Category Archives: Right wing

Generating more heat than light

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Salma addressing rally“Unfortunately, despite the intentions of its authors, I fear that their focus on attacking the currently dominant faith organisations will generate more heat than light. In conflating HT with the BNP as if they both pose equal threats to race relations; in echoing in all but name the charge of ‘Islamofascist’ against organisations like MCB; in regurgitating, along with the government and rightwing tabloids, the spectre of sinister self-appointed Muslim community leaders who keep the their foot firmly on the neck of their communities; the manifesto only serves to add more layers of confusion than strip them away.”

Salma Yaqoob responds to the “New Generation Network manifesto”.

Comment is Free, 28 November 2006

Radio spoof draws support for Nazi-like treatment of US Muslims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A parody of anti-Muslim bigotry on a Washington, D.C., radio station drew support for treating American Muslims in a manner similar to how the Jewish community was targeted in Nazi Germany.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said today that the reaction to the parody is a “wake-up call” for religious and political leaders who remain silent on the issue of growing Islamophobia in America.

In his 630 WMAL program on Sunday, November 26, talk show host Jerry Klein seemed to advocate a government program to force all Muslims to wear “identifying markers.” He stated: “I’m thinking either it should be an arm band, a crescent moon arm band, or it should be a crescent moon tattoo.” Klein said: “If it means that we have to round them up and do a tattoo in a place where everybody knows where to find it, then that’s what we’ll have to do.”

[The program focused on public reaction to the removal of six Imams, or Islamic religious leaders, from a US Airways flight in Minnesota last week.]

Some callers to the program rejected discriminatory treatment of Muslims, but others supported Klein’s statements and even suggested that even more severe measures be taken against American Muslims. “Richard” in Gaithersburg, Md., said: “Not only do you tattoo them in the middle of their foreheads; you round them up and then ship them out of this country, period.”

“Heath” in Upper Marlboro, Md., said: “I don’t think you go far enough. . .you have to set up encampments like they did during World War II like with the Japanese and Germans.”

Later in the program, Klein revealed that his call for discriminatory actions against Muslims was “baloney.” Klein said: “I can’t believe any of you, any of you, are sick enough to have agreed for one second with anything that I have said in the last half hour.”

CAIR press release, 27 November 2006

Torygraph explains how to defeat racism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Under the heading “Defeating racism” – always a cause close to the hearts of the right-wing media – the Telegraph offers its take on the current conflict between anti-racists and the Commission for Racial Equality: “Trevor Phillips, the former New Labour functionary who chairs the CRE, has woken up to the perils of multiculturalism, and has also attacked bigoted Islamists. This has infuriated hard Leftists and radical Muslims…. The Mayor of London’s office wants to boycott a CRE conference that promises to be truly open-minded, even to the extent of debating Enoch Powell’s views.”

Editorial in the Daily Telegraph, 27 November 2006

‘Muslims oppose building of huge mosque’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Abbey Mills Islamic Centre“More than 2,500 Muslims have signed a petition opposing plans to build Europe’s biggest mosque next to London’s 2012 Olympic Park. The petition, organised by worshippers in the borough of Newham, has drawn the signatures in 10 days.

“The mosque scheme includes an Islamic garden, school and prayer space for 70,000. It has been criticised by the Muslim community who fear the involvement of Tablighi Jamaat, an ultraorthodox sect, behind the proposal. Moderate Muslims say allowing the sect to build the complex will stoke community tensions. The petition warns the mosque could provide a recruiting ground for terrorists.

“The sect preaches a strict interpretation of Islam which has been adopted by extremists and terrorists. Asif Shakoor, chairman of the Sunni Friends of Newham, said they wanted all Muslim groups to be equally represented at the proposed place of worship.”

Daily Mail, 27 November 2006

See also the Times, 27 November 2006

It’s not the business of this site to intervene in disputes within the Muslim communities. However, in the current circumstances, if anyone has indeed circulated a petition suggesting that the proposed Abbey Mills Islamic centre could provide a recruiting ground for terrorists, the irresponsibility of that action beggars belief. We also wonder whether the Asif Shakoor who appears to be behind this campaign has any connection with Minhaj-ul-Quran International, an organisation which is linked to a political party called Pakistan Awami Tehrik and is an organisational and ideological opponent of Tablighi Jamaat.

Daley advocates ‘war to death’ with Islamism, opposes ‘craven concessions’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Janet Daley (2)“When Pope Benedict XVI flies to Turkey tomorrow, he will embody the most potentially incendiary confrontation between Islam and the West since the defeat of the Turks at Vienna in 1683 brought an end to Islamic conquest in Europe.

“The Pope will take with him an understanding that at the root of our problems in dealing with the Islamist death cult, there is a fundamental debate to be had about the role of human reason in political affairs.

“The remarks he made in a lecture in Regensburg, Germany, which implied that Islam rejected rationality while Christianity saw it as essential to faith were contentious (and almost certainly designed to be so), but they raised a question that almost no Western government has the courage to ask, let alone answer. How is a liberal democracy to deal with an illiberal religious minority in its midst?”

