But yesterday’s Today programme interview with Sheik Yosif al-Nasari, who told us, unchallenged by James Naughtie, how American Special Forces had sealed off the Samarra mosque before blowing it up, doesn’t seem to be available on Thursday’s ‘Listen Again’ page.
Those of you who like their anti-Americanism untainted by reality can still listen to Wednesday night’s arts review Front Row, where Syriana director Stephen Gaghan states that George Bush has personally ordered the killing of ‘lots and lots of people’.
may i add that bertie ahern was talking about the UNIONISTS right to march in Dublin in that quote.
why the bbc would put a picture of a garda in the middle of riot next to that quote says that
a) the bbc thinks that bertie ahern is a hypocrite with regards to the unionist march
b) that the garda are a bunch of thugs beating up people.
both a and b are utterly false.
and more importantly, the quote is unrelated to the photo – the garda is beating up republican rioters who wanted to attack the unionists. and bertie is backing up the unionists right to march in dublin.
sorry for going on about this… but the bias is so blatant and in my face i had to say something.
I think this is worth considering at least. I am paranoid but.
The level of spying in Britain and the USA since the 1930s to about 30 years ago is well documented. They reveal a very high amount of infiltration of the civil-service, the establishments the goverment, and especialy the security services. It was estimated that in the 50s, 30% of the CIA staff were also getting payed by the soviet-union. It is inconceivable that at least some of this has not been done by our enemies, over say the last 10 years.
We know that there were many Soviet and German spys working for the BBC, during the last war. We also know now, how much control the goverment had over the BBC then. Which was a lot. We now know, how really clever and dangerous propergander is. After Greg Dykes dismisal, we now know, how careless the top management of the BBC can be.
Although any spys at the BBC would be largely ” pushing on an open door,” their role would be different from strait propergander. More the job of stage management and reporting back to their controllers what the BBC is thinking and doing next. There was thought to be at least 8 British MPs in the 30s spying for Hitler. Over 25 spying for the soviet-union. Maybe a lot more.
The job any current low level infiltration would be to spread general unrest and confustion. Followed by maybe the direct provocation of organised race riots. Which even the BBC itself cant miss.
These people have organised nuclear developement, 9/11, vaste internet fraud, and a secret police force,and spy network, that makes the CIA and MI5 look like a bunch of morris men. They also have a lott of money,oil, and power, also masses of political friends. All our enemys are now their allies.
Dont underestimate your enemy, even if it does make you sound paranoid. We did before, and it cost many lives.
However letts just hope, that in 10 years time, when someone says “Iran” we can reply “Iran who.” Because there is “bugger all” we can do about any of it.
Archduke: “your TV license fee, at work.” And maybe more such licence fees in the works:
http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s2i10407
BTW
It is not commonly understood that if America had not entered the European war. This would have become a Starlinist country, not a Hitlerite one. Not that there is much difference between the two. Freedom won,in the west, which is why I have not been “disappeared” yet.
OT
That Esther Armah on Radio 5 is moronic – repeatedly today she described Rio de Janeiro as “the Brasil capital” which makes her around 140 years out of date ……..ignorance is strength – seems to be the Orwellian BBC motto
Gary – its at least at likely that Europe would have been overrun by the Ruskis but that Britain would have been able to stay clear.
After all they would have been stopped dead by the channel without a viable navy. Would have taken them years to build the resources for that. Blockading the UK and building an invasion fleet etc Furthermore one would hope in this alternate world our forbears wouldnt just have sat around twiddiling their thumbs.
It was with indecent haste and lots of detergent that the World Service, in the form of Katya Adler, rushed to sanitize Hamas’ ‘Prime Minister’. Now the squeaky clean version of the PM goes like this:
He has remained in his tiny, overcrowded neighbourhood in Gaza, a onetime soccer player, a preacher in the local mosque and no doubt non-violent – but you may need a bucket handy before reading further because there’s some really nauseating stuff here. [My emphasis in bold]:
It was his passion for religion that led him to Hamas
His defining moment came when he became assistant to Hamas spiritual leader, the late Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
[No doubt assisting him to prep suicide bombers. Note the full name and title afforded Yassin.]
