The weekend papers provided a platform for pundits to offer their views on the House of Lords decision in the Shabina Begum case. These are, predictably, uniformly hostile to Shabina. Thus we have Fiona Phillips in the Daily Mirror (“‘I’m an intelligent girl,’ Shabina told me, ‘and no one tells me what to do.’ Clearly, though, her brother does”) and Carole Malone in the Sunday Mirror (“this uppity young woman not only needs to be brought down a peg or two, she needs to learn that in Britain rules and respect are a damn sight more important than what you wear”). Jasper Gerard in the Sunday Times dismisses Shabina’s point that “there are girls pressured to wear headscarves who don’t want to” (“here Shabina surely shoots her case out of the sky: if girls are subject to any unwelcome pressure to cover up, then far from giving in, perhaps schools should ban all religious clothing”), while Joan Smith in the Independent on Sunday says that “the decision marked the moment in Britain when the State, faced by religious extremism, drew a line” and claims that Shabina is among those who “advocate ideas that are quite at odds with the values of the society in which they live”.
Monthly Archives: March 2006
‘March for Free Expression’ wash-out
Lenin’s Tomb has coverage of the pathetic “March for Free Expression” protest in Trafalgar Square this afternoon. It drew some 300 people at its peak and that had fallen to around 150 by the time this would-be mass demonstration reached its rain-soaked end. The hard core who remained gave an enthusiastic reception to Sean Gabb of the Libertarian Alliance when he criticised the supporters of “free speech” who had backed Jyllands-Posten over the cartoons but had failed to give similar support to Nick Griffin and David Irving during the recent court cases against them.
LAGCAR statement on ‘March for Free Expression’
Lesbian and Gay activists say “Don’t support the BNP” – the truth about the Freedom of Expression rally
LGBT activists have expressed deep concerns at the Freedom of Expression rally due to take place this Saturday. The event has received support from fascist group the BNP, and “Civil Liberty” which is co-ordinated by BNP regional organiser Kevin Scott, who holds convictions for assault and using threatening words and behaviour(1). The BNP is calling the forthcoming local elections a “referendum on Islam”.
LGBT activists have expressed concerns that some Lesbian and Gay organisations, and other mainstream figures, could be seen to lend legitimacy to the event. Speakers billed as appearing include Peter Tatchell, GALHA (The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association), Dr. Evan Harris and the British Institute of Human Rights. The event is also supported by UKIP, whose London Mayoral candidate Frank Maloney remarked that he didn’t intend to visit the north London borough of Camden because there were “too many gays” there. Godfrey Bloom, UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, who was selected to represent his party on the European Parliament’s women’s rights committee, has argued that “no self-respecting small businessman with a brain in the right place would ever employ a lady of child-bearing age”.
The Libertarian Alliance Director Sean Gabb is also billed as speaking. He defended the right to free speech of an evangelical Christian in Sweden who had been convicted under that country’s anti-hatred legislation after describing homosexuality as “abnormal, a horrible cancerous tumour in the body of society”. The Libertarian Alliance also states that “the Commission for Racial Equality and all similar organisations should be abolished, and their records burned”, and that all the legislation making racial discrimination illegal should also be abolished.
An Imaan spokesperson said: “We are deeply concerned that LGBT people and organisations appear to be supporting this rally. Our members support freedom of expression and free speech, but this is being exploited by this demo which appears to be aligning elements in society which have singled out the Muslim community, under the guise of ‘free expression’. Organisers of the march were encouraging supporters to bring placards with the Danish cartoons on them, which caused deep offence to the Muslim community for their racist caricatures. They have since backed down, but we are concerned about a number of comments posted by individuals to their website that seem to be reacting to this decision in a way that we feel is hostile towards Islam; this seems to be revealing the real intentions of some of those intending to march under the banner of ‘Freedom of Expression’. Any hostilities whipped up against the Muslim community have a direct impact on LGBT Muslims who suffer from Islamophobia. We call on everyone in the LGBT community to show solidarity with us against Islamophobia at this difficult time.”
