit card theft, blackmail, trafficking in humans, and the abduction and sale of women and children for sex.
Khan actually said we should feel the degradation of modern Muslims in the context of Hitler and the Germans after Versailles. He used this example to accentuate the reason for “Muslim rage” — there was poor Germany belittled and humiliated, like the Muslim world today. He recounted being confronted by a fellow Pakistani after 9/11 who asked, “Do you not feel ashamed?” and he told the adoring crowd he did not see what there was to be ashamed of, and anyway, 9/11 was an excuse for the criminal Washington neocons to start a New Crusade against Islam.
To illustrate the level of extremism to which this event had degenerated, one of the organisers actually took the mike and said the event team wished to distance themselves from Khan’s 9/11 views.
Last October, I listened to an online audio sermon by an American Muslim preacher, Sheik Yusuf Estes, who was scheduled to speak at West Virginia University as a guest of the Muslim Student Association. He soon moved to the subject of disobedient wives, and his recommendations mirrored the literal reading of 4:34. First, “tell them.” Second, “leave the bed.” Finally: “Roll up a newspaper and give her a crack. Or take a yardstick, something like this, and you can hit.”
When I telephoned Estes later to ask about the sermon, he said that he had been trying to limit how and when men could hit their wives. He realized that he had to revisit the issue, he told me, when some Canadian Muslim men asked him if they could use the Sunday newspaper to give their wives “a crack.”
Yet even those doing the 4:34 dance seem to realize that there’s a problem. When I went back to listen to the audio clip later, the offensive language had been removed.
On 21 March 2004, a rally of 1000 mostly Muslim protestors was held at the Watsonia sports ground in Athlone, Cape Town to protest against Israel’s “targeted killing” of Yassin. One of the featured speakers was Ebrahim Rasool, at that time the finance minister for the Western Cape and the provincial leader of the ANC in the province. Rasool’s speech was surprisingly militant. He described Yassin as “one of the greatest inspirations” to Muslims and quoted with approval Yassin’s teaching that “whoever dies, without having fought in the way of Allah or even having desire to fight in the way of Allah, dies on a twing of hypocrisy”. He also prayed that Palestinians “stand up to these enemies and never succumb, that they fight and they fight under a flag of Islam”, and he called on his audience to “face the enemies—they are all over the world”.
The award of a knighthood to the author Salman Rushdie justifies suicide attacks, a Pakistani government minister said today.
“This is an occasion for the 1.5 billion Muslims to look at the seriousness of this decision,” Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq, religious affairs minister, told the Pakistani parliament in Islamabad. “The west is accusing Muslims of extremism and terrorism. If someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologises and withdraws the ’sir’ title.”
Other participants include:
- Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss - Neturei Karta
- John Rees - Failure
- Salma Yaqoob - Former campaigner for the freedom of the Yemeni Jihadis
The Government is spending millions of pounds on attempts to find out why British Muslims are drawn into extremist politics. In an era in which schoolchildren are being encouraged to engage in violent jihad, schools are being urged to report students being drawn into extremism. The courts have been full, for the past three years, with terrorist trial after terrorist trial.
Yet it is at events like the Global Peace and Unity Event that British Muslims are being inducted into political and religious extremism.
And, by permitting senior Labour politicians to attend this event, the Government is both encouraging and endorsing this politics.
Comments
| 10 October 2008, 12:21 pm |
Given the nutter TuTu’s continual demonisation of Israel with blood libels and false labels of Apartheid I think he deserves a special mention too as a radical extremist.
| 10 October 2008, 12:27 pm |
Global Peace and Unity, in this context, is clearly a euphemism.
