Islamaconfusion

The root of prejudice and fear is ignorance. There is much prejudice, in all directions, surrounding the extremes of modern Islam. This is particularly prevalent in the UK which is the spiritual home of political correctness.

First, some facts, there are between 1.6 and 2 million Muslims in the UK out of a population of more than 60 million. That represents approximately 3% of the total. One of the perceptions of the non-Muslim majority that is commonly shared is that the rise in growth of this section of the population is astronomical, continuing and out of control. There is some truth in some of these fears. The growth rate was from a virtually zero base after WW2. I well remember meeting only one Indian boy during my early life, and he was one of my best friends, and his family was proud Sikhs.

There clearly has been some loss of control of our borders in this regard and even the most cursory survey of our bureaucrats will inform you that there have been, with successive waves of immigration, some widespread abuses of the rules. The statistics demonstrate that approximately 50% of the Muslim community is born in the UK and almost all of them are under 25 years of age.

With the increasing number of the Muslim community, both by immigration and mushrooming birth rates, the Muslim people feel more confident and assertive in modern Britain. Because this group is largely also racially from East Asia, and in the UK this means predominately from Bangladesh and Pakistan they are a visibly easy to see minority. The Muslim community exacerbates this profile by living in ghettos in certain parts of the country. The Runnymede Trust, in their ‘Islamophobia – a challenge for us all’, 1997 numbered the Muslim population being broken down thus, Pakistani origin 610,000; Bangladeshi 200,000; Indian 160,000; Arab and African 350,000; others 180,000. This was based on their original, base number of 1.5 Muslims in Britain about a decade ago which would indicate an increase in the Muslim population of between .1 to .5 million in the intervening period.

This is a subject that many fear to discuss. One of the reasons for this reluctance is that it is perceived to be so toxic that writers are intimidated by the potential consequences. This perception began with the death Fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie by some lunatic Muslim clerics for his book, The Satanic Verses, which was his fourth novel. The Satanic Verses (1988), led to sometimes-violent protests from Muslims in several countries. Faced with death threats and the fatwa (religious edict) issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, then Supreme Leader of Iran, which called for him to be killed, Salman spent nearly a decade largely underground, appearing in public only sporadically, and declared his Muslim faith.

The strange and convenient Islamization of Salman did nothing to eliminate the threats against him that still stands. He now does appear on the streets and is, apparently still vulnerable to attack. Having tried to read Salman’s books myself I can understand someone wanting to kill themselves out of terminal boredom. But what kind of mentality possesses the international Islamic leadership and their British followers that they believe it is tenable to publicly call for the murder of a British citizen because you believe he is calling Allah into question or ridicule?

This example is not isolated; there have been many other international examples of Muslim sensibility being breached. This has led to attacks, murders, bombings and various dire threats by elements of the Muslim world.

Combine this type of behavior with the toxically stupid twittering of Hazel Blears, The Communities Secretary for the British government. Ms. Blears has opened up discussion of the idea of teaching all of our state educated school pupils Islamic traditions and values in compulsory citizenship classes. Notice, there are no such demands for similar lessons on Anglican or Catholic traditions and values, both of which have more adherents in this country, and the teaching of which is not mandatory and is relegated to the much more marginalized religious classes. I am Jewish but I live in the UK, which is a Christian country, and I am happy to accept that this country is Christian and that it has, in return, all through my life, accepted that I have the right to practice my religion.

Let’s get this right, it is not the Muslims who are demanding this special status, it is the politically correct, but fundamentally stupid Hazel Blears and her government who come up with these ideas. Clearly they were trying to design measures to reduce the levels of extremism within the more radical members of the Muslim community. So why would you insist that everyone else has to learn Muslim values and traditions to reduce Muslim extremism. Is it because our government believes you have to placate and buy off extremists who might demand we bend at the collective knee?

Doctor Azzam Tamimi of the Institute of Islamic Political Thought in London stated that this scheme is doomed to fail. “This is a naïve initiative. This is not how Muslim education or awareness works.

When a Muslim individual seeks advice or knowledge he or she would usually go to a person they consider to be credible, or an authority, and usually Muslims are suspicious of government-sponsored or organized commissions.” He was speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today program that in his view the government ministers were trying to dictate to Muslims over religious awareness and education.

In Dubai, simultaneously, there is the upcoming trial of the English woman, Michelle Palmer, an advertising executive and her conjoined partner of the moment, businessman Vince Accors. They are being tried for what amounts to a breach of common decency, otherwise known as having sex, openly, on a public beach. The idea that the pair couldn’t get a room for their sexual congress is plain silly, and the probable reason for their not doing so was probably due to drink lessening their remaining inhibitions; plus the fact that they’re plainly both stupid. The police officer who first warned them about their behavior was told where to go by Michelle who seemingly thought that she was well within her rights to fornicate on a public beach in someone else’s Muslim country. That’s the point, and its one I can understand, Dubai is their country, and anyone wishing to live there must do so by their rules or suffer the consequences.

That is the same rule we must apply to the Muslim community, and all others, who live in our country. I would go a bit further in my seeking equality. Whatever their rules for visitors I would apply in reverse. I understand that many Muslim countries do not allow those of other faiths freedom of religion. I don’t suggest we reciprocate, but I believe we should insist they change this iniquitous ruling immediately and allow anyone freedom to pray as they want. I know many Jewish people who visit Arab countries and have to put Agnostic or Church of England next to the space for religion on their entry cards.

In Britain today we are faced with weak, misguided leadership, both in the Muslim and larger British community, which is abjectly and demonstrably unable to confront the extremist tendencies of a growing minority of, radicalized Muslims. As history has repeatedly taught us, there is no negotiating, placating or paying off of bullies, terrorists or gangs, they must be stood up to, confronted and destroyed.

We are in a spiral of mutual misunderstanding and ignorance that is going to lead to major problems in this country, much greater than anything we have so far experienced, unless we address these issues. Remember the way things work is that for every action in the universe, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The official Government figures for the Muslim population breakdown is as follows;

Source: The Office for National Statistics
http://www.statistics.gov.uk
General Register Office, Scotland
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk
* The Muslim population of England & Wales is 1.54 million. The Muslim
* population of Scotland is about 40,000.
* Total Muslim population 1.6 million.

* The Local Authority Districts with the highest Muslim populations are:
* Tower Hamlets - 71,000 (36% of population))
* Newham - 59,000 (24%)
* Blackburn - 27,000 (19%)
* Bradford - 75,000 (16%)
* Waltham Forest - 33,000 (15%)
* Luton - 27,000 (15%)
* Birmingham - 140,000 (14%)
* Hackney - 28,000 (14%)
* Pendle - 12,000 (13%)
* Slough - 16,000 (13%)
* Brent - 32,000 (12%)
* Redbridge - 29,000 (12%)
* Westminster - 21,000 (12%)
* Camden - 23,000 (12%)
* Haringey - 24,000 (11%)