After ten years Muslims make a stand against extremism.

[boyfriday]

Bit like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

 

I've referred to press releases that the Muslim Council of Great Britain have produced denouncing terrorism and extremism a few times now, but rarely have I ever seen them reproduced.

 

The fact is that unless such releases are published in the popular media you or I would be unaware of them unless we went looking, which I did the last time this nonsense raised its head.

[Cavegirl]

Is it a case of too little too late? Has the practice of just standing by and protecting the extremists done too much irreversible damage for the muslim community?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15044797

 

The same man issued a Fatwa against terrorism last year. I don't think it was very successful.

 

I think you must remember that Muslim populations have been terrorised by the Muslim Brotherhood and other fundamentalist groups far far longer than we have even really been aware of them in the UK. It all started back in the 1950's with Sayed Qutb and the assassination attempts on General Nasser in Egypt.

 

Since that time suicide bombings and other terrorist tactics have been employed many many times in some Islamic countries. The fundamentalists have a utopian vision of a world that is dedicated to their various versions of strict Islamic religion and they have been terrorising moderate Muslims to try to bring this about for a long time now. Yet the moderate Muslims have thwarted them time and time again, refusing to rise up against leaders that have been friendly towards the west, condemning the terrorist actions both vocally and through their silence and their determination that life should continue as normal. It's worth remembering that the Islamic Brotherhood would probably not exist today if the US hadn't strengthened them to aid in fighting the Russians in Afghanistan.

 

The travesty of terrorism is that it instills fear in a population. We've lived with the fear of Islamic terrorism in this country since 9-11 and 7-7 and it has changed our society, some Muslims have lived with it for 60 years now. Still, in this country we had a longer history of terrorism from the IRA. We weren't protesting every week about the IRA, we weren't particularly vocal about condemning them on a daily basis- only when necessary, we were just determined to get on with life and not allow their terror tactics to work. The Muslims in this country and in other countries are the same I believe. There's an element of self-preservation in silence when faced with lunatics and I don't think we can begrudge anybody that.

 

I applaud the Muslim community for their determination to get on quietly in life just like the rest of us. I hope we stamp out the racist sentiments towards them some day just as we stamp out the terrorists and anyone else who uses a utopian vision to violently force social change upon an unwilling population.

[Plain Talker]

<snip>The travesty of terrorism is that it instills fear in a population. We've lived with the fear of Islamic terrorism in this country since 9-11 and 7-7 and it has changed our society, some Muslims have lived with it for 60 years now. Still, in this country we had a longer history of terrorism from the IRA. We weren't protesting every week about the IRA, we weren't particularly vocal about condemning them on a daily basis- only when necessary, we were just determined to get on with life and not allow their terror tactics to work. The Muslims in this country and in other countries are the same I believe. There's an element of self-preservation in silence when faced with lunatics and I don't think we can begrudge anybody that.

 

I applaud the Muslim community for their determination to get on quietly in life just like the rest of us. I hope we stamp out the racist sentiments towards them some day just as we stamp out the terrorists and anyone else who uses a utopian vision to violently force social change upon an unwilling population.

 

I have to say, I'm not running scared Cavegirl...yes, I'm concerned about the activities of the nut-job element, but I haven't changed my lifestyle or anything, in response to the actions of that idiot element. I refuse to cower, just in case the person next to me might be stupid enough to be toting a knapsack of plastique. the odds of that are verging on astronomical.

 

You are bang-right, when you say that pretty much all Muslims just want to get on with their lives, like everyone else. The vast majority of us do just want to do so.

 

It's hard, though, when the media portrays everyone who is Muslim as extremist, and posing a threat. (and even harder, when the hard of thinking just absorb that idea the media portray, without using any logic)

[johncocker]

Actually yes. If "the media" were so against anything positive with regards to Islam and standing up against the oppression caused in its name then why the hell am I aware of the Arab spring?

Yes I do find it rather cool that the Internet age is leading so many to question the teachings of Islam.

 

Maybe it's as simple as, no-one really has anything positive to say about Islam (and for balance the other religions). You don't see much of it online.

 

it's the arab autumn now,... I think:suspect:

[Cavegirl]

I have to say, I'm not running scared Cavegirl...yes, I'm concerned about the activities of the nut-job element, but I haven't changed my lifestyle or anything, in response to the actions of that idiot element. I refuse to cower, just in case the person next to me might be stupid enough to be toting a knapsack of plastique. the odds of that are verging on astronomical.

 

You are bang-right, when you say that pretty much all Muslims just want to get on with their lives, like everyone else. The vast majority of us do just want to do so.