It is very clear what sort of “peace” and “unity” this lot are promoting.
| 10 October 2008, 12:56 pm |
More vicious anti-Muslim hate from this nasty little Zionist hate-site
| 10 October 2008, 1:03 pm |
There has never been an antisemitic terrorist that Tutu didn’t like.
| 10 October 2008, 1:17 pm |
David T,
May I have your permission to send your post to Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.? I’d send it to his dad but I don’t know his email address.
| 10 October 2008, 1:18 pm |
I have to disagree in part with the demonisation of Desmond Tutu. I don’t feel that he is antisemitic.
However, I feel that by associating with the sort of extremists on the wholly misnamed ‘global peace and unity’ event he is tainting himself by association with the sort of extremists who give groups like the SWP a wet dream.
The other area where Tutu can be legitimately criticised is in showing a lack of judgement in backing this event and his participation in it.
I’ve met Rev Tutu and found him a genuinely humane man who fought a disgusting divisive regime. However whilst once the possessor of a formidable poltitical intellect he has slipped and come under the influence of anti Zionist extremists who cloak their racist bile with a liberal/social democratic honey coating.
I think those of us who have an interest in how Israel is run (I’m a Zionist who would like to see Israel in peace with its neighbours btw) have to be extremely careful not only in the choice of words that we use but also the sort of people that we allow to sign up as supporters.
If I was writing something that was critical of israel then I for one would never accept support from groups such as the SWP/SPSC/IJV/Respect etc etc on the grounds that associating with such groups is counterproductive to the cause of peace.
I think all groups / individuals who want to engage positively with the situaition in the Middle East should make very sure that those who sign up to support them are not the same organisations who are trying to destabilise community relations both at home and overseas. If I see groups such as Respect / LMHR / SWP involved in a cause then I steer clear of becoming involved myself.
The average decent person wouldn’t tolerate support for their cause coming from the BNP as this party is anathama to the idea of democracy and its high time that progressive groups treated the SWP and all their front groups and other deluded nutters on the far left in the same way.
| 10 October 2008, 1:18 pm |
David T is a bit of a political anorak, but this is good work!
Sadiq Khan - Minister for Community Cohesion.
You couldn’t make this shit up!
| 10 October 2008, 1:26 pm |
Is there any possibility that listening to the ranting of extremists could wake up these Labour politicians?
| 10 October 2008, 1:28 pm |
There has never been an antisemitic terrorist that Tutu didn’t like.
I have a rather nifty Czech Brno 452 model 2E cal .22LR rifle which I’ve named ‘Desmond’ in Tutu’s honour…..Desmond 22….geddit!
My son just loves it for demolishing ice cubes, bottle tops and 9mm cases, it really should be compulsory kit for all small boys.
Oh and my push-bike’s named ‘Norman’.
| 10 October 2008, 1:33 pm |
agreed Trundlemaster,
there is a distinctive difference between people that are motivated by a hatred of Jews, those that use it and still, those that are ill informed on these topics and inadvertently get drawn in, such as Tutu. They are not one and the same.
I do wish Nearly Oxfordian and Co. would sit back and think on that matter
| 10 October 2008, 1:35 pm |
Trundlemaster (and mod) - spot on.
Nick SA. Of course New Labour has criminalized ownership of .22 guns now, I think. Be thankful you’re not in this country! I’m sure Prof. Geras is very proud to have your bike named after him.
| 10 October 2008, 1:36 pm |
“I have a rather nifty Czech Brno 452 model 2E cal .22LR rifle which I’ve named ‘Desmond’ in Tutu’s honour…..Desmond 22….geddit! ”
2:2 degree results have been called “Desmonds” for years and years.
A friend of mine sat next to Desmond Tutu and asked him if he knew that his name was commonly used in this manner.
He did not, but was amused.
| 10 October 2008, 1:37 pm |
Trundlemaster (and mod) - spot on
Nick SA. Of course New Labour has criminalized ownership of .22 guns now, I think. Be thankful you’re not in this country. I’m sure Prof. Geras is very proud to have your bike named after him.
| 10 October 2008, 1:47 pm |
Labour ministers are sleepwalking into this. They haven’t got a clue who they’re talking to or why. They just want pix of themselves surrounded by smiling brown faces. The only hope is that the election disaster they’re also sleepwalking into culls them all.
