‘Just say no to Sharia law’ urges Tatchell

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Tatchell No Islamic StatePeter Tatchell is given space at Comment is Free to promote the “Universal Children’s Day and International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women” demonstration on Saturday – which, despite its grandiose title, is just another stupid stunt by One Law for All, a front organisation for Mariam Namazie and the Worker Communist Party of Iran.

Tatchell writes plaintively that “the turn out in Hyde Park will probably be quite small” – which, based on previous experience, is a realistic prediction. The explanation is that anyone with a shred of political judgement baulks at stirring up Islamophobia in co-operation with a bunch of sectarian cranks like the WPI. For Tatchell, however, the problem is that leftists and liberals “get squeamish when it comes to challenging human rights abuses committed in the name of Islam”.

The WPI appeals to its supporters to “Show your opposition to Sharia law and all religious-based tribunals in Britain, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and elsewhere” (emphasis added), and Tatchell himself claims that he and other supporters of Saturday’s demonstration “reject all religious laws and courts, including those inspired by Judaist and Christian fundamentalism”. Why, then, do Tatchell and the WPI concentrate exclusively on attacking Islamic religious tribunals? We never hear a peep from them about the Beth Din courts that operate within the Orthodox Jewish community, even though their rules on divorce are considerably more discriminatory against women than those of Sharia tribunals.

The reason of course is that Tatchell is less interested in women’s rights than in generating some publicity for himself by stoking the fires of anti-Muslim bigotry.

Detention of Shaikh Asif Farooqui condemned

Posted on by Bob Pitt

As the police are granted more time to question the five individuals apprehended on suspicion of inciting terrorism overseas, the family of Shaikh Asif Farooqui has released a statement expressing their shock and dismay at the arrest of the 62 year old preacher. The family’s statement reads:

“It is simply incredible to those that know him and his work to imagine he could be involved in the promotion or incitement of any kind of violence. It is particularly shocking that, having influenced so many, young and old, male and female, to live as law-abiding, trustworthy citizens, he is now being accused of actions which he has so openly opposed for so long. He has always gone out of his way to foster good relations with the local police in order to work together as a community and this makes his arrest all the more disgraceful and unacceptable.”

ENGAGE, 19 November 2009

BNP signs its first non-white member… but he’s only joined because he hates Muslims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Rajinder Singh BNP TVAn elderly Sikh who describes Islam as a “beast” and once provided a character reference for Nick Griffin during his racial hatred trial is set to become the British National Party’s first non-white member.

Rajinder Singh has been sympathetic towards Britain’s far-right party for much of the past decade even though he currently remains barred from becoming a member because of the colour of his skin.

But last weekend the BNP’s leadership took their first steps towards dropping its membership ban on non-whites after the Human Rights Commission threatened the party with legal action. The move will be put to a vote of members soon.

Martin Wingfield, the BNP’s communications and campaigns officer, has already put forward the case for Mr Singh’s membership, telling members on its website: “I say adapt and survive and give the brave and loyal Rajinder Singh the honour of becoming the first ethnic minority member of the BNP.”

A BNP spokesman said last night: “He is perhaps the kind of immigrant you want if you are going to have them.” Mr Singh, a former teacher from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, says he would be “honoured” to become a card-carrying member of the BNP.

Mr Singh and another Sikh from Slough who goes by the pseudonym Ammo Singh have previously co-operated with the BNP and have been used by the party’s leadership to try to woo Asian supporters, particularly Hindus and Sikhs living in areas where tensions with Muslims run high. The party has had little success, however, with all mainstream Sikh and Hindu groups widely condemning the BNP.

But Rajinder Singh and Ammo Singh – who keeps his identity secret but is thought to be an accountant in his late thirties – have answered Mr Griffin’s call, thanks to the BNP’s staunchly anti-Islamic rhetoric since September 11.

Mainstream Sikh groups said they were appalled. Dr Indarjit Singh, director of the Network of Sikh Organisations, said: “Sikhism stresses equality for all human beings. Therefore Sikhs who are true to their faith, will having nothing whatsoever to do with any party that favours any one section of the community.”

Independent, 20 November 2009

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Billboard in Colorado features picture of Obama and asks ‘President or Jihad?’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

President or JihadToday, a new birther billboard went up above Wolf Automotive off I-70 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. The sign has a picture of President Obama wearing a turban, asking, “President or Jihad?” and exhorting, “Wake up America! Remember Fort Hood”.

