‘Humiliating’ attack on London mayor in pro-imperialist US magazine

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Francis Wheen“Bad news for London’s Mayor: he has a humiliating cameo role in the latest issue of America’s most venerable Left-wing journal, Dissent. In an illuminating account of how the remnants of the radical Left in Britain have aligned themselves with fundamentalist Muslims, it mentions Ken Livingstone’s embrace of Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the Qatar-based cleric who supports homophobia, suicide-bombers in Palestine and the subordination of women. For the benefit of American readers who haven’t heard of Livingstone, the author describes him as ‘Galloway-lite’. Even before Celebrity Big Brother, this would have been pretty rude. Since the recent televised shenanigans, it is surely the most wounding insult in the political lexicon.”

Francis Wheen writes in the Evening Standard, 31 January 2006

Continue reading →

Good for Dobbo

Posted on by Bob Pitt

DobboMPs supportive of the government during the Commons debate on the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill included Frank Dobson who said:

“I do not believe that anyone – Rowan Atkinson or anyone else – needs the right to incite hatred against someone because of their religion. He has apparently said that we should look at things from the point of view of the comedian. Other people in the world are just as important as comedians. Muslim women who have been assaulted, abused and spat on for wearing the hijab are as important to me as Rowan Atkinson, for all his sense of humour.”

Not so sure I agree with you about Rowan Atkinson’s sense of humour, Frank, but otherwise – spot on.

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Danish cartoons enrage the Arab world, a German immigrant test singles out Muslims and opposition grows to admit Turkey and its 70 million Muslims into the European Union – a ghost is haunting Europe, the ghost of Islamophobia. At least that’s what Islamic organizations across the continent say. Does Europe face a clash of cultures?”

UPI, 31 January 2006

Muslim terrorists organising in British prisons, Mad Mel claims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Quoting a Daily Mirror article, Melanie Phillips tells us “this is what’s going on in Belmarsh prison where a number of Muslim Brotherhood terror suspects are being held”:

“Violent Islamic extremists are terrorising inmates at Britain’s toughest jail with an iron fist as they trawl for al-Qaeda recruits. The gang of thugs – known as The Muslim Boys – intimidate frightened inmates at Belmarsh into joining their faith, beating those who refuse their bullying demands. Some bloodied victims have been slashed by razor blades attached to toothbrushes. Others have had boiling water hurled over them. Prisoners say they are in fear for their lives.”

Melanie Phillips’s Diary, 31 January 2006

Er … except that the Muslim Boys have nothing to do with the Muslim Brotherhood. They’re a criminal gang based in South London. But, what the heck, they both have the word “Muslim” in their name, so there can’t be that much difference can there, Mel? And it goes without saying that they all have links to al-Qaeda.

Religious hatred law perpetuates inequality after Commons vote

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Unfortunately, the misinformation and mischief making from popular comedians and some influential sections of the media, supported by certain political groups, has led Parliament to continue to sanction a wholly unjustifiable hierarchy of rights among British citizens. Freedom of expression and speech was never threatened under the incitement to racial hatred laws nor was it to be threatened under the proposed law. This situation is now not only unjust but makes the work of all those engaged in promoting a cohesive and harmonious society in Britain all the more difficult.”

MCB news release, 1 February 2006

Merrill Lynch withdraws support of London University event

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Merrill Lynch has pulled its sponsorship from an event entitled “the Palestinian Elections and their Consequences” at London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies discussing the Palestinian elections because of the participation of Hamas supporter Azzam Tamimi.

Jerusalem Post, 31 January 2006

For Azzam Tamimi’s actual position on Hamas, see the Guardian, 30 January 2006

Posted in UK

Government defeated on religious hatred bill

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The government has suffered two shock defeats over attempts to overturn Lords changes to the controversial Racial and Religious Hatred Bill.