So, here in Gaza he is seen as a modest man of the people. Yet Israel, the United States and the European Union regard him as a terrorist, or at least the leader of a terrorist movement.
[Gasp. The ‘T’ word, unedited, on the BBC? They must really want to emphasize this point.]
The baton is then handed to Lyse Doucet – she of the rounded, hot-potato-in-the-mouth vowels – who proceeds to run with it towards a Republican US senator, showering him with Hamas-friendly questions and suggestions:
Is there room for negotiations?
What Hamas says is, work with us, judge us by our deeds.
[Right.]
If you put a financial stranglehold on Hamas it will force them to look for allies like Iran.
Hamas has largely observed a ceasefire over the past year. It is groups like Islamic Jihad that have been involved in attacks against Israel.
[Lyse either doesn’t know or care that Hamas is instructing Islamic Jihad in the firing of Kassam rockets.]
The Middle East is where George W. Bush [note, no ‘President’ Bush, but I suppose we should be grateful for the ‘George W.’] wants to see the march of democracy. Both the Iranian President and Hamas were democratically elected.
[The good senator has thus far dealt firmly and barely politely with Lyse, but his response here was the cherry on the top for me]:
Senator: Well, that’s true, but Hitler came to power democratically.
Doucet: I think people in those countries would object to that comparison.
[No, Lyse, they’d be delighted with it.]
Senator: It’s not a comparison, it’s a fact.
But not one that the BBC would ever allow to get in the way of their propaganda.
Lurker:
“Gary – its at least at likely that Europe would have been overrun by the Ruskis but that Britain would have been able to stay clear.”
I have no doubt that there were plenty of useful idiots in the UK ready and willing to betray us.
Although the Ruskies did not overrun Europe their ideology certainly has, in the form of the EU.
Ref the Dublin riots you see pictures of female Garda standing alongside their male colleagues about to brave the hail of stones and bricks etc. Meanwhile in Portadown a “brave” group of “real” men knocked a policewoman to the ground where she was kicked and punched and several colleagues severely injured…THIS is the sort of lowlife activity that the BBC never question…to them the Police ARE the enemy and rioters are merely trying to fight a Nazi state…
The BBC find an act of terrible depravity by the extreme right:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4747816.stm
Yes, someone hung a cartoon on the wall. This person is, naturally, a “right-wing extremist”. Someone who holds up a banner saying “Behead all those who oppose Islam”, or who burns down an embassy, or who fires indiscriminately at police is merely “a protestor”. Reflect on that, and marvel at the left-wing mind.
“Greater Manchester Police said they were treating the incident ‘extremely seriously'”
Well, far more seriously than the Met chose to take the events of two weeks ago
‘A spokeswoman said: “Greater Manchester Police treat any incitement of racial hatred extremely seriously and robustly investigate any such incidents that are reported to us.”‘
and the racial hatred element here is…what exactly? On what grounds (legal I mean, not blatantly political lying) can this be justified as racial hatred?
Rob, when I see stories like this I worry about the future of the UK. Looks like the police are jockeying for position to see who will be best able to lick the boots of their new Muslim overlords.
And the BBC, of course, is strenuously aiding them in this endeavour.
Is there no way that anyone can compel the police to do their job?
Same thing is happening in the US, with airport security harrassing litle old ladies because the politicians wont let them ‘profile’ people of ‘Middle Eastern’ appearance. It’s beyond bizarre.
Now I have to go to work. If anyone says anything nasty about me, I’ll respond later.
Bryan
Thanks for explaining R0P!
when I see stories like this I worry about the future of the UK. Looks like the police are jockeying for position to see who will be best able to lick the boots of their new Muslim overlords.
Not so…..it is their New Labour Overlords. The legislation put in place by Jacko Strawman after the MacPherson “I See No Freemasons” Report put a statutory obligation on public bodies to prove their “anti-racist credentials” in annual reports to the Home Office.
