I make mistakes. I have ocasionally regretted something I wrote. However I have never written anything motivated by hatred of another race or religion, yet I am too “extreme” for the mainstream media. But Melanie Phillips, darling of the Mail and the BBC, can write this kind of incitement to religious hatred:
Romney lost because, like Britain’s Conservative Party, the Republicans just don’t understand that America and the west are being consumed by a culture war. In their cowardice and moral confusion, they all attempt to appease the enemies within. And from without, the Islamic enemies of civilisation stand poised to occupy the void.
With the re-election of Obama, America now threatens to lead the west into a terrifying darkness.
Can somebody please show anything I have written which is anywhere near as ill-motivated? Or anything near as barking mad? Yet Phillips is mainstream and I am in some way understood to be “beyond the pale” of accepted opinion. How does this happen?
Islam is a religion. I know a great many extremely good Muslims. There are also some bad ones, just as there are good and bad Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, you name it. What if I were to write:
“In their cowardice and moral confusion, they all attempt to appease the enemies within. And from without, the Jewish enemies of civilisation stand poised to occupy the void.”
Why is not everybody protected from hate speech? Unfortunately we don’t have an appropriate word as strong as “racist” to describe the kind of vile bigot Phillips is, Muslims not being a race. For Phillips to accuse Obama of conspiring with racial intolerance while promoting evil and hatred herself, is unspeakable.
Actually if Phillips is acceptable as a mainstream commentator, I am proud that I am not.
Craig, the word you are looking for to describe her bigotry is: racism. The “Muslims not being a race” excuse is what the EDL use to defend their vile ideology.
Melanie Philips just doesn’t like non-white people, and she should be called on it.
“This summer, violence between Burmese Rakhine Buddhists and immigrant Muslim Rohingya people caused the death of around 60 people and the displacement of over 90,000 residents of that region. That ethnic conflict has once again escalated in the last few weeks.”
http://www.vice.com/read/screwdrivers-and-slingshots-inside-burmas-erupting-ethnic-strife
The Dalai Lama and Yusuf Islam duking it out with hammer and tong.
Fascist does it for me.
Ferret, I’m sorry about the abuse you encountered. I’m also sorry about Jon’s reply to you. In case you missed it, I gave up moderating here a while ago:
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2012/10/those-despicable-foreigners/#comment-374385
Not that I’d have been any help; the Al Hilli threads are indeed unmoderatable, but that’s because the site team won’t implement implicit registration.
This is essentially a vanity post by me; I used to moderate here, and I don’t want you thinking that I approve of the abuse you received.
Clark: I didn’t realise you’d given it up, sorry to hear that it obviously got that bad. You did a decent job, and I think your heart was always in the right place.
As Craig does not do gold watches, I’ll second Glenn’s comments above. Do keep in touch Clark, thanks again for the work you’ve done.
“Just as there is a dearth of Christian/Jewish Religious leaders who decry the murderous acts of their political leaders, there is too much silence from the quiet, perspicacious Clerics.” Ben Franklin, 11.11.12, 4:12pm.
That hasn’t been the case for a good while, Ben, esp. not in the West. The problem is, those loud and definitive condemnations by imams, community leaders and ordinary people and the work done by people in mosques, etc. doesn’t get reported sufficiently (surprise, surprise). Most Islamist-related anti-terrorist arrests in the USA in recent years were made as a direct consequence of people in the Muslim community calling the authorities. In a few cases, Muslims have called the FBI, and one agent has investigated the matter, only to discover that the person urging violence was in fact an FBI agent provocateur being run by a different FBI division and attempting to justify his ongoing pay!
@Craig
“But I fear you are eliding “Disagreeing with Israel” and “Disagreeing with the United States” as antisemitic or anti-American.”
No I am not – I am quite capable of understanding the difference unlike some of your regular commenters, some of whom quite noticeably seek to blur the difference at every possible opportunity – which is of course exactly the game that Melanie Phillips is playing buit with different targets. I could easily provide names and examples – but it is your responsibility to clean up your blog (and that includes the comments that you publish) not mine.
Des res
You are able to distinguish between zionism and Judaism, but you can’t distinguish between lying and being economical with the truth or brotherhood and bullying.
Mr and Mrs Clean want to wash out our mouths with soap and water. Politics, lying and spying are dirtier than anything.
Suhayl; Yes, I have seen that. The Media splices in a story about good Muslims, but only on slow news days and when they have a slot to fill. But I want to see more Romeros who put it all on the line, their faith, their livelihood, their lives. We need more Bikos, Mandelas, et al. (everyone of conscience) not just religious leaders, although they begin with more credibility in critical circles.
What we need is some more rogue Jesuits blowing up Parliament… 🙂 Seriously, if they wanted to risk it, they could easily become a squeaky wheel requiring the grease of commerce and government to be applied. The Media loves a good news cycle to sell their wares; give them one.
Suhayl; for context on the above, perhaps you didn’t see my ass getting whooped here about non-violent, non-cooperative protest. I believe it works, and History, imo, supports me.
Is there a Muslim Mandela or MLK? Abbas? Who would you recommend?
Private prosecution against Melanie Philips, anyone (incitement to racial and/or religious hatred) ?
Possible?
Jesuits ethically cleansed the Muslim, Jews and Unitarian Christians from France and Spain purely on account of their monotheism, not because of their skin colour or their culture but because of their incandescent mad Mel hatred of their religion. Leading the purges were Jews themselves, seeking position and p ower. No wonder political Islam sides with the Zioswiveleyed neocons to strafe Pakistan and Libya wiith drones and carpet bombs
Holy Moly. Does everything have to possess the purity of the Virgin Mother? Identity politics is what keeps the Authoritarian safe. You can always hire half the poor to kill the other half. As long as the opposition is divided, it is verklempt. Find common ground. Seek alliances. That is all. Carry on.