 

It's hard, though, when the media portrays everyone who is Muslim as extremist, and posing a threat. (and even harder, when the hard of thinking just absorb that idea the media portray, without using any logic)

 

I don't think many people realise how easy it is to break down cultural or racial barriers between people. We just need to offer a warm smile to each other on a regular basis, and humans being social creatures, nature tends to do the rest for us. There's nothing quite like honestly befriending people in your local community that has the power to tear through the myths that the media like to portray.

[Tony Erikson]

It's hard, though, when the media portrays everyone who is Muslim as extremist, and posing a threat. (and even harder, when the hard of thinking just absorb that idea the media portray, without using any logic)

 

Will you stop blaming the media.I'm not dumb enough to believe that if muslims are portrayed on TV as terrorists that they all are. You have been proved wrong with regards to the media by this very thread. The media do publish good stories, remember there are left and right wings to the media. Maybe no stories are published because Islam has very little good to say about itself.

 

Though I do understand that yes it's easier to blame it all on the media.

 

You're a muslim PT. Surely you know of a few positive sites on the subject of Islam. Why not link to some and show us the positive things muslims are doing in their communities to fight extremism.

[CXC3000]

Will you stop blaming the media.I'm not dumb enough to believe that if muslims are portrayed on TV as terrorists that they all are. You have been proved wrong with regards to the media by this very thread. The media do publish good stories, remember there are left and right wings to the media. Maybe no stories are published because Islam has very little good to say about itself.

 

Though I do understand that yes it's easier to blame it all on the media.

 

You're a muslim PT. Surely you know of a few positive sites on the subject of Islam. Why not link to some and show us the positive things muslims are doing in their communities to fight extremism.

 

What would you like the average Muslim to do ?

 

'Extremism' is not in the open; it's all hidden (be it from Muslims or non). You don't seem to realise what kind of nonsensical statement you're making.

[Tony Erikson]

What would you like the average Muslim to do ?

 

'Extremism' is not in the open; it's all hidden (be it from Muslims or non). You don't seem to realise what kind of nonsensical statement you're making.

 

Stop blaming the media.

 

Why is it so nonsensical to ask the people who keep claiming it's the media and Muslims do condemn each other to simply provide me with links to good work that the media is hiding from me.

 

You often post links having a got at Jews, I'm sure somewhere in on all your propaganda sites one of them is dedicated to the good work of muslims instead of the bad work of Jews.

 

Extremism is in the open. Be it the EDL, the BNP or muslims. When the BNP and EDL do it it's confronted as the evil it is. Even I for mentioning this am likely classed as a racist BNP member. Yet when Islamic extremism is mentioned it's just down to the media. Well surely the BNP or EDL aren't that bad really, perhaps their views are just being mis-portrayed by the media.

[CXC3000]

Stop blaming the media.

 

The media has played a big part in demonising every Muslim in the UK (and on the planet).

 

Time for you to accept that 'little' fact.

 

Why is it so nonsensical to ask the people who keep claiming it's the media and Muslims do condemn each other to simply provide me with links to good work that the media is hiding from me.

 

The majority of Muslims have always stood against extremism. Just because you don't hear about it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

 

Then again, do you really think the media would be interested in that ? - it wouldn't sell papers so they don't bother reporting it.

 

You often post links having a got at Jews, I'm sure somewhere in on all your propaganda sites one of them is dedicated to the good work of muslims instead of the bad work of Jews.

 

You do realise there's a difference between Jewish people and Zionist terrorists ?

 

Or are you that dense to think they're all one and the same ?

 

Extremism is in the open. Be it the EDL, the BNP or muslims. When the BNP and EDL do it it's confronted as the evil it is. Even I for mentioning this am likely classed as a racist BNP member. Yet when Islamic extremism is mentioned it's just down to the media. Well surely the BNP or EDL aren't that bad really, perhaps their views are just being mis-portrayed by the media.

 

When extremism is in the open, it's opposed. When it's hidden, there's not much you can do about it.

[boyfriday]

Stop blaming the media.

It's absolutely the fault of the media, otherwise you'd know nothing about anything that happens beyond the end of your road. Just because (moderate) Muslims exist in a publicity vacuum doesn't mean as individuals they support terrorism or don't denounce it.

 

I'm still baffled as to why anyone believes Muslims are in anyway required to beat their chests in condemnation of terrorists, I certainly didn't when British football hooligans rampaged across Europe, but was happy to share my view with anyone who sought my opinion on the subject.