Muslims 'Greet' Returning British Troops on Parade

[Warspite]

So they have community organizations that are already designed to advance ideas of morality and social justice and charity through organized group action.  That is rather convenient don't you think?

Indeed they do, but there are many forms of group action. A mosque may have a kitchen for the homeless, but not a press officer (and given how hard our press officer is worked at my institute, I have learnt that getting into the press is not easy). It's like a normal church - public communication will be in the form of a newsletter or mailing, or more likely an announcement at weekly prayer. Getting a unified voice across a city, county or nation is very different and much more difficult (for one, the more people, the harder it is to agree on a message, wording or leadership).

What you thought people were dull just because of their race?  Anyway I find radical people pretty boring as well, they are sorta cool as a gimmick but they just say the same shit over and over and over.

Normal people of all races are generally dull. Mediocrity is the great leveller.

[derspiess]

Yeah nice post there by the MCB.

It was probably nice as could be expected, but they probably could have omitted the "Islamophobes" bit.

The more I think of it, it seems a bit half-arsed.

[Admiral Yi]

Yeah nice post there by the MCB.

This?

The MCB is appalled at media reports of the scenes at a homecoming parade for British soldiers in Luton on 10th March 2009. This small minority do not speak for Muslims but instead provide fodder for Islamophobes keen to drive a wedge between Britons.

Secretary General Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari said, "Whilst we understand the deeply held and widespread opposition to the disastrous war in Iraq, the Muslim Council of Britain condemns any form of protest where individuals are harmed or threatened. The 'protestors' did not speak for the majority of people who opposed that war."

"British soldiers are simply carrying out orders on behalf of the government of the day. They have endured and sacrificed much, and we are glad they are back home", added Dr Abdul Bari.

I don't see what's so praiseworthy about it.  It's OK to call returning squaddies baby killers as long as they aren't threatened?  Anyone who uses this protest as evidence of a wider trend in the Muslim community is an Islamophobe?

[Berkut]

LOL, this is just the kind of comments that I am talking about.

The problem here is NOT the protesters, according to the MCB - the problem is the reporting of the protesters, and the "islamophobes". Victimhood FTW!

[Warspite]

LOL, this is just the kind of comments that I am talking about.

The problem here is NOT the protesters, according to the MCB - the problem is the reporting of the protesters, and the "islamophobes". Victimhood FTW!

It says that?

[Berkut]

Who are you?

[Slargos]

Who are you?

I resent your lack of profanity. It is unseemly. 

[Sheilbh]

So...where were all the vocal Muslims in the "Support the troops" crowd telling the idiot Muslims to STFU?

I imagine if there were any they were in the crowd with everyone else.  The police kept people welcoming the troops and these guys on the opposite sides of the road and separated to stop any incidents.

However - one might suspect that if some local Muslim groups HAD shown up, it would be noted. If some local Muslim leadership had spoken out, perhaps that might be noted as well. Perhaps not - and hence the question.

Well that suspicion is based on two, I think faulty, premises.  That the British press are rigorous in their reporting (especially examining a large crowd of people and asking if they're Muslim or not) and that the Daily Mail would be interested in finding out.

Well let's take the MCB then.  Apparently, the heavy burdens involve in issuing press releases did not prevent them from issuing a blizzard of them condemning Israel over the attacks in Gaza.   When it comes to trashing Zionists, there doesn't seem to be any difficulty in "responding" or organizing.

The front of the MCB's website has a highlighted press statement declaring 'Luton Protestors do not Speak for Muslims'. 

I don't see what's so praiseworthy about it.  It's OK to call returning squaddies baby killers as long as they aren't threatened?  Anyone who uses this protest as evidence of a wider trend in the Muslim community is an Islamophobe?

Actually I think it's an internal argument.  There was a really interesting programme about the Salman Rushdie fatwa on recently.  One of the things that struck me about it was that Muslims who opposed it initially or now oppose it framed their opposition within the context of 'this is not a good image for us; this behaviour undercuts what we say about ourselves'.

[Neil]

Who are you?

Isn't it Arkestra?

[Neil]

The front of the MCB's website has a highlighted press statement declaring 'Luton Protestors do not Speak for Muslims'. 

Which is ridiculous since they speak for plenty of Muslims, not least of all themselves.

[Admiral Yi]

Actually I think it's an internal argument.

What's an internal argument?

[DisturbedPervert]

public communication will be in the form of a newsletter or mailing

That, or in the form of decapitation.

[derspiess]

Btw check out the one with the bluetooth headset.  I bet he's taking business calls while calling soldiers "butchers"  ;D

[Berkut]

Actually I think it's an internal argument.  There was a really interesting programme about the Salman Rushdie fatwa on recently.  One of the things that struck me about it was that Muslims who opposed it initially or now oppose it framed their opposition within the context of 'this is not a good image for us; this behaviour undercuts what we say about ourselves'.

So they had a debate over whether or not it was acceptable to murder authors for what they write?

And this is evidence for how reasonable and moderate they are - not because murdering authors isn't sucha  great idea, but because of how it looks to others?

[Sheilbh]

Actually I think it's an internal argument.

What's an internal argument?

The argument that this sort of thing just provokes Islamophobes.  The thing I'm worried about is that there are two things going on at once. 

There's radical Islam and the West, we have issues and we want the moderates, as it were, to stamp on and drown out the radicals.  Now this isn't ever going to make the news, because moderation and common sense don't make good copy. 

But the other thing is that if the moderates please us then chances are they've lost credibility with the great mass of Muslims who are somewherein between Mullah Omar and Mona Sidiqqi.  So basically moderates have to speak with a forked tongue.  On the one hand they have to appease us to some degree - especially groups like the MCB which gets their credibility from the government recognising them as 'community leaders' - while on the other arguing with the radicals from a set of basic Islamic ideals rather than the truths of a secular Western perspective.

So we get a moderate who says 'this looks bad' and we react as people here have by commenting that that's a bit underwhelming.  While the Muslims who opposed or now oppose the fatwa started from that but they then made a more fundamental argument that 'this undermines what we say we are' which reaches a far more important point. 

It may not satisfy our demands for them to take a stand but I think that's of secondary importance to the argument being made within Islam.