Komodo; Where you at, Dude..?
Komodo, disagreement is healthy, you know. And you were not the person to immediately unleash a stream of invective with accusations of trolling, when challenged: that honour goes to Mr Honcho here.
Ben, at 3:51pm: You’re right, I did miss that context, sorry, and thanks.
Ben, at 3:21pm: Here’s one, Marwan Barghouti (there have been, and are, others; they usually end up in gaol for a long time because various oppressors, both Muslim and non-Muslim, prefer to deal with violent extremists – for all the reasons of which you’ll be well aware if you’re an advocate of non-violent resistance):
http://original.antiwar.com/avnery/2012/04/01/a-palestinian-mandela/
Ben, like a ‘Latin’ American general’s decorations, your sub-titles get longer and more florid with each passing week! I think now we ought also to confer upon you, an honourary knighthood, of the Order of Murray.
Technicolour, at 8:45pm, what happened? Was there a fight of some sort? I missed it and cannot now locate it.
Melanie Phillips = Hell! Pain implies
Ragaman at 9:21pm, 12.11.12, was that a bizarre spambot advertising for role-playing S ‘n M equipment? 🙂
Ben, and indeed everyone, I think on another thread some months ago, I also provided you with a list of progressive Muslim organisations in the UK, Canada and USA (and no, I did not include ones like Quilliam or even Irshad Manji’s group) which are very active and vocal but which, as far as I know, are not security service fronts. So it’s not just imams and so on. Here are three, British Muslims for Secular Democracy (UK), Muslims for Progressive Values (Canada and USA) and the Muslim Institute (UK) – usual prefixes:
bmsd.org.uk/
mpvusa.org/
musliminstitute.org/
Very encouraging, Suhayl, especially since he was at the top of the list for prisoner exchange, and BiBi wouldn’t have it. Sounds like the Phear of another Mandela. It seems the whole family is a nest of peaceniks. (Mustapha Barghouti )
Thanks. You made my day.
As to my descriptor, Komodo penned it for me, and I was quick to adopt the good lizard’s suggestion. 🙂
Oh hey, Suhayl, it was v childish and expletive laden, because I’d ripped some sub Hunter S Thompson stuff (or not). Nothing to be concerned about.
Have bookmarked BMSD, and will check others later, Suhayl. I’m tempted to friend them on FB to educate my friends and family, but I don’t get political there much.
Suhayl; I had no idea of your scope…….http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suhayl_Saadi
You write lyrics? I’ve always felt I missed my calling. Do you read music? I hear it’s hard unless you write and collaborate with a songster for the arrangement.
Clark,
seeing your comment above to Ferret, may I ask what options I have when I am cornered into an unjustified situation by Jon having intervened as a “non-moderator” and taken sides and made remarks which unfairly denigrate me and my intentions towards another poster on the AA thread who I hold in good regard but who seems to get me the wrong way. I expect Craig hardly has time to mediate in a manner that respects my sensitve and scientific nature and not hastily judge only a few posts, so who else? I would have expected Jon to be aware of the protocols for being a moderator and not making what amounts to an ad-hominem attack hardly acceptable even from a normal poster. I am no thick-skinned lizard unlike many around here. Sorry to trouble you.
Suhayl;
Strike that question last comment. I apologize. as now, I realize that was a very personal question.
Curiosity killed Al Asad 🙂
Snap,
I’m not sure what to suggest really. It’s probably best to put the kettle on and ask Suhayl Saadi if he’ll make some tea. That’s what I should have done instead of getting upset with Jon myself.
A problem I encountered frequently with “moderating” was that there are multiple contributors, and while writing a comment to just one, several more comments could arrive, sometimes on multiple threads. When things were moving fast I found that I got stressed and my temper started to fray, which added to the difficulty of (1) accounting for unavoidable ambiguity in communication and (2) composing a considered and diplomatic reply that wouldn’t upset either the intended recipient or anyone else.
If you post a link, or start and end links to the section you’re referring to, I’ll take a look at it tomorrow.
Hell’s teeth… talk about cryptic remarks, there’s been nothing but, this past day or so! Let’s have some straight talk around here!
Jon, I’m sorry that I’ve been harsh in my criticism of you recently. Moderating must be even more stressful for you since I dropped out. Sorry, and best wishes.
Clark: I could have suggested some solutions to these problems you’ve highlighted. Viz :
1) Dismiss all and any as “crossed threads” and entertain no further correspondence thereon ;
2) Tell them to “suck it up” because this is the best compromise they’ve got.
I’d find it very troubling and difficult to be a moderator here, but sticking to the above guidelines in cases of real difficulty would work pretty much all of the time. And if there is a serious problem with this, the disgruntled party is free to try to have you booted as moderator.
How could everyone not find such an arrangement perfectly equitable?
Hello and best wishes to everyone. I’m still too emotionally fragile to really participate in discussion. I’m still way behind on e-mails; I apologise to those who’ve written but to whom I’m yet to reply.
It’s a shit time in the world, isn’t it? Obama is re-elected to continue torture, drone strikes, etc, and yet the alternative would actually have been worse(!). Everywhere we look we see cover-ups, propaganda, increasing corporatism, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, more surveillance, more restriction on free speech, more damage to the ecosphere, more military tension… About the best angle I can find is that maybe it seems to have got worse than it really has because people communicating through the Internet is revealing things more.
I find it depressing, and it makes it harder to be friendly and supportive.
Kettle. Tea. Best wishes to all.