Timms and Khan are clearly convinced that all Muslims are dangerous head-loppers and the only option is to beg them to chop someone’s else’s head off instead.
They should call this the “Peace in our time” conference. They are feasting with panthers.
| 10 October 2008, 1:50 pm |
“Feasting with panthers” - in the sense that Oscar Wilde and former GPU Speaker, Simon Hughes would understand it - would result in death, under the system favoured by many of these people.
| 10 October 2008, 1:50 pm |
Khan actually said we should feel the degradation of modern Muslims in the context of Hitler and the Germans after Versailles. He used this example to accentuate the reason for “Muslim rage” — there was poor Germany belittled and humiliated, like the Muslim world today.
The sense of degradation comes from knowing deep-down that everything you believe in is horseshit, and that you’ve been had, and royally so, by a worhtless desert brigand.
And by the way…and this is also the case with Canda’s muslims… a significant proportion of the muslim community supports these type of people.
And the fact that Labour politicians choose to participate in such events makes the BNP look positively attractive for ordinary, bleu-collar Brits.
Over here we had senior representatives of Canda’s NDP ( our version of Labour) attending a shindig featuring none other than the repugnant Yvonne Ridley as guest speaker.
The Islamist fascist who organised the engagement, and who never addresses a non-muslim without wagging her index finger, is now running for the NDP in the current national elections.
She has convinced a bunch of clueless socialists, who haven’t the brains of a knat, that she’s a ‘progressive’.
She was booted out of Morocco for extremism, after which she was booted out of France ( for the same reaons), only to wash up here like some unwanted piece of wet, stinking drift-wood.
Why is no one willing to take these politicians aside and explain to them just what this version of islam stands for?
Large portions of the muslim communities presently inhabiting western countires are literally at war with us, and their supremacist sense of entitlement and superiority preclude any possibility of either entente or détente.
So why the hell are we tolerating these viscious ‘green’ Nazis as though it were the moral thing to do?
When are we going to puncture these intolerant, bloated gasbags?
| 10 October 2008, 2:02 pm |
That Stephen Timms is a well known Nazi infiltrater. Not as bad as Imran Khan mind - he failed the cricket test. Just cos he married a Goldsmith doesn’t mean he’s stopped reading Mein Kampf, you know. Is that German lady from the SWP going to be there as well, Lindsay whatshername? Maybe she’ll come in uniform like that racing car guy used to come in his. Nobody should be surprised about Desmond Tutu, he’s a mad mullah, a guy who nearly went to Oxford told me… (cont. page 794 ‘Protocols of Harry’s Place’)
| 10 October 2008, 2:05 pm |
Is there any possibility that listening to the ranting of extremists could wake up these Labour politicians?
Go back to the month post 7/7 when Blair stood outside No 10 with various Muslim community leaders around him and said that the people who carried-out 7/7 were people following a “perversion of Islam”. At that moment Blair became a dupe.
Satanism is a perversion of Christianity and I can buy 2,000 books on Satanism. Tell me where I buy a book that details a “perversion of Islam”. There IS only one book and its called The Koran.
Blair then assembled a group of Muslims who were supposed to speak for the Community and bring forward a plan by the end of that year. Remember one of the ideas leaked? “Muslims find Holocaust Memorial Day offensive. So stop it!”
At that point the Govt realised there was hardly any such thing as the moderate Muslim Community representative they sought and all the recommendations were thrown in the bin, where they belonged.
The Govt keeps on running down the same track and guess what - they find that same old radical tosh that tells them that We are Wrong and They are Right.
Why don’t we start moving through the radical preacher community and start arresting people for a change? Why don’t we send a message that we are a tolerant people who have lost tolerance because our goodwill is taken advantage of?
| 10 October 2008, 2:09 pm |
John P said: “And the fact that Labour politicians choose to participate in such events makes the BNP look positively attractive for ordinary, bleu-collar Brits.”