In a blow to Tony Blair’s authority MPs voted by 288 votes to 278 to back a key Lords amendment to the bill. Analysis of the division list showed the prime minister voted in the first division but not in the second, which was lost by one vote.

Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve said the defeats were “a victory for Parliament”. He branded the bill a “foolish manifesto commitment” introduced to “appease” some minority groups [read: “Muslims”], and which had “threatened freedom of speech”.

Mr Grieve said in multicultural Britain people had to accept that freedom of speech may mean people could be offensive to them, as well as vice versa. He said: “This (bill) was completely contrary to our national tradition of free speech.”

BBC News, 31 January 2006

No doubt the fascists will be cheering. The acceptance of the Lords amendment means that it will be virtually impossible to mount a successful prosecution for inciting religious hatred. All the BNP needs is an acquittal at Leeds Crown Court, and it will be able to celebrate a double triumph.

Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Former US president Bill Clinton warned of rising anti-Islamic prejudice, comparing it to historic anti-Semitism as he condemned the publishing of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed in a Danish newspaper.

“So now what are we going to do? … Replace the anti-Semitic prejudice with anti-Islamic prejudice?” he said at an economic conference in the Qatari capital of Doha. “In Europe, most of the struggles we’ve had in the past 50 years have been to fight prejudices against Jews, to fight against anti-Semitism,” he said.

Clinton described as “appalling” the 12 cartoons published in a Danish newspaper in September depicting Prophet Mohammed and causing uproar in the Muslim world. “None of us are totally free of stereotypes about people of different races, different ethnic groups, and different religions … there was this appalling example in northern Europe, in Denmark … these totally outrageous cartoons against Islam,” he said.

AFP, 30 January 2006

Danish paper sorry for Muhammad cartoons

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Denmark’s largest selling broadsheet newspaper last night issued an apology to the “honourable citizens of the Muslim world” after publishing a series of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that provoked protests across the Middle East. In a lengthy statement the editor-in-chief of Jyllands-Posten admitted that the 12 cartoons, one of which depicted Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban, had caused “serious misunderstandings”. Carsten Juste said: “The 12 cartoons … were not intended to be offensive, nor were they at variance with Danish law, but they have indisputably offended many Muslims, for which we apologise.”

Guardian, 31 January 2006

Robert Spencer reports this under the headine “Danish newspaper caves to Muslim intimidation”.

Dhimmi Watch, 30 January 2006

And the fascists chime in with a report headed “Denmark on Islamic jihad list”. They suggest: “Perhaps this is just a taster of things to come, an opportunity for Muslims to test the backbone of western governments and opinion formers, a ‘recce’ mission to see just how far the Muslims have to push before the west gives way.”

BNP news release, 31 January 2006

‘What’s at stake is the right to insult and cause offence’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Polly ToynbeeSo Polly Toynbee claims in a Guardian article attacking the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. In fact, what’s actually at stake is the right to incite hatred.

Toynbee criticises the “free speech” clauses in the government’s amendment (which as we have already pointed out make dangerous concessions to the opposition). She asserts that these legal guarantees “would not protect Rowan Atkinson’s sketch showing men bowed down praying in a mosque with the voiceover intoning: ‘And the search goes on for the Ayatollah Khomeini’s contact lens.’ Many were insulted. It would not protect Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, let alone Christ in nappies on the cross in Jerry Springer – the Opera. Nor would it stop Behzti being closed down by angry Sikh mobs.”

There is nothing in the Bill that would prevent Rowan Atkinson from taking the piss out of the Ayatollah Khomeini, or Salman Rushdie from publishing The Satanic Verses or any theatre from staging Jerry Springer – the Opera. What the proposed legislation criminalises is not ridicule or insult but incitement to hatred. As for Bezhti, Sikhs are defined as a mono-ethnic faith group and are therefore already covered by the law against racial hatred. The new legislation won’t make the slightest difference to the legal position in relation to the incitement of hatred against Sikhs.

Continue reading →