Janet Daley in the Daily Telegraph, 27 November 2006

The usual predictable nonsense. Islamism is equated with terrorism, completely ignoring the existence of democratic reformist trends within the broad Islamist movement, and the (non-“Islamist”) majority of Muslims are given a condescending lecture on how they must do more to “separate” themselves from violence. On the other hand, for the British government to cease its attacks on Muslim countries, or take a stand against Israeli state terrorism, would be to “give in to terrorist blackmail”.

‘Riot mosque gets the go-ahead’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Thus the headline to an article in today’s Daily Express, reporting on the latest developments concerning the Medina Dairy in Windsor. The article begins: “Plans for a mosque at the centre of race-hate clashes were given the go-ahead by John Prescott’s office yesterday. Residents of Windsor, where only 500 of the 30,000 population are Muslim, reacted with fury after a planning inspector overturned a local council ruling. They accused the government of political correctness and warned the decision could lead to more violence.”

British Muslim Initiative no different from BNP, says Charles Moore

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Charles Moore 2Charles Moore’s column in this week’s Spectator features an attack on the rally against Islamophobia at Central Hall, Westminster, on Monday evening. The main object of Moore’s ire is shadow attorney-general Dominic Grieve, who was one of the platform speakers at the meeting.

Moore completely omits to mention that Liberty was a joint organiser of the rally, as that would rather undermine his case that the event was promoted by “Islamist” extremists. The other co-organiser of the rally, the British Muslim Initiative, is laughably described by Moore as “an offshoot of Respect, the party represented in Parliament by George Galloway”. And his characterisations of other Muslim bodies who provided speakers are equally ignorant.

Moore castigates the Tory party for believing that “it has to turn up to anything which calls itself Muslim”. Pursuing the theme common to rabid right-wingers like Melanie Phillips, pseudo-leftists like David T of Harry’s Place and “liberal” supporters of torture like Nick Cohen, that mainstream Muslim organisations represent a variety of fascism, Moore demands: “Would Mr Grieve attend BNP rallies on the grounds that one must hear the voice of white people?”

Aishah Azmi sacked

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Muslim teaching assistant who was suspended for refusing to remove her veil in the classroom has been sacked.

Aishah Azmi, 24, of Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, west Yorkshire, was suspended on full pay earlier this year by Kirklees council and has now been sacked, sources said.

Last month, an employment tribunal dismissed three of Mrs Azmi’s claims of discrimination and harassment but found that she was victimised by Headfield Church of England junior school in Dewsbury and awarded her £1,000 for “injury to feelings”.

Mrs Azmi said she was willing to remove her veil in front of children – but not when male colleagues were present. Her case sparked a national debate on multiculturalism in Britain.

The prime minister, Tony Blair, said the veil row was part of a necessary debate about the way the Muslim community integrates into British society and said the veil was a “mark of separation” which makes people of other ethnic backgrounds feel uncomfortable.

The intervention by a series of politicians, which culminated in Mr Blair’s remarks, were criticised both by the tribunal and Muslim community leaders. The tribunal report said it was “most unfortunate” that politicians had made comments on the case which were sub judice.

The debate was sparked by the leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw, when he said that the wearing of full veils – or niqab – made community relations more difficult.

The government’s race minister, Phil Woolas, demanded Mrs Azmi be sacked, accusing her of “denying the right of children to a full education” because her stand meant she could not “do her job” and insisted that barring men from working with her would amount to “sexual discrimination”.

The shadow home secretary, David Davis, launched a stinging attack on Muslim leaders for risking “voluntary apartheid” in Britain, and allegedly expecting special protection from criticism.

Press Association, 24 November 2006

We must display ‘our’ religious symbols like other faiths, says Express

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Let Christians Wear the CrossWith a front-page article carrying the strap “Why we must display our [sic] religious symbols just like other faiths”, the Express continues its campaign to utilise BA’s foolish and indefensible ban on one of their employees wearing a visible crucifix in order to incite bigotry against Muslims:

“The right of Christians to wear the cross was defended last night by the Leader of the House of Commons. The row over the British Airways’ ban grew as MPs heard that all Britons should be able to display their faith.

“Jack Straw, the Commons Leader, said the airline’s controversial dress policy was ‘inexplicable’. And he demanded fair and equal treatment for all religions. His Commons outburst made him the most senior Government figure yet to wade into the debate over the airline’s ban on visible Christian and Jewish symbols while allowing female Muslim employees to wear headscarves.

“Passengers around the world are joining a growing boycott of BA over the company’s treatment of check-in worker Nadia Eweida. She is refusing to work after bosses ordered her not to wear a cross the size of a five pence coin that was visible to passengers. The ban has fuelled criticism that non-Muslims are being treated unfairly by ‘politically correct’ busybodies who pander to perceived Islamic sensibilities.”

Daily Express, 24 November 2006