This is what is worrying me. The BNP have made great capital about how the ‘liberal elite’ (their words) have ignored the plight of the white working class Brits and the particiapation of Labour ministers in what is probably going to turn into a ‘kick the Jews / Christians’ type of event is going to a) backfire on Nu Labour and b) boost the bnp in their target areas.
BTW I normally disagree with John P’s anti Islam stance but I do feel that he is correct in his opinion that for Nu Labour ministers to attend what is essentially a divisive event will cause problems in the future.
We must be extremely careful that by our actions as a democratic society we do not inadvertantly feed the fascism of the far right white nationalists and the far right of the Islamists. Backing this event looks to me like feeding fascism inadvertantly.
| 10 October 2008, 2:16 pm |
Criticising Tutu’s loving association with antisemitic murderers is not ‘demonisation’, but simply stating a fact.
I agree that SWP should be shunned by all decent people.
| 10 October 2008, 2:18 pm |
Excellent post, Maven.
| 10 October 2008, 2:19 pm |
Zin
Can you tell me whether you object to any politician who promotes the following views?
- “it is better to be a Muslim under these conditions than to be a kaffir under any conditions”
- “Hitler never intended to mass-destroy the Jews. There are a number of books out on this written by Christians, you should read them. The Hoax of the Holocaust, I advise you to read this book and write this down, the Hoax of the Holocaust, a very good book”
- “that missiles were fired at the Twin Towers from “pods” affixed to the underside of the planes that struck them”
- “He recounted being confronted by a fellow Pakistani after 9/11 who asked, “Do you not feel ashamed?” and he told the adoring crowd he did not see what there was to be ashamed of”
- “Roll up a newspaper and give her a crack. Or take a yardstick, something like this, and you can hit.”
- “He described Yassin as “one of the greatest inspirations” to Muslims and quoted with approval Yassin’s teaching that “whoever dies, without having fought in the way of Allah or even having desire to fight in the way of Allah, dies on a twing of hypocrisy”. ”
- “If someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologises and withdraws [Rushdie’s] the ’sir’ title”
Here’s some other questions
- Would you approve of a Government minister sharing a platform with a white fascist who advocated beating women?
- Would you approve of a Government minister sharing a platform with a white fascist who claimed that the Holocaust was a hoax?
- Would you approve of a Government minister sharing a platform with a white fascist who claimed ” it is better to be a white man under these conditions than to be a nigger under any conditions”?
If your reaction is different, depending on whether the person is Muslim or non-Muslim: can I ask you why you have such low expectations of Muslims?
Are you an Islamophobe?
| 10 October 2008, 2:20 pm |
I never quite know what Zin is rambling on about in any of his posts - no sane person can follow his ignorant drivel - but it looks as though he is another twat who thinks that my screen name means that I ‘nearly went to Oxford’.
| 10 October 2008, 2:23 pm |
Who knows, John? The sheer stupidity and ignorance of the people our countries elect to high office, I suppose.
| 10 October 2008, 2:30 pm |
Make I ask David if this is helpful at all? How come that government ministers share a podium with a bunch of crooks after so many posts of yours? After all this is not the first rally organized by the GOP!
Do you see any improvement since you have started writing about Muslim Brothers “moderates” and their relations with the government, or are these only some futile attempts of yours to raise a bit public awareness to this issue? Is there anyone else in the media writing about this things?
I am sorry for asking so many questions but in this case these politicians could not have missed the nature of this organization. Isn’t there anybody who cares?
| 10 October 2008, 2:35 pm |
Trundlemaster: I have written on HP in some detail in the past about my huge admiration for Tutu in the context of working together during the struggle on a trial of an ANC youth sentenced to death. Because of this, my bitter dismay was all the greater at his embracing of the notorious powerful antisemitic Jewish lobby trope speaking in the USA and writing here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/apr/29/comment
Nothing he has subsequently said has ameliorated that statement.
| 10 October 2008, 2:42 pm |
No.
| 10 October 2008, 2:44 pm |
Yes, I believe that Hazel Blears and the people who count in this Government care very much indeed about this issue.