If they do not pursue a complaint on issues of “homophobia”, “Race” etc the police can be charged as being “secondary accessories after the fact.”
This is how New Labour created its Thought Police by punishing insufficient zeal as being tantamount to being an accessory.
That is why the Thought Police swoop to meet the targets set by the Political Commissar in Petty France
Sorry, couldn’t help it…
Mohammed cartoon put up in office
[Sounds like a rip-roaring story already, doesn’t it?]
Extremists have been blamed after a cartoon featuring the prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban was put up in a housing office in Oldham.
[Wow! “Extreme” picture hanging! Is this a new Olympic Sport? I like the small ‘p’ prophet. Is this policy now?]
The cartoon, which has sparked protests from Muslims worldwide since it was published in a Danish newspaper last year, appeared at First Choice Homes.
[1. There was more than one cartoon. 2. Mainly, they were rioting, not protesting. 3. No, since it toured the Middle-East.]
Managers acted quickly to remove it and have begun an inquiry.
[Brave managers stand up to the Extremist Picture-Hanging Facists]
Oldham was hit by race riots in 2001 when youths from the mainly Muslim Asian community fought white youths.
[Yes, read that again. Notice use of word ‘community’ associated with the Asian youths, but not the white youths. They have no community.]
A number of measures have since been carried out in an effort to improve race relations in the town.
Staff offended
First Choice Homes – which runs the town’s council housing – said the matter had been reported to police.
[OK, the heart of the matter. Given the fuss recently, it should be fairly obvious that these cartoons do not break any English laws. SO on what grounds did the bloke report the matter to the police…]
Steve Yorke, its Director of Management and Operations, said many staff had been offended by the cartoon.
[…Oh I see, poor sensitive religious types are still getting offended by them. Well, tough, it’s not an offence.]
“They were upset and angry but it’s our job to demonstrate to all staff that we will not tolerate offensive literature, we will not tolerate posters of this kind which are designed to divide our staff and set staff against each other in whatever way shape or form,” he said.
[Funny – he seems to know all about the intended purpose of the design of the cartoon. Has he had a chat with the cartoonist?]
Oldham Council said the cartoon could be part of an attempt by right-wing extremists to increase tension ahead of council elections in May.
[Or it could be someone doing it for a laugh to see how many hoops idiots like these will jump through.]
[There is a picture here of a Danish flag being burned. The beeb tag this with the text “The cartoon has provoked protests worldwide” Notice that they use the singular “cartoon” rather than the plural “cartoons”. It was this cartoon alone – the one the Extremists hung up – wot did it]
Chief executive Andrew Kilburn said: “Working in a diverse community such as Oldham, we are constantly aware of the need for vigilance against groups who would wish to exploit controversy for their own ends.
[Free speech is a controversial subject in a facist theocracy, yes, I agree]
“We will respond very firmly, as will all our partners, to issues which cause offence and which seek to damage the community cohesion for which we have worked so hard.”
[But only if it’s our friends who are being offended. Stuff you free thinkers and pro-democracy types.]
Greater Manchester Police said they were treating the incident “extremely seriously” and were worried the incident could affect “community cohesion”.
[Why? Nobody’s done anything against the law.]
A spokeswoman said: “Greater Manchester Police treat any incitement of racial hatred extremely seriously and robustly investigate any such incidents that are reported to us.
[Ah that old chestnut. I thought the government said this kind of thing wasn’t covered by their silly new law. Ridicule is ok, they said.]
“We will not tolerate any acts of racial discrimination and are committed to working with local communities to tackle any issues that may arise.”
[Discrimination? By who? Who, exactly, is being discriminated against? In what manner?]
[This “News” article is really a total load of old tosh. They should be ashamed of themselves.]