Denis Fernando of the Lesbian and Gay Coalition Against Racism said:
“Peter Tatchell has issued a statement regarding his addressing of the demo stating ‘In January, I challenged Sir Iqbal Sacranie of the Muslim Council of Britain when he denounced homosexuality as immoral, harmful and diseased. But I did not seek to ban him, nor did I support calls for his prosecution. I defended Sir Iqbal’s right to free speech. Will he and his fellow MCB leaders now defend my right to freedom of expression?’ However, Peter Tatchell and Outrage actually called for Iqbal Sacranie and the MCB to be withdrawn from the Unite Against Fascism conference(2), which brought together all those who oppose the disturbing growth of the BNP, including Muslims and LGBT activists. Peter Tatchell is now speaking at a rally which is being built and supported by the BNP and the Libertarian Alliance. This is of serious concern to the LGBT movement. In areas where the BNP are active, racist and homophobic incidents increase.”
For more information contact Lesbian and Gay Coalition Against Racism
lagcar@hotmail.co.uk
1: source – BBC News
2: source – www.petertatchell.net
BNP supports ‘March for Free Expression’
“Freedom of expression has been in the news in recent weeks and attempts by both the State and extremist Islamicists to stifle freedom of expression have come under the spotlight in the wake of the Nick Griffin and Mark Collett trial in January and the recent furore over the publication of satirical cartoons featuring Mohammed. Freedom of expression has been in the news in recent weeks and attempts by both the State and extremist Islamicists to stifle freedom of expression have come under the spotlight in the wake of the Nick Griffin and Mark Collett trial in January and the recent furore over the publication of satirical cartoons featuring Mohammed.
“On Saturday in central London a wide range of political, religious and lobby groups will be taking part in a protest rally to affirm the importance of free expression in frank and honest debate, including the freedom to criticise and mock religions and faiths. The BNP, the only political party which champions free speech backs the protest and we have also been made aware that Civil Liberty supporters will be present to demonstrate against the encroaching intolerance of Marxism and militant Islamicists.”
BNP news article, 23 March 2006
To quote Nick Cohen’s boost for the “March for Free Expression” in last Sunday’s Observer: “Fortunately, the British National Party is nowhere to be seen and the rally will be filled with democratic leftists, Liberal Democrats, secularists and Iranian and Saudi Arabian dissidents.”
See also Salma Yaqoob’s post on the Guardian’s Comment is Free, 23 March 2006
Tatchell and ‘free expression’
Peter Tatchell justifies his decision to support Saturday’s “March for Free Expression”:
“Some of my friends on the left are refusing to take part. Preferring to remain marginal but pure, they object to the involvement of right-wing groups like the Libertarian Alliance and the Freedom Association. I share their distaste for these groups. But my participation on Saturday is based on supporting the statement of principle, not on who else is taking part. I will not let the dubious politics of others dissuade me from supporting what are important, progressive humanitarian values.”
March for Free Expression website, 23 March 2006
Odd, then, that Tatchell argued for banning the Muslim Council of Britain from the Unite Against Fascism conference last month. Presumably it’s OK to form an alliance with racists to oppose Muslims, but out of the question to form an alliance with Muslims to oppose racists.
‘No Danish cartoons, please’ – appeal from protest organiser
Over a month ago Peter Risdon, organiser of the “March for Free Expression”, posted a notice on their website encouraging those attending Saturday’s protest to bring along and display copies of the Jyllands-Posten cartoons. He wrote: “Since we are in favour of free speech, and because the reason why newspapers and magazines across Europe (though not, shamefully, in the UK) have republished the infamous cartoons was principally ‘We are Spartacus’ – we stand together – we will be happy to see reproductions of the cartoons in question at the rally.”
March for Free Expression website, 19 February 2006
Now Risdon is frantically backtracking: “At the outset, we said that displays of the Danish cartoons would be welcome on Saturday. No, let me rephrase that: At the outset, I, Peter Risdon, said the cartoons would be welcome. I am going to take full responsibility for this. I now think that was a mistake…. I now appeal to people not to bring the cartoons on T-shirts or placards.” Not only that, but “Muslims are welcome” at Saturday’s protest.
March for Free Expression website, 23 March 2006
But what about the other t-shirts you advertise on your site, Peter? You know, the ones with slogans like “Get your fatwa out of my face. Support Denmark. Support free speech”, “Up yours, ‘religion of peace’!”, “Viking jihad” and “Islam is a blast”. Are you still encouraging people to wear these?
Well, apparently not. If you click here you’ll find that the advert, headed “T-Shirts – But Be Quick!“, has mysteriously disappeared from the MFE site.