They have a very difficult task: which is basically to bolster moderate politics without appearing to be ’sponsoring’ it, while avoiding the various Islamist front organisations.
Events like this - and IslamExpo - have a very very strong - indeed dominant - Islamist component. That is partly a result of the rise of that politics globally. There’s another thing too. Parts of the British Muslim community has probably been significantly radicalised, and does now think of Islamist and jihadist politics as being their own olitics. The Government knows this.
However, perhaps the thinking is that these events are so high profile, they can no longer be ignored or avoided.
Ahmed will attend this event because he isn’t a million miles away from its politics himself.
As for the other two, I don’t know. Khan and Timms may be clueless. However, the nature of past GPUs and IslamExpos are such, that they really can’t not have known.
So, possibly, these Ministers are not unsympathetic to Islamism.
Both Khan and Timms have special responsibilities for “community cohesion”. I find that very depressing.
What I am particularly concerned by is that these two may have bought into the line that we must hand over the British Muslim community to Islamists who promise only to commit terrorist acts abroad, and delegate to them the job of keeping British Muslims out of the hands of Al Qaeda.
| 10 October 2008, 2:45 pm |
2:2 degree results have been called “Desmonds” for years and years.
Thirds have been called “Douglases” for a similar reason.
| 10 October 2008, 2:46 pm |
Ami said: “Trundlemaster: I have written on HP in some detail in the past about my huge admiration for Tutu in the context of working together during the struggle on a trial of an ANC youth sentenced to death. Because of this, my bitter dismay was all the greater at his embracing of the notorious powerful antisemitic Jewish lobby trope speaking in the USA and writing here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/apr/29/comment
Nothing he has subsequently said has ameliorated that statement.”
Ami, I also have great admiration for Desmond Tutu and although he has acknowledge the contribution made by Jews in South Africa in the struggle against apartheid he has made a grave error in lining up with the useful idiots of the Palesrtinians = good / Israelis = bad sort.
The situation in the middle east needs a subtle approach if there is to be a just settlement that compensates those Palestinians who were displaced during the upheavals of 1948 and gives Israel security. What is not helpful to the situation is having great men in the twilight of their powers being used to push what are essentially racist memes promulgated by various sort of fascists and cheered on by the extreme left in the UK and elsewhere.
| 10 October 2008, 2:47 pm |
Yes, my friend also had a similar conversation with Lord Hurd. He also didn’t know. He was less amused.
| 10 October 2008, 2:52 pm |
David T
Your website is reading more and more like the BNP every day.
One of your linked articles suggests that the Muslims are taking over and that “Americans, Jews, Israelis and Hindus get out of here [Britain] as soon as possible.”
After attacking a Muslim event, the author juxtaposes Muslims & Jews: To read what 15,000 Jewish youth do when they convene, go to…
http://www.currentviewpoint.com/cgibin/news.cgi?id=11&command=shownews&newsid=826
‘Evil Muslims. Civilised Jews.’ This is the language and modus operandi of the BNP. And your website signs up to it with enthusiasm.
HP also regularly promotes fascists in Venezuela who overthrew an elected socialist government and abolished parliament.
| 10 October 2008, 2:53 pm |
Yes, my friend also had a similar conversation with Lord Hurd. He also didn’t know. He was less amused.
He should be relieved, given the alternatives.
| 10 October 2008, 3:01 pm |
Zin
Can you not answer my questions?
You are the BNPer - you clearly believe that Muslims are wife beaters, supporters of terrorism, 9/11 truthers. When you read these views, you can’t condemn them as extreme, because you regard them of typical of Muslims.
