As we start a new decade and leave the 'naughties' behind its natural to reflect on what else have the last ten years brought us, other that a crapply named decade. I think is unavoidable to see that probably the most dangerous left over from the decade is the apparent increasing dividing line between Islam and the West which was brought to everyones attention on 9/11 which led to the wars in Afghanistan and then Iraq.
These wars, after overthrowing the regimes in place, took ordinary working class men and women into battle against extremists, who are fighting guerrilla campaigns against what they see as occupying forces. They claim to be acting on behalf of Islam. On the domestic front the causes of Afganistan and Iraq as well as long standing issues surroudingIsreal, Palestine etc has inspired domestic terrorism in London, Madrid, America and elsewhere.
Disturbingly even those who are British Muslims have been invloved in plots to kill their fellow citizens here in the UK in 7/7 etc. Previous to this the average person in the UK had little contact with the Muslim religion other than RE lessons in school and maybe in the workplace and school in the bigger cities. By in large most people neither knew nor cared much about Islam or its beliefs. Now thanks to a myriad of issues most peoples main exposure to Islam is through the perception warping media.
Certainly the following statement would have been a marginal opinion and perhaps just part of a lunatic BNP fringe as it was then before Nick Griffin was considered influential enough to sit on Question Time and the BNP started gaining electoral power at council and European parliamentary level.
"... Islam is a faith based on pure evil, which breeds only violence and anger amongst its followers.
P.C. "do gooders" such as yourself are even more dangerous to our countries fading identity than the terrorists themselves." -Statement on Facebook.
This statement is part of a discussion on facebook for the group against a march on Wooton Basset by a group called Islam4UK (http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=islam&o=69&sid=572605472.631412756..1&s=40#/group.php?v=info&ref=mf&gid=234660765871). This group has over 130,000 members and such opinions as the one above are far from unique. Wooton Basset is a small town which has many military links and has seen many dead soldiers carried through its streets.The people of Wooton Basset have held cermemonies in honor of the dead soldiers. Islam4UK feels a march is a way to bring attention to the fact that many ordinary Muslims have died in these wars.
Whilst it may be the case that not enough attention is given, to the hundreds of thousands of dead Muslims whom have died, as a direct consequence of action taken on our behalf, by our elected MP's. Who in their wisdom have altered the political discourse for the next hundred years into one of' us vs them'. The idea, of this march, is of course offensive (which is its itention) and one which every right thinking person would disagree with, whatever their background. But that's not really the point. The march is clearly a publicity stunt..there is no date for the march and it would never go ahead anyway.
Its purpose is a dark one. Its purpose is the increase the divide between followers of Islam who live in the UK, and the "white people" who also live in the UK. To this end its succeeded.
How could in not succeed in a climate in which very little is known about Islam by most people. A climate where politicians and the media fan the flames of hate and intolerance, for reasons of power and money. You think Daily Express journos believe half the stuff the write? Unlikely. Its more likely they are vacuous and regurgitating ill informed opinions to the ill informed thus forever keeping the vicious cycle going.
Politicians love a scapegoat, and its part of mainstream political discourse to divide people up, so it fits neatly into modern politics. Average white JoeBloggs wont be against profit making wars when we can blame Muslims who he will direct their 'body bag driven' anger against their fellow citizens who just happen to follow Islam. This in turn continues British Muslim feelings of alienation, which increases the risk of mainly young Muslim men becoming extremists.
Islam is a religion, like all religions, primarily based on peace. Basically you can get a cigarette paper between the bible and the Qu'ran
Just as Christan extremists use the bible Muslim extremists use the Qu'ran. The only important word to analyse in Muslim extremist is the word extremist. By its very nature extremist do not represent many people so when anyone attacks a Muslim for being a follower of Islam all they are doing is playing right into the hands of extremists. If all you know of Muslims is 9/11 and terrorism then you really NEED to look into it a bit more...
In this context your either with humanity or against it.
These wars, after overthrowing the regimes in place, took ordinary working class men and women into battle against extremists, who are fighting guerrilla campaigns against what they see as occupying forces. They claim to be acting on behalf of Islam. On the domestic front the causes of Afganistan and Iraq as well as long standing issues surrouding Isreal, Palestine etc has inspired domestic terrorism in London, Madrid, America and elsewhere.
Disturbingly even those who are British Muslims have been invloved in plots to kill their fellow citizens here in the UK in 7/7 etc. Previous to this the average person in the UK had little contact with the Muslim religion other than RE lessons in school and maybe in the workplace and school in the bigger cities. By in large most people neither knew nor cared much about Islam or its beliefs. Now thanks to a myriad of issues most peoples main exposure to Islam is through the perception warping media.
Certainly the following statement would have been a marginal opinion and perhaps just part of a lunatic BNP fringe as it was then before Nick Griffin was considered influential enough to sit on Question Time and the BNP started gaining electoral power at council and European parliamentary level.
"... Islam is a faith based on pure evil, which breeds only violence and anger amongst its followers.
P.C. "do gooders" such as yourself are even more dangerous to our countries fading identity than the terrorists themselves." -Statement on Facebook.
This statement is part of a discussion on facebook for the group against a march on Wooton Basset by a group called Islam4UK (http://www.facebook.com/search/?flt=1&q=islam&o=69&sid=572605472.631412756..1&s=40#/group.php?v=info&ref=mf&gid=234660765871). This group has over 130,000 members and such opinions as the one above are far from unique.
Wooton Basset is a small town which has many military links and has seen many dead soldiers carried through its streets.The people of Wooton Basset have held cermemonies in honor of the dead soldiers. Islam4UK feels a march is a way to bring attention to the fact that many ordinary Muslims have died in these wars.
Whilst it may be the case that not enough attention is given, to the hundreds of thousands of dead Muslims whom have died, as a direct consequence of action taken on our behalf, by our elected MP's. Who in their wisdom have altered the political discourse for the next hundred years into one of' us vs them'. The idea, of this march, is of course offensive (which is its itention) and one which every right thinking person would disagree with, whatever their background. But that's not really the point. The march is clearly a publicity stunt..there is no date for the march and it would never go ahead anyway.
Its purpose is a dark one. Its purpose is the increase the divide between followers of Islam who live in the UK, and the "white people" who also live in the UK. To this end its succeeded.
How could in not succeed in a climate in which very little is known about Islam by most people. A climate where politicians and the media fan the flames of hate and intolerance, for reasons of power and money. You think Daily Express journos believe half the stuff the write? Unlikely. Its more likely they are vacuous and regurgitating ill informed opinions to the ill informed thus forever keeping the vicious cycle going.
Politicians love a scapegoat, and its part of mainstream political discourse to divide people up, so it fits neatly into modern politics. Average white Joe Bloggs wont be against profit making wars when we can blame Muslims who he will direct their 'body bag driven' anger against their fellow citizens who just happen to follow Islam. This in turn continues British Muslim feelings of alienation, which increases the risk of mainly young Muslim men becoming extremists.
Islam is a religion, like all religions, primarily based on peace. Basically you can get a cigarette paper between the bible and the Qu'ran
http://www.carm.org/differences-between-bible-and-quran
They share many similar narratives
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_narratives_and_the_Qur%27an
Just as Christan extremists use the bible Muslim extremists use the Qu'ran. The only important word to analyse in Muslim extremist is the word extremist. By its very nature extremist do not represent many people so when anyone attacks a Muslim for being a follower of Islam all they are doing is playing right into the hands of extremists. If all you know of Muslims is 9/11 and terrorism then you really NEED to look into it a bit more...
In this context your either with humanity or against it.