Category Archives: UK

Who said that multiculturalism has failed?

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Who said that multiculturalism has failed?

By Ken Livingstone

Morning Star, 12 November 2005

Against a backdrop of the London bombings, the scenes in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the riots in French towns and cities, a furious debate on racial equality and community relations has unfolded in the media over the summer and autumn.

After the terrorist attacks in July, some commentators and newspapers urged London to abandon its policies of respect for different cultures and celebration of diversity – in favour of what some described as the “French model.”

The suggestion was that London, by celebrating the contribution of different cultures to our city, was emphasising differences rather than what people have in common and encouraging “segregation.”

Only this week, writing in Daily Express, Leo McKinstry ranted that “we are living in the shadow of fear because of our rulers’ attachment to the twin dogmas of mass immigration and cultural diversity.”

“Without giving us any say,” he claimed, “they have imported wholesale the problems of the Third World – from corruption to superstition, from tribalism to misogyny – into advanced, democratic, Christian cultures.”

Faced with the events in France, the opponents of multiculturalism have had to perform unedifying contortions.

Melanie Phillips of the Daily Mail inverts reality by claiming that France had abandoned the French model, arguing that the banning of the hijab and other religious symbols was “too little, and maybe too late” and that the warning from France was that “we must end the ruinous doctrine of multiculturalism and reassert British identity.”

The truth of course is that the French model is fundamentally different to that of multiculturalism – as the ban on the hijab so clearly underlines.

But the critics of multiculturalism are simply wrong about what is happening in Britain.

In reality the Greater London Authority’s research shows that the real trend is not of “segregation” of ethnic minorities, but of increased dispersal as new communities become established over time.

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Terror bill chilling for Muslims, Blair warned

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The anti-terror bill will create a “significant chill factor” in the Muslim community, censor those who criticise British foreign policy and drive extremists further underground, the government’s advisers warned yesterday.

The fears were voiced by the Muslim community working groups set up by the Home Office to prevent the growth of extremism after the July terror attacks. The warning centres on the remaining provisions in the proposed legislation – such as the ban on the “glorification” of terrorist acts – that are likely to become the next focus of parliamentary dissent after Tony Blair’s defeat on holding terrorist suspects for 90 days without charge.

The Muslim community’s police and security working group report makes clear that many believe the present anti-terror regime is already excessive, and that the measures risk provoking further radicalisation of young British Muslims.

Guardian, 11 November 2005

Race crime prosecutions up by 29%

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Iqbal SacranieRace hate crime cases rose by almost a third in England and Wales in 2004-05, latest figures from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have shown.

The CPS prosecuted 4,660 defendants for racially aggravated offences, up by 29% from 3,616 for the previous year. The CPS said better co-ordination with police and lawyers had increased the confidence of victims to prosecute.

Religiously aggravated cases dropped to 34 from 49 the previous year, with 23 of the victims’ actual or perceived religion being Muslim. It was Jewish in five cases, Christian in four, Hindu in two and Mormon in one. In four cases the religion was unknown.

Sir Iqbal Sacranie, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said the CPS figures were “obviously very troubling”.

“What adds to our concern is that they refer to race hate incidents prior to the July 7 atrocities after which we saw a large number of ‘revenge’ attacks against Muslims. We would urge people from all communities to report these kinds of racist attacks to the police immediately. There must be no toleration at all of race hate or faith hate crimes.”

BBC News, 11 November 2005

Gay people urged to reject racism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Racism has no place in the Lesbian and Gay Community

We are deeply concerned that the autumn issue of The Gay and Lesbian Humanist magazine includes a number of statements which can be interpreted as racist, including support for the now deceased gay Dutch racist, Pim Fortuyn.

One article demonised immigrants stating: ‘our major towns and cities being for ever changed by huge numbers of foreign settlers’, referred to as: ‘the often poor, ill-educated and culturally estranged Third Worlders’ many of whom ‘are criminals of the worst kind.’ (p.11)

Another article denounces all Muslims, stating: ‘what does a moderate Muslim do, other than excuse the real nutters by adhering to this barmy doctrine?’ (p.6)

The magazine endorses views of the deceased far right Dutch leader Pim Fortuyn, saying: ‘the warning of popular gay politician Pim Fortuyn were tragically snuffed out by a left wing assassin before he could sufficiently alert people to the damage the influx of Muslims is doing to his own native land.’ (p.12)

This attitude to Fortuyn is consistent. As long ago as 2002, the editor wrote of him approvingly: ‘his “crime” in the eyes of many was that he said his country could take no more immigrants.’

We believe that the lesbian and gay community has nothing to gain from racism. On the contrary, we pledge to work with the Black and Asian communities to tackle racism and the far right which threaten all of our human rights and indeed our very lives.