ThinkProgress spoke with Phil Wolf, the owner of the car dealership. He said that the billboard is his personal project because he believes the American people have a right to know the facts about the president:

“I’m probably like a lot of other people that have asked the question, I want to know who our president is. And to date, I don’t think I know, I don’t think a lot of people know, I don’t think it’s ever been asked – answered…. When this Fort Hood massacre occurred, and I saw the response of our Commander in Chief to this unbelievable, politically correct, nonsense – to me it was just enough.”

Think Progress, 20 November 2009

‘Frightening’ racist response to planned mosque in Weston-super-Mare

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Shocked anti-racism campaigners have described the public reaction to a planned mosque in Weston as “frankly frightening”.

North Somerset Council this week revealed it had to discard 97 per cent of 157 letters of objection to a proposed Muslim Centre in Orchard Street because of their racist nature. Authority planners say some of the comments, mainly from anonymous or fictitious names, have been passed to police for investigation.

The prejudiced response has alarmed Bristol-based charity Support Against Racist Incidents, which has one worker in North Somerset.

Director Batook Pandya told the Mercury: “This should give a warning shot to the council of the potential racist tendency in the society. What this is telling us is that the majority of people who bothered to write in expressed a racist view, and that is very worrying. Are they making these comments in fear or are they naïve? For a small town like Weston I find this situation frankly frightening.”

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Witch-hunt against UK Muslim organisations over Fort Hood

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Writing at Islam Online, Inayat Bunglawala examines how Anwar Al-Awlaki’s support for the Fort Hood killings has been used to promote “a modern version of a McCarthyite witch-hunt against leading UK Islamic organizations and Muslim individuals”.

Update:  Predictably, Inayat has come in for some stick over the following statement:

It is very unfortunate that Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi has been barred from visiting the UK since early 2007 by the British government, following pressure from pro-Israeli lobbies. Sheikh Al-Qaradawi is an Islamic scholar who commands huge respect among millions of Muslims worldwide. As a regular past visitor to the UK, he would consistently urge British Muslims to shun all forms of extremism and to focus their energies on ensuring that their children excelled in education.

“His long experience of dealing with youths influenced by extremist and takfiri ideas (ideas involving accusations of backsliding from Islam) would surely have been a valuable asset in the struggle against Al-Qaeda-inspired propaganda.”

Equally predictably, Inayat’s critics include mad Melanie Phillips, Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, the Spittoon and Edmund Standing.

You could, of course, base your opinion of Qaradawi on the word of ignorant bigots like that. Alternatively, you could consult the analysis of people who actually know something about the subject.

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Family’s anger as attackers go free

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Muslim student's injuriesThe family of a student left with a pendant embedded in her face after a sickening racist assault have expressed their anger after her attackers escaped jail.

The two girls and one boy, all aged 16, were given referral orders or community sentences at Rochdale Magistrates Court on Monday morning, following the incident, which took place in June in the children’s playground in Springfield Park.

The uncle of the victim, who has asked not to be named, said his family would be disappointed with the sentences. He added: “This was an horrific attack so it is disappointing that the perpetrators have escaped custodial sentences. It sends the wrong message that if you launch a racist attack, you won’t be jailed.”

The victim had gone to the park with her three young sisters, aged between five and 11 and her sister in law, who was with her 18 month old baby. The pair took the younger children to play on the baby swings, but they were confronted by one of the 16 year old girls and Kirsty Leigh Hood, 19, who began verbally abusing them, including a chant of “BNP”.

The 16-year-old boy and the other girl later approached the victim and her sister in law and also became confrontational. When the boy mumbled something at the victim, she told him to speak English, to which he responded “I’m more British than you”. The boy then suggested to one of the girls that she should pull the victim’s headscarf off, and it was at this point that the girl punched the victim in the face, which such force that the pendant from her bracelet became embedded in her eye.

Manchester Evening News, 18 November 2009

Harrow UAF Unity Rally Saturday 21st November

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Unite Against Fascism – Festival of Unity
Saturday November 21, 7pm-9.45pm
Victoria Hall, Sheepcote Road, Harrow HA1 2JE

Brent & Harrow Unite Against Fascism invites you to a celebration of Harrow’s diversity with speakers, great entertainment and refreshments.

