Monday 19th
October
David Cameron is having one of
those awkward British moments. You know the sort. You really want to talk
honestly about race or religion and you don’t want to upset anybody, but then
in your efforts to Morris dance round the subject, you end up saying something
that upsets a lot of people.
As it happens, he was talking
about Islamic Extremism, and whilst he went so far as to say that “extremists
in no way represent the true spirit of Islam”, his actual programme ended up
pissing off a lot of the Muslims he was trying to engage.
The Muslim Council of Britain was
particularly irate. It’s Secretary General, Dr Shuja Shafi, said moves actually
suggested "all aspects of Muslim life must undergo a 'compliance' test to
prove our loyalty to this country", and that he detected “McCarthyist
undertones”.
No doubt, these moves that particularly
single out one religion carry a great risk of alienation, but “McCarthyist”
seems a little alarmist. Maybe it’s something about the difference between
British and American political discourse, but you can’t really imagine a
parliamentary committee routinely asking people “Are you now or have you ever
been an attendee at a community centre in Bradford that we’re not quite sure
about?”
Anyway, in an attempt to pour oil
on the waters, the Prime Minister sent out Theresa May, who has a recent track
record of unifying rhetoric and impeccably judged comments on multiculturalism.
The Home Secretary said that the Government was
aiming at “all those who spread hate”, and included neo-Nazism in this. This
appears to be quite a sound doctrine, and to that end, Ms May should perhaps
take a look at a really vile, divisive and poisonous speech that was delivered by a crazed zealot in
Manchester earlier this month. She shouldn’t have to look too far to find it.
She probably still has a draft of it in her office.
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