We differ with the leaders of most religions in their all too often bigoted attitudes to lesbian and gay rights but rather than demonise any one religion or race or immigrants, we will work with lesbian and gay Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, people of all religions and none, to promote respect for our human rights.

Denis Fernando, Lesbian and Gay Coalition Against Racism
Ubaid, Secretary, Imaan, The LGBT Muslim support group
Dennis Carney, Chair, Black Gay Mens Advisory Group
Takhsin Begum,  Black representative, NUS LGBT Campaign
Black Lesbians UK
UNISON LGBT Committee
Kirsten Hearn, Chair of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board of the Metropolitan Police Authority
Peter Herbert, Chair, London Race Hate Crime Forum and Spokesperson, Society of Black Lawyers
Reeva Bell, Chair, National Black Crown Prosecution Association
Simon Wooley, Chair, Operation Black Vote / Director, Black Londoners Forum
Pav Akhtar, NUS Black Students Officer
Brenda Ellis, Regard Executive Committee member
Pam Burrows, Satori Diversity and Training

UK policy ‘key factor’ in extremism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

British foreign policy is a “key contributory factor” in driving UK Muslims to extremism, official Home Office advisers have concluded.

Working groups set up in the wake of the July 7 atrocities said the Government should learn from the impact of its foreign policies, particularly in the Middle East. The working groups’ final report said “radical impulses” among the Muslim community were often triggered by “perceptions of injustices inherent in western foreign policy”.

The report, compiled by seven committees appointed by the Home Secretary, said: “British foreign policy – especially in the Middle East – cannot be left unconsidered as a factor in the motivations of criminal radical extremists. We believe it is a key contributory factor. The Government should learn from the impact of its foreign policies on its electors.”

The Scotsman, 10 November 2005

What a pity these groups didn’t bother to consult Nick Cohen, that well-known expert on Islam. He could have told them that all Islamists are members of “psychopathic movements that are in the end beyond rational explanation”. See here.

Qaradawi appeals for calm

Posted on by Bob Pitt

YusufalQaradawiDoha-based religious scholar Dr Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi yesterday expressed his sorrow over the riots in Paris suburbs and other French cities having Muslim and African communities.

“We are vehemently sorry for the deterioration of the situation to the point which led to burning of cars, public utilities and harming interests of the people and the French state,” Qaradawi said in a statement to Qatar News Agency.

“While we are passing through such blessed days, we would have wished people exchanging peace, amity, felicitations with Eid al-Fitr,” he added. “We, as Arabs and Muslims, wish France and its friendly people security and safety, especially as France’s stand on Arab and Islamic causes is characterised by fairness, justice and liberation, to a reasonable degree, from the US subordination.”

He called upon the Muslim community in France to resort for calmness and tackle the situation with wisdom and rationality and urged Muslim religious and political leaders to intensify peace efforts.

He also called upon the French government not to deal with the situation from the security point of view but through dialogue with the country’s religious and political leaderships and try to find a common degree of understanding to resolve problems.

Gulf Times, 8 November 2005

And how does David T summarise Qaradawi’s statement? “So, here’s the deal. If Qaradawi approves of your country’s stand on Arab and Islamic causes abroad, he’ll use his influence to call for calm. In parallel, the Government should partner with the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in seeking a solution to France’s social problems at home.”

Harry’s Place, 9 November 2005

‘Seeing Islam through Condi-colored glasses’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Last month, during a speech given at the annual Iftar dinner at the White House (Washington’s recognition marking the end of Ramadan), Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice referred to Islam as ‘a religion of peace and love’.

“In a GrassTopsUSA Exclusive Commentary, Don Feder said of Rice’s speech: ‘In all of existence, there is no greater dichotomy than between the way Islam is portrayed by western admirers and the way it’s practiced by its more enthusiastic adherents. Wherever large numbers of Muslims come in contact with “infidels”, all jihad breaks loose. That’s as true on the West Bank as it is in the Kashmir, as much a reality in the Philippines as the Balkans and as sure in West Africa as it is in Indonesia …. Yet, reality notwithstanding, western elites insist on seeing Islam through Condi-colored glasses. No amount of suicide bombing, anti-Semitic agitation, rampant misogyny, persecution of Christians or slaughter of innocents is allowed to penetrate this mindset.’

“Certainly every Muslim is not a terrorist – every Arab or Pakistani convenience store clerk is not plotting the overthrow of America. But neither has a tiny minority of extremists hijacked Islam. The fact of the matter is that violent jihad warfare against non-Muslims is at the heart of Islamic theology. And it is the mother of all politically correct myths to believe otherwise.”

The Rev. Mark H. Creech at Agape Press, 8 November 2005