A Muslim activist group with links to the Muslim Brotherhood has asked the British government to restrict the way the British media reports about Muslims and Islam.
An appropriate response would have been to remind this group that freedom of speech is paramount. And that’s precisely the response they were given:
Lord Justice Leveson expressed sympathy for Bunglawala’s plea and said that any government regulation of the British media would have to extend to the Internet and include blogs, so as to ensure a “level playing field” between print and online media.
Oh, er, or not as the case may be.
Look, it’s really really simple; Islam has no rights to anything whatever. It is as ripe for criticism as any other belief system and if its adherents find that offensive, well too bad. Freedom of speech surpasses their thin skins.
Lord Hunt would invite bloggers on current affairs to voluntarily agree to regulation. They would receive a seal-of-approval rating that they would lose if complaints against them were repeatedly upheld.
This plan would please Muslim activists such as Bunglawala, who say they are offended by Islamophobia but have no problems purveying anti-Semitic rhetoric about Jews, Zionists, Jewish power and the “Tribe of Judah.”
Ah, the poor diddums is offended by “Islamophobia”. There is no such thing as Islamophobia. It’s an artificial construct designed specifically to stifle dissenting voices. I despise Islam with every fibre of my being. It is a repugnant creed, a cult that seeks to impose dominance on those not inside, it is warped, sadistic and misogynistic and that’s being kind, frankly. I will never, ever be silenced regarding this vile, perverse superstition that revels in ignorance and oppression. Beyond saying this: much as I despise it, I defend absolutely the principle of religious freedom, so if people want to follow it, they should be allowed to do so unimpeded. And as for worrying about losing my seal of approval, as I have no plans to ever have one, that’s not a problem.
Bunglawala, who says he represents mainstream moderate Muslim opinion, is a director of the Muslim Council of Britain, a self-appointed umbrella group that is closely linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. He strongly objects to the use of the phrase “Islamic terrorism” and has described Osama bin Laden as a “freedom fighter for hundreds of Muslims in Britain.”
Well if this man is a moderate, I hate to think what an extremist radical looks like.
As for agreeing to any form of regulation – again, freedom of speech trumps everything. Providing I do not commit libel, I’ll say what I damned well please and Leveson and the Muslims can fuck themselves frankly.
Naturally, Leveson and Hunt don’t give a shit about the Muslims – it’s all about any excuse.
“It’s an artificial construct designed specifically to stifle dissenting voices.”
Sounds like most the behaviour of most religions. “Believe as we do – or else!“
Ah, Bungle….
Always overreaching and screwing up, like the Muslim Inspector Clouseau….
If that really is “mainstream moderate Muslim opinion”, then we do have a problem 😯
Well said LR and if I ever see a “government approved” sticker on any blog, then it’s bye bye to that one. I am quite confident I’ll never see one here.
Never.
If Muslims want a good press then they need to work at it. They need to work to minimise the extremists and maximise the moderates. It’s in their own hands to do this. It doesn’t need them running to the state and saying “Mummy, them Christians are being nasty to us, tell them to stop.
Sounds like they just want some “Respec’ innit”.
Earn respect, no just rant or threaten.
“Earn respect”
A concept that, sadly, seems to have disappeared.
Good article. I fully concur with what you wrote. Really Bunglawala should just eff off and live in a Muslim country and take the screaming hordes with him. Then he wouldn’t have a problem would he? And we can just get on and tut tut at the outrageous behaviour of foreigners in foreign lands instead of in our own.
XX and the Muslims can fuck themselves frankly. XX
Along with any other sekt that tries to impose their will. “christians” included.
With you ALL th way on this one L.R!