Or, alternatively, you share them yourself.
| 10 October 2008, 3:05 pm |
Mordechai V: More vicious anti-Muslim hate from this nasty little Zionist hate-site
You missed out the link to that.
Nearly Oxfordian: No
Oh go on.
| 10 October 2008, 3:08 pm |
Just read the BBC news website for this afternoon and see that a Pakistani bombmule has blown up 15 tribal elders at a meeting near the Afghani border. The West really needs to hammer home that these people cannot offer ‘peace and unity’ to anyone, not even themselves. Young Muslims need to be made aware of the complete deadend that is being offered to them. I also think that these people who claim they want to reassert Islamic civilization should go out to the Islamic countries and work to ‘modernise’ them rather than subvert the West.
| 10 October 2008, 3:16 pm |
How about an invitation for Zin to “post a bit less”, David.
Jeez.
| 10 October 2008, 3:21 pm |
Maven at 2.05 pm: “At that point the Govt realised there was hardly any such thing as the moderate Muslim Community representative they sought and all the recommendations were thrown in the bin, where they belonged.”
And what about the Young Muslims Advisory Group recently set up?
From the National Youth Agency website:
“Direct access to ministers and policy-makers to feed into the design of government policy with young people shaping the agenda.”
| 10 October 2008, 3:24 pm |
This is what is worrying me. The BNP have made great capital about how the ‘liberal elite’ (their words) have ignored the plight of the white working class Brits and the particiapation of Labour ministers in what is probably going to turn into a ‘kick the Jews / Christians’ type of event is going to a) backfire on Nu Labour and b) boost the bnp in their target areas.
I completely agree with you. I posted an L.A. Times article about this on another thread a few days ago that analysed the recent Far rRght gains in Austria.
There isn’t a lot of *support* for the Far Right. What at first appears to be support is, in fact, a cry of desperation aimed at unresponsive and irresponsable elites who simply refuse to face issues that everyone else can see are of the utmost importance.
All of this comes at a time when the economy is collapsing world-wide.
As long as The West’s ‘diversity, was suspended in (distracted by?) a happy union of consumption, all of it kited on paper-money, the social fractures and fault-lines could be masked.
What happens, though, when unemployment skyrockets and millions of seething, restive immigrants, some of whom are from a culture hostile to our own, find themselves permenantly without work?
The party’s over, but our boomer politicians, with their glamour-puss conceit, their careerism and their selfish ambitions simply aren’t in the business of taking risks, whether those risks be political or personnal.
And so the Far right, by default, waltzes right up the main aisle.
Will the economic crisis be a flash in the pan? If not, and if it deepens, will many traditional political formations end up going the way of the dodo?
| 10 October 2008, 3:27 pm |
“Do you still beat your wife?”
Absolutely classic, David T.
| 10 October 2008, 3:37 pm |
Zin is at least amusingly stupid.
Thank you for that 5 minute chuckle. :D
| 10 October 2008, 3:38 pm |
No, Zin
I’m asking you to answer a simple question.
Do you think that Government Minsters should be sharing a platform with Muslim speakers who advocate these views?
Yes or no?
Do you think that Government Ministers should share a platform with non-Muslim speakers who advocate these views?
Yes or no?
Of course, you won’t answer me, because you can’t.
| 10 October 2008, 3:53 pm |
…And no, I don’t think you’re stupid, Nearly Oxfordian. But you are a tad bit abusive. I recommend engaging commenters (even the kooky ones) without some of the colorful adjectives.
| 10 October 2008, 3:55 pm |
If I can digress, that’s precisely the point.
There’s nothing more annoying than seeing threads degenerate into the slinging of facile insults at each other.
| 10 October 2008, 4:01 pm |
John P Said: “There isn’t a lot of *support* for the Far Right. What at first appears to be support is, in fact, a cry of desperation aimed at unresponsive and irresponsable elites who simply refuse to face issues that everyone else can see are of the utmost importance.”