Whereas the bbc regularly report on Islamic marches against the cartoons in London and send their journalists out into the demo’s to make interviews, with moderate Muslims waving union jacks, and telling us how misunderstood they are, I missed any coverage of the pro Denmark demonstration in Washington on Friday:
http://vitalperspective.typepad.com/vital_perspective_clarity/2006/02/a_rally_for_fre.html
.
For that matter, I haven’t heard the bbc report on any such demonstration showing solidarity with Denmark and free speech either. Instead, the bbc are demonising the cartoons, in fascist step, so it seems, with the rest of the Islamic world, and reporting the same sentiments of ‘outrage’ as if they were natural and reasonable!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4747816.stm
In Oldham we are told in this bbc report that an outrage has been committed, and that the police have been informed, and are treating it as “race hatred” WTF are we, Iran?
Notice too the caption under the bbc picture “The cartoon” strangely singular here? This isn’t bias, its dhimmitude of the worst sort, and this sick encouragement will end in tears.
I don’t know about anyone else, but the only thing I can think of when I read that story about the cartoon being posted in Oldham is “For pity’s sake, it’s a cartoon”. That is a sheet of paper with some scribblings on it. Indeed, very much like a placard with, oh I don’t know, “Europe is the cancer, islam is the answer”. Funnily enough however, one of these is allowed all over the place. The BBC website have a picture of things like this all over the place. God forbid anyone should actually put up a picture of mohammed with a bomb in bis turban. That would cause rioting.
Right wing extremists my arse.
“[Or it could be someone doing it for a laugh to see how many hoops idiots like these will jump through.]
” as TheCuckoo put it strikes me as far more likely.
This horrific cartoon outrage in Oldham is obviously big news. The BBC obviously considers it important enough to report.
I like the way the BBC has spun the story. Now it seems that people who wish to display the cartoons are “extremists” – oh, and “right-wing” too.
Yep, in the eyes of the BBC, the government and the police, the cartoons as now as socially acceptable as the Swastika.
If someone had hung a Danish flag in the office and not the cartoon, I expect that would have been seen as an “extremist”, “right-wing” act of “incitement” to “racial” “hatred” too. Given the “hurt” and “offence” caused by the cartoons, can we assume that any public display of the Danish flag is not acceptable too?
What interesting times we live in.
re: oldham cartoon
heres someething from florida, that makes you realise how authoritarian the uk has become:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-nazi2606feb26,0,4377719.story?coll=orl-home-headlines
can we assume that any public display of the Danish flag is not acceptable too?
Not in my book since a Danish flag looks not dissimilar to the English flag or the Swiss flag, namely a cross on a plain background.
“Not in my book since a Danish flag looks not dissimilar to the English flag or the Swiss flag, namely a cross on a plain background.”
A cross, you say? But crosses are offensive, aren’t they?
If anyone knows where I can get some right wing, exremist, Danish flag car stickers for my motor please let me know.
I may be some time though – I had a couple of Danish bacon sarnies for breakfast so I’m just off to turn myself in to my local hate crimes unit.
I am looking forward to attending the meeting outside the Danish Embassy that Oliver Kamm is proposing, to stand up for freedom of speech and to show solidarity with the Danes.
I hope it happens soon. But I doubt if the BBC will not cover it. And even if it does, it will then bring on some Islamofascist to give the counter view – when it never allowed the brits to giove their counter view to the appalling Islamofascist demos in the streets of London.
http://suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn26.html
“The West just closes its eyes”. Especially the BBC.
BBC WOULD NOT ADMIT HE WAS A BLACK MUSLIM……
http://www.ejpress.org/printversion.aspx?idd=5916
Dispute around motivation for murder in Paris
Original article: http://www.ejpress.org/article/5916
By Yossi Lempkowicz and Shirli Sitbon in Paris Updated: 17/Feb/2006 15:28
Thirteen people, all members of a dangerous and extremely violent gang, have been arrested following an investigation into the murder of a young Jewish man in the Paris area, French police announced Friday.
