DJGM wrote:The problem we have here, is there's a small minority of Muslims dragging the entire faith of Islam, and the words of their sacred book, The Koran, through the mud, and giving all the law abiding and proper Muslims a bad name.
This is the bit I just don't get.
When radical Jews assault school children on their way to school in Gaza, do we blame all Jews and their Holy Book? Does every Jew have to apologise for their religion and the actions "inspired" by it.
When fundamentalist Christians persecute gays, murder abortion doctors et al, does every Christian owe the rest of us an apology because it's carried out on the "pretext" of their religion?
No.
DJGM wrote:I've absolutely nothing against free speech, in principle...Once they start spouting their crap, by default, they've gone beyond the principle, and relinquish any rights to any and all free speech they have had.
This sets a terrible precedent, DJGM.
When you start outlawing one kind of speech, what's going to be next? Shall we throw them in prison for their "thoughtcrimes"? Very 1984.
I hate the speech of extremists, whether Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Christian or the BNP. But the moment we do not allow them to express their own opinions, no matter how vile, we cease to be free.
It seems that, with respect DJGM as I like you, you and people who believe as you do are going to be far better at changing our "way of life" (that Bliar is so keen to preserve) than any phantom terrorist menace.
Where does it end? A major Jewish organisation in America is trying to define criticism of the actions of the Israeli government as "anti-Semitic". What if a similar law is passed here? Will people who support the Palestinians be giving "succour" to the terrorists, and will they have all their rights taken away, as you suggest?
look wrote:they should play by are rules... and if they dont like it... GET OUT they are ruining our way of life... they should do what we say, or go..."
What a pile of brainless crap. For centuries, Britain has had many different religions - should we burn down all the non-Anglican places of worship?
What is our way of life, exactly? I've been to many different parts of the country, and it's different wherever I go.
Should all Christian/Muslim/Jewish etc kids become chavs, as that seems to be a dominant "way of life" for many of our youths?
Jamez wrote:Muslims...
They're not like the rest of us.
The waltz around the streets in their suspicious clothes, they have special bank accounts on which they pay no interest, they don't interact with native Britons - blah de blah...etc.
If they want to be like that, and not BE British, then they can sod off. I find them all incredibly anti-social and self-righteous.
It seems they're only in this country to make obscene amounts of money and plot attacks. They do themselves no favours by consistently alienating themselves from the rest of us.
If ANYONE wants to know how dangerously close we are to stereotyping an entire group of people, try this.
Substitute Muslims for any other religion (other than Christian). What about Jews? The Jews in Gateshead walk around in suspicious clothes, they have special bank accounts, they don't interact with native Britains - blah de blah...etc.
If they want to be like that, Jamez, are they not British either? Should they sod off?
Of course not, but the fact that it is now OK to say that about Muslims is worrying similar to the persecution and disenfranchisment of other social groups throughout history. And history has dozens of examples to show us the consequences.
Wake up, Jamez, and take your head out of the Daily Mail.
Know this, friends. The most powerful human instinct is fear - we are all afraid of that we do not understand. The people are being manipulated against Muslims for political reasons - don't fall into the trap, please. We risk getting into a British version of McCarthyism if we and everyone else can't say what we think