Racist nutters and the parties that form around such views have always been with us to a certain extent. The Jews, Germans, Italians Poles have all been the target of xenophobia from Brits of all political persuasions.
I do think however that the actions of the Govts in the UK by sweeping tensions under the carpet instead of taking the sensible approach of dealing with and defusing tensions and drawing a line in the sand over what is and what is not acceptable behaviour is going to have reprecussions.
I don’t happen to think that every muslim is a bomb wearing Jew hating headcase but the fact that Britain hasn’t dealt harshly enough with extremists in the Muslim community has emboldened the white nationalist far right. This is counterproductive both to the average muslim who just wants to get their head down, earn a living and quitely practice their religion and to community cohesion as a whole.
“All of this comes at a time when the economy is collapsing world-wide.”
The economic pain is going to be reflected in an increase in votes for extremists.
“As long as The West’s ‘diversity, was suspended in (distracted by?) a happy union of consumption, all of it kited on paper-money, the social fractures and fault-lines could be masked.”
I disagree with you there. Yes prosperity does help people to mix as the stress of poverty is reduced and people are more likely to see others as individuals rather than competitors for limited resources but I woudn’t say that this was ‘papering over fault lines’.
“What happens, though, when unemployment skyrockets and millions of seething, restive immigrants, some of whom are from a culture hostile to our own, find themselves permenantly without work?”
What bothers me is your phrase ‘a culture hostile to our own’ is similar to what was said about the huge influx of Ashkenazi Jews into the UK in the late 19th early 20th Century. The Jews who were seen as aliens and criminals in 1910 became model citizens
by 2000. I think part of the problem is is that those who can get out of the muslim ghettos by reason of intelligence or hard work do so but those who can’t get trapped behind and are then prey to extemist rabble rousers and their allies in disgusting groups like the SWP.
I do agree with you however when you say that when unemployment bites support for the neo nazis will go up as well.
“And so the Far right, by default, waltzes right up the main aisle.
Very worrying especially if the Left and the mainstream social democrats don’t get their arses into gear and start engaging respectfully with blue collar whites.
| 10 October 2008, 4:13 pm |
Is there an official line on this blog over whether people should be criticised for socialising with terrorists and extremists as this post implies or whether criticising someone for palling around with terrorists is “sliming” them?
Does it depend on whether there’s an election on?
| 10 October 2008, 4:22 pm |
Two different posters, Ross. Not applicable.
| 10 October 2008, 4:30 pm |
Desmond Tutu has indeed been an admirable and indefatigable (oh dear) champion of the oppressed. But I believe he is either naive or disingenuous. It’s very useful to be able to sit outside the muddy fields of politics and comment from a strictly moral position. In the case of the ME conflict, I believe he has got himself into a moral maze.
As for the Islamic event discussed here, I would think that the words used by extremist sympathisers on this occasion would be edited for local consumption, so as not to attract the attention of the press and push the government offside.
| 10 October 2008, 4:30 pm |
Blimey. The tentacles of the evil Islamist antisemitic conspiracy have now reached Desmond Tutu.
I think we can safely say the sky has fallen in. Again.
| 10 October 2008, 4:32 pm |
They just want pix of themselves surrounded by smiling brown faces.
Don’t let the mask slip.
| 10 October 2008, 4:39 pm |
Thank you for posting this David.
| 10 October 2008, 4:54 pm |
What bothers me is your phrase ‘a culture hostile to our own’ is similar to what was said about the huge influx of Ashkenazi Jews into the UK in the late 19th early 20th Century
Look, why should the phrase ‘hostile to our culture’ bother you?
How many times has Europe had to push back Islamic invasions? Islam has been assaulting Eruope since its very inception.
And there is absolutely NO equivalence between Ashkenazi Jews fleeing persectuion and Islamists with a viscious and supremacist mineset.