Meanwhile a difference of opinion arose surrounding the motivation for the murder. The Paris public prosecutor declared that “anti-semitism did not appear to be the motive” of the kidnappers of the 23-year-old Ilan Halimi,” while family members of the murdered man suspect the contrary.
Trying to calm the Jewish community’s emotion and anger, the umbrella group of French Jewish secular organisations, CRIF, issued a statement on Friday calling on the Jewish community “to keep calm, cautious and wait for developments in the investigation.”
Among the arrested suspects • aged between 17 and 32- are three women who were used by the gang to attract their prey. They were all arrested in the Paris suburbs.
All these persons come from the city of Bagneux, in the Paris region, where Ilan Halimi has been detained.
A person living in Brussels was also said to be under international arrest warrant.
Dangerous gang chief
According to an informed source, the head of the gang has been identified as the 26-year-old Youssef Fofana, a Black Muslim who is calling himself “brain of the barbarians.” He is already known to the police services as “extremely dangerous.”
Fofana has not yet been arrested but an identikit of him was handed to the press by the Paris public prosecutor, Jean-Claude Marin.
“He knows he is searched,” Marin said Friday.
“He insulted Ilan Halimi’s family members by calling them yesterday and issuing death threats if they did not pay the ransom,” he added.
FPRIVATE “TYPE=PICT;ALT=”
Youssef Fofana
The investigation by some 200 policemen quickened after Ilan Halimi was found last Monday severely wounded, naked and hand-cuffed along a railway track in the suburb of Saint Genevieve des Bois, 30 kilometres south of Paris. Halimi’s body was found three weeks after he was kidnapped by a gang.
A person suspected of having helped the kidnappers was arrested on Tuesday. Police issued a call for witnesses and published two identikit pictures of a “blonde” woman who was used to charm and attract Ilan Halimi, as well as the picture of a suspect with his face mainly masked.
The woman, who felt she had been recognized by friends, later gave herself up to police.
The victim was burnt and cut on 80 percent of his body, died of his wounds as he was taken to hospital.
According to police, Halimi, a cellular phone salesman, was attracted by a young Arab “pleasant” woman who came to his place of work, on Voltaire boulevard, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, on January 17. The woman apparently charmed him and arranged an appointment.
Ilan Halimi was kidnapped on the night of January 21, when he was supposed to meet the young woman.
After the kidnapping, the gang contacted Ilan’s family and demanded a ransom of between 450,000 and 500,000 euros.
Dispute on the anti-Semitic character
Speaking on a Parisian Jewish radio on Thursday, the Paris public prosecutor said that “no element of the current investigation could link this murder to an anti-Semitic declaration or action.”
Police even didn’t mention the Jewish identity of the victim. “It’s out of question to draw a line to the victim’s membership of the community,” Jean-Claude Marin told French Jewish radio Radio Shalom.
Judiciary police chief Francois Jaspar said that at least three other similar attempted kidnapping have been reported since last December, none were successful.
In each case, one of three young women, a blond, a brunette and an Arab woman, or a young man would attract the victim on a date, during which the victim would be attacked by the rest of the gang. Ilan Halimi was the only victim caught by the gang.
Police meanwhile warned against “charming approaches” by “pretty young girls or men.”
Family sees anti-Semitism
For their part, Jewish community security services and Ilan Halimi’s family suspect that the crime may have been motivated by anti-Semitism.
“We think there is anti-Semitism in this affair,” Rafi, Ilan’s brother in law, told the European Jewish Press.
“First because the killers tried to kidnap at least two other Jews and secondly because of what they said on the phone,” he added.
“When we said we didn’t have 500,000 euros to give them they answered we should go to the synagogue and get it,” Rafi stressed. “They also recited verses from the Koran. We didn’t know what they were saying but the police told us.”
“Ilan was the pillar of the family. He was the only man and he protected and supported his two sisters and his mother. He was an extremely honest, mature and cheerful man,” his brother-in-law said to EJP.
