Family quits Bingham after anti-Muslim attacks

Bingham graffiti (3)A Muslim family say they have been forced to move from their home after offensive graffiti and a cross wrapped in ham were left outside their house. Murad Alam, 39, said his wife and two sons, aged eight and 10, had moved out of their home in Bingham, Nottinghamshire, to a “safe” place.

Mr Alam said he had found his son plotting escape routes on his computer after the “horrific” attacks last year. “My wife and children also had names called at them in the street,” he said. “The first incident was when the big, wooden cross, wrapped in ham, fell into the house after a knock at the door,” said Mr Alam.

He said they had names such as “Paki” and “tramp” shouted at them in the street. “The kids have been abused a number of times; the eldest had smoke blown in his face by an elderly local gentleman.” Offensive graffiti was also painted on the path outside the family home.

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Catholic event cancels talk by anti-Islam hatemonger

Spencer, Carroll, Geller and Lennon in StockholmThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester rescinded an invitation Wednesday to Robert Spencer, a Catholic whose work depicts Islam as an inherently violent religion, to speak at its annual Catholic Men’s Conference in March.

The invitation was withdrawn after Muslims in Massachusetts expressed concerns to the diocese about the appearance of Spencer, scheduled to be a featured speaker at the DCU Center on March 16.

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Anti-Muslim attacks: Telling MAMA is not going to solve the problem

“I think I can safely speak for the majority of the community when I say that the government is guilty of double standards and an inability to tackle the issue appropriately. On the one hand we have politicians frequently scapegoating Muslims when they need to distract the public from their own failures, and on the other they think we should be grateful for the fact that they have provided us with a helpline to monitor the consequences of their actions.”

Sofia Ahmed responds to Sayeeda Warsi’s speech at the Tell MAMA dinner last week.

Huffington Post, 31 January 2013

The demographics of Islamophobia

Just three days into 2013, Annika Rydh, a Swedish government official from the town of Almhult, issued a shrill call to both her colleagues and neighbors. Worried about the perceived growth of the Muslim population in her homeland and beyond, she urged the European Union “to act by having some kind of restriction, like the one-child policy in China.” If Muslims don’t like the proposed rule, she continued, they can go back where they came from.

Rydh’s appeal comes on the heels of a decade-long campaign to curtail Muslim immigration into western countries and reduce the number of babies born to Muslim families. International in scope, the anti-Islam movement relies on scare tactics that, more often than not, imply that the Judeo-Christian traditions are in danger of being trampled by Sharia law.

Eleanor J. Bader examines the demographic myths promoted by Islamophobes. She notes:

Surprising as it seems, a host of anti-choicers have demonstrated a clear tilt toward population control when it comes to Muslims. Indeed, it seems apparent that, for them, racism and Islamophobia trump unbridled procreation for Mohammed’s adherents.

RH Reality Check, 29 January 2013

Melbourne: Councillors approve mosque, call opponents ‘un-Australian’

Monash councillors last night questioned residents’ hysteria regarding the Muslim faith as they approved a mosque in a Clayton street. Several councillors said they were disappointed a proposal for a one-storey mosque in Beddoe Ave, Clayton, had been drawn into the public eye.

The plans were brought before the council by Mulgrave ward Cr Robert Davies, who said the mosque would be built in an inappropriate location and impact adversely on residents. But the city’s other ten councillors disagreed, voting to approve the plans in front of a packed council chambers.

Glen Waverley ward Cr Geoff Lake said anyone who shared Cr Davies’ view that the mosque was inappropriate were “20 years too late”. He said those with the view the mosque should be refused on religious grounds were “misinformed, prejudicial and un-Australian”.

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How to spot a (Muslim) terrorist

Tony MoleIn an interview with the Guardian, DCS Tony Mole, who has just taken over as head of the North West Counter Terrorism Unit, appeals to members of the public to report any suspicious activity. This includes the following behaviour:

“People going off to training camps and getting very fit and becoming very insular. People who were previously quite outward forming very small groups, not letting anyone else in, doing a lot of fitness training, disappearing, travelling and being very vague about it. You might think: ‘That’s strange.’ Now, there might be a legitimate reason for that. They might have decided to form their own fitness club. We’ll assess that. But it could be that they have been exposed to some kind of rhetoric.”

It seems clear that Mole is referring here primarily to Muslims, as this is not generally the sort of activity associated with far-right terrorism. What signs you should look out for that could identify a potential non-Muslim terrorist, so you can report them to the police, he doesn’t explain. Becoming an active member of the English Defence League or one of its offshoots, perhaps? Regularly visiting the Atlas Shrugs or Jihad Watch websites? We’re not told.

Mole refers to the “self-radicalisation” of Norwegian far-right terrorist Anders Breivik – which is the part of the interview that the Guardian highlights – but as to how you might spot a budding British Breivik, he really has nothing to say.

If you’re a Muslim, however, you would be well advised to avoid travelling widely or setting up a fitness club.

Islam takes another step to German recognition

Bremen is the third German state to recognize Islamic organizations as official religious bodies. Holidays, funerals and pastoral care will be regulated by state contracts. Other states will likely follow suit.

For Erol Pürlü, spokesman for the German Muslim coordination council, the signing of the contract with the city-state of Bremen marked a “day of joy”. Three Muslim associations were officially recognized as religious bodies. “That sends a clear signal that Islam belongs to Germany,” said Pürlü.

Bremen is the third German state to confer this status on Islamic organizations. Hamburg made a similar agreement last November, while Hesse officially recognized two Islamic organizations and allowed them to offer their own religious classes in schools in December.

Deutsche Welle, 29 January 2013

EDL to stage rally but not march through Cambridge

The English Defence League (EDL) will not be marching through Cambridge, but will be kept to one place in the city, police said.

The Cambridgeshire force is planning its strategy to deal with the demonstration by the right- wing group which has protested against the building of a new mosque off Mill Road.

But almost 700 protesters have signed up to march against the group under the banner of Cambridge Unite Against Fascism (CUAF). Muslim leaders and politicians have signed a list opposing the EDL’s planned march on February 23.

Richard Rose, of CUAF, said: “I think it is a clear sign of the weakness of EDL that they are now having a static protest rather than a march.

“We are delighted they will not be marching through Cambridge and we want them to have their little gathering in an out-of-the-way place such as an out-of-town car park and not in the city centre which would cause disruption.

“We are also pleased with the amount of support we’ve had including from the three mosques in Cambridge and from more councillors. We want to send a clear message that the EDL is not wanted here and they have no support.”

Cambridge News, 29 January 2013

Update:  See “Keep protest in our multicultural city peaceful, EDL told”, Cambridge News, 30 January 2013

‘I am living in a place where I am a stranger’, claims ‘reluctant racist’ at Torygraph

Jane Kelly“The streets around Acton, which has been my home since 1996, have taken on a new identity. Most of the shops are now owned by Muslims and even the fish and chip shop and Indian takeaway are Halal. It seems that almost overnight it’s changed from Acton Vale into Acton Veil.”

Over at the Telegraph, Jane Kelly protests against the Islamification of west London. At least she doesn’t bother trotting out the usual excuse that her dislike of Muslims is based solely on cultural differences and has nothing to do with race. She writes that “many white people in London and the Home Counties now move house on the basis of ethnicity” and justifies this on the grounds that “mass immigration is making reluctant racists of us all”.

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