Not all muslims are Jew-haters, , nor are they all violent or chauvinistic, but the fact remains that there is a significant minority who are.
Muslim immigration sometimes isn’t immigration. Some are here as settlers and have clearly and openly stated their desire to ‘conquer’ Europe, and indeed the entire world.
Does that sound like some poor, downtrodden Ashkanazis refugee from a russian pogrom?
No equivalence. Radical islamists are not the ‘new’ Jews.
And nearly every muslim attending this gabfest is a radical Far right islamist.
| 10 October 2008, 5:07 pm |
Zin? ……… Zin? ………
[dust ……. tumbleweed ……..]
| 10 October 2008, 5:14 pm |
“Before Allah closes our eyes for the last time you will see Islam move from being the second largest religion in America - that’s where we are now - to being the first religion in America.”
I don’t want this to happen, but what is wrong with a Muslim wanting it? How could any Muslim not want it?
| 10 October 2008, 5:17 pm |
Another GPU speaker, “Sheikh” Muhammad Alshareef, is, quite literally, a preacher of Jew hatred.
In conclusion, a fundamental part of our Deen is Al-Wala’ and Al-Bara’ (wala’ - love and loyalty / Bara’ hatred and disownment). It would be profitable for us to reflect on the implementation of our Wala’ and Bara’ in regards to the Jews: Firstly: We should not take them as our close allies. Allâh commands us in the Qur’ân: [O you who have belied, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is one of them. Indeed Allâh does not guide the wrongdoing people.] - Ma’idah 5/51
How this can be squared with the “bridge building” GPU says it is aiming for is anyone’s guess.
Alshareef also appears to think that Jews control the media. Even Seinfeld is a menace:
When I was in high school, studying in journalism class, our teacher had placed on the wall a statement that I spent many days contemplating. It simply said, “Freedom of the press (speech) belongs to those that own the press!” Who owns the press? Well, you can believe me when I say that it is not the God fearing beloved of Allâh. It is this same press that molds and programs the aqeedah of a huge section of our Ummah. Many of our brothers and sisters are illiterate to the words of Allâh and the guidance of Rasul Allâh - sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, so it is with little doubt that their ideas are subconsciously molded by what Seinfeld tells them at 8 pm every Wednesday evening.
Absolutely barking.
| 10 October 2008, 5:19 pm |
Sorry, the link to Alshareef on Jews is here:
http://www.islaminjersey.com/Muslims%20aqeedah/banu%20israel.htm
| 10 October 2008, 5:22 pm |
Thanks habibi
There is so much stuff on these guys that I’m thinking of doing a post a day on each one of them.
| 10 October 2008, 5:31 pm |
There is so much stuff on these guys that I’m thinking of doing a post a day on each one of them.
Could you do a post on vegetable gardening or beekeeping first, just so you don’t have the entire blog filled up with posts about Muslims.
| 10 October 2008, 5:37 pm |
Racist nutters and the parties that form around such views have always been with us to a certain extent. The Jews, Germans, Italians Poles have all been the target of xenophobia from Brits of all political persuasions.
True up to a point, Trundlemaster. But there has never been such vilification of Germans (even after WW2!) as there is now of Jews. Moslem leaders quite openly call for mass-murder of Jews. How many of them are prosecuted? How many of them, in contrast, are referred to (even by those laughingly known as ‘governing this country’) as ‘community leaders’?
| 10 October 2008, 5:37 pm |
Benji
Are you an Islamophobe?
Do you seriously believe that these articles about advocates of wife beating, terrorism, racism, conspiracy theories are articles about Muslims?
Are you seriously suggesting that articles about marginal fascist political movements within the Britihs Muslim community are articles, generally, about Muslims?
Why do you have such a low opinion of Muslims?
| 10 October 2008, 5:38 pm |
Seeing as they can’t get ‘peace and unity’ in the Islamic countries, what makes them think they can spread it worldwide?