Peter states piously: “The principle of freedom of expression is used, by some, as a trojan horse, as a proxy for racism and islamophobia. Not by me. Not by us. Not by this campaign.” No, no, Peter – of course not.
Some of Peter’s followers are not best pleased about this liberal backsliding over the right to display racist caricatures: “This is surely what the march is about. By restricting the free speech of the protestors you will play into the hands of Islamophobia Watch…” . “I’m hugely disappointed by this. You’ve done exactly what the censors want. I’m really not sure I’ll bother coming along now, to be honest, and I’m guessing plenty of other people who have supported this campaign feel the same. I donated money to this campaign in good faith, and right now this feels like a betrayal of that faith. Will you be reimbursing people?” “I gave you money because I thought you were standing up to the tyranny of Islam, you sniveling coward. Either reverse course once again and welcome those cartoons back again THAT WERE THE ORIGINAL REASON FOR THIS MARCH or refund my money.” “Another pathetic example of grovelling to Muslim ‘sensibilities’.” “I don’t see how you can claim this march to still be in favour of free expression.” “I am incredibly disappointed by this – it is nothing but dhimmitude.” “YOU ARE A JOKE. Maybe it would be better if the march was cancelled! Hello we want free speech, but remember not to talk about the cartoons!!!! I feel sorry for people that sent you money.” “Unless you reverse this decision ASAP, I hereby withdraw my support unreservedly.” “What a bunch of wimps. You have obviously caved in to the Islamic pressure groups and the Mayor of Londinistan. Another victory for Sharia law and another defeat for Liberty.”
It can only be a matter of hours before Peter makes an appearance on Dhimmi Watch!
Postscript: Yes, here it is.
Vatican change of heart over ‘barbaric’ Crusades
The Vatican has begun moves to rehabilitate the Crusaders by sponsoring a conference that portrays the Crusades as wars fought with the “noble aim” of regaining the Holy Land for Christianity. The American writer Robert Spencer, author of A Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam, told the conference that the mistaken view had taken hold in the West as well as the Arab world that the Crusades were “an unprovoked attack by Europe on the Islamic world”. In reality, however, Christians had been persecuted after the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem.
Neo-Nazis threaten to massacre Muslims at World Cup
The World Cup in Germany is set to become a battleground between facists and Muslims, an Italian member of a new European neo-Nazi movement warned. In a statement published by Italian daily Repubblica, the member of AS Roma’s notorious ultras hooligan group claims neo-Nazis across Europe met in Braunau in Austria to plan attacks against supporters from Islamic countries during the World Cup in Germany from June 9 to July 9.
“We are united. For the first time we are talking and planning together, with the English, the Germans, the Dutch, the Spanish, everyone with the same objective. At the World Cup there will be a massacre,” said the Italian ultra. “We will all be in Germany and there will be Turks, Algerians and Tunisians. The Turks, we can’t stand them. In our country (Italy) there are not many, but in Germany, there are many of those guys there. They are Islamic terrorists. We will attack them. They are all enemies that need to be eliminated….”
School wins Muslim dress appeal
A school which was told it unlawfully excluded a Muslim pupil for wearing a traditional gown has won its appeal at the House of Lords. The Court of Appeal had said Denbigh High School had denied Shabina Begum the right to manifest her religion in refusing to allow her to wear a jilbab. But in a unanimous ruling, judges at the House of Lords overturned that.
After the ruling, Miss Begum said: “Obviously I am saddened and disappointed about this, but I am quite glad it is all over and I can move on now. I had to make a stand about this. Many women will not speak up about what they actually want. I still don’t see why I was told to go home from school when I was just practising my religion.”
‘Today’s true feminists’
According to one Cinnamon Stillwell, “the real radical women in the world go largely unremarked by the feminist movement. Today’s true heroines are those who do battle with the gender apartheid, violence and oppression practiced against women in the Muslim world” … and, in addition, preferably act as uncritical cheerleaders for the Israeli state.
Stillwell claims that “The oppression of women in Muslim culture and the threat it poses to women’s rights all over the world is clearly the next frontier for the feminist movement”. And who are the heroines of this new movement? As you might predict, they include Wafa Sultan, Brigitte Gabriel, Nonie Darwish, Irshad Manji, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Oriana Fallaci and Phyllis Chesler.
San Francisco Chronicle, 22 March 2006
Another example of how a progressive cause can be harnessed to an Islamophobic agenda.