Speakers include Tony McNulty MP, Bob Crow General Secretary RMT, Weyman Bennett Unite Against Fascism, Jo Lang President Harrow NUT, Abdul-Omer Mohsin Unite Convenor, Harrow & Edgware Bus Garages.

With entertainment from Mecca2Medina, Lady S, Ian Saville Socialist Magician, Truthseeker, DPZ and Shanakee.

Come along bring friends and family and enjoy the warm atmosphere of unity that is our community, black and white. Union banners welcome.

Islamophobes rally for Rifqa outside courthouse

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Geller rallyFathima Rifqa Bary was present only in smiling photographs at a Downtown rally of her supporters yesterday.

The 17-year-old Columbus runaway is in foster care until a Franklin County Juvenile Court judge decides where she should live. The former New Albany High School student says her father threatened to kill her for leaving Islam for Christianity. She ran away from their Northeast Side home in July, fleeing to the Florida home of married pastors whom she met on Facebook.

Mohamed Bary denies his daughter’s accusations, and authorities in Ohio and Florida have found no credible threat to her safety.

But her supporters say the authorities are being ignorant at best and malicious at worst. They say the girl, who goes by Rifqa, will be killed if she is returned to her family because Islamic law mandates it and Muslim ideology is violent and dangerous.

About 120 people gathered in a small park across from the S. High Street courthouse for the rally. A hearing had been scheduled for yesterday but was postponed until Dec. 22.

Speakers included Simon Deng, a Sudanese man who spoke of his enslavement by Muslims as a child, and Nonie Darwish, director of Former Muslims United, based in Granada Hills, Calif. Behind the speaker’s lectern was a banner showing Muslim girls and women who have been maimed or killed for various offenses against faith or family, said conservative blogger Pamela Geller, a rally organizer. “We don’t need another martyr,” she said. “We have to win.”

A general theme at the rally was that Islam is threatening the U.S. Constitution and American freedoms. “My concern is for the way that Islam is creeping into our society and trying to change it,” said Don Berger of the East Side. “So I’m here in support of Rifqa and that she keeps her freedom.” Several at the rally wore T-shirts that read: “Islam is of the devil.”

Columbus Dispatch, 17 November 2009

See also LoonWatch, 16 November 2009

The Muslim plan to conquer the West (part 678)

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“During an inter-faith meeting in Turkey some years ago, a Catholic bishop recounted how an Islamic cleric told the crowd: ‘Thanks to your democratic laws, we will invade you. Thanks to our Islamic laws, we will conquer you.’ … It’s not politically correct to admit – or even discuss – the fact that the West is facing one of the greatest challenges to its traditions of plurality, democracy, freedom of speech and expression.

“Instead we call it ‘multiculturalism’ or ‘cultural relativism’ and applaud it, as if tolerating unfair, inequitable and in some cases downright barbaric ‘traditions’ is somehow a noble, righteous cause. It’s not. It’s a deliberate and cowardly attempt to ignore what is going on right under our noses in case we may be branded racist, sectarian or worse…. in Europe ‘multiculturalism’ seems to have developed into a blind tolerance toward any culture and faith – depriving many people, specifically women, of their human rights.

“In 2004, Italian author Oriana Fallaci wrote The Rage and the Pride, in which she criticised both Muslims (bent, according to her, on conquering the West and annihilating its culture) and Europeans (described as spoiled, hypocritical and blind to the moral threat represented by Islamic expansion). A few years later she wrote a follow-up, The Force of Reason. It’s a wonder she had the courage to do this as, in the introduction, she recounts the intellectual lynching she was subjected to following the publication of her first book.

“According to Fallaci, the politically correct establishment, or ‘modern inquisition’, keeps individuals in fear of expressing what they believe. ‘If you are a Westerner and you say that your civilisation is superior, the most developed that this planet has ever seen, you go to the stake. But if you are a son of Allah, or one of their collaborationists, and you say that Islam has always been a superior civilisation, a ray of light … nobody touches you. Nobody sues you. Nobody condemns you.’ Here Fallaci hit the nail on the head, but she was vilified for saying what people refuse to listen to.”

Carol Hunt in the Sunday Independent, 15 November 2009