“We fear that the fact that Ilan was Jewish aggravated his case and caused his kidnappers to behave as Islamists. Why did the kidnappers, once they discovered that Ilan’s family was not wealthy, as they had thought, not let him go and instead tortured him to death?,” asked Sammy Ghozlan, head of the French Anti-Semitism Vigilance Bureau.
Jewish umbrella group cautious
In its statement, CRIF said it was in contact with the French authorities, in particular the offices of the Prime minister and the interior minister.
“We have asked the authorities to do everything possible to find the perpetrators as quickly as possible and to establish if the fact that the victim was Jewish was a determining factor in the tragic murder,” the Jewish umbrella group said.
“According to the authorities, it’s about a gang from the suburbs whose act was not anti-Semitic in nature and which in the past attempted to kidnap persons who were not Jewish,” CRIF added.
A Thousand people attended the burial ceremony of Ilan Halimi Friday morning at the cemetery of Pantin, in the Paris suburbs.
Several shops of the Boulevard Voltaire didn’t open Friday in a gesture of solidarity with Ilan Halimi’s family.
A cross, you say? But crosses are offensive, aren’t they?
TAoL | 26.02.06 – 1:47 pm | #
Might be to you buster, but I find them perfect
If anyone knows where I can get some right wing, exremist, Danish flag car stickers for my motor please let me know.
http://search.ebay.co.uk/Danish-flag_W0QQfltZ9QQfromZR8
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Denmark-Sticker-Decal-Danish-Dane-Flag-DK-Oval-Euro_W0QQitemZ7746671461QQcategoryZ4001QQssPageNameZWD2VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DENMARK-FLAG-DANISH-FLAG-CAR-BUMPER-STICKER-DECAL_W0QQitemZ7741842017QQcategoryZ4042QQssPageNameZWD2VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Everything-with-Flags
They didn’t use these cartoons in Oldham did they ?
http://karikaturoj.blogspot.com/
Good god, things are bad in the UK. I thought it was bad here, but you guys have got us beat — hanging up a cartoon is a “serious” police offense but traipsing about with signs reading “exterminate the English” is perfectly okay?
You need another Wat Tyler.
Regarding the Beeb’s non-reporting of the Washington pro-Danish demo: expecially “odd” they didn’t report it since it was organized by two expat Brits – Christopher Hitchens and Andrew Sullivan.
Another vicious anti-Semitic attack in France:
http://no-pasaran.blogspot.com/2006/02/just-typical-french-day-at-office.html
Think it will be reported by al-Beeb? Oh, wait it doesn’t come close to matching the terrible atrocity of the Dreaded Oldham Cartoon Hanging Incident.
Where are my priorities? Funny ol’ me.
DumbJon is on the case:
http://houseofdumb.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_houseofdumb_archive.html#114095106472623296
OT: Apropos of nothing, hit counts for a few google searches of bbc.co.uk.
Atheism: 13,800
Sikhism: 18,900
Judaism: 24,000
Buddhism: 27,800
Christianity: 75,500
Islam: 265,000
Rick, I like my crosses hot and on a bun. That, I’m afraid, is about as religious as I get.
But I am starting to wonder if the display of just a small Danish flag in an office or on a car would be regarded by the police, the Beeb or by politicians as an act of an “extremist”?
Re recent posts using pbuh & variations –
Tim Blair has
Muslim convert Joseph Terrence Thomas—police be upon him—has been convicted of receiving funds from al-Qaeda.
I see the BBC is is still calling this an “Israeli” museum.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4721336.stm
It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon so I think I shall complain.
More BBC bias:
Speech angers Australian Muslims
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4746106.stm
This is what a £2.9 Billion news gathering organisation reports:
“Mr Costello said migrants who did not respect Australia’s laws and traditions should lose their citizenship.
He singled out the Muslim community and said it had a responsibility to uphold Australian values.
What did Costello say? The BBC don’t tell us – censored. Is this China? Iran? The BBC asks as if so. What’s important to the left is that the alleged victims are muslim, therfore if they shout ‘we are angry’, then that is the main news story. Forget what Costello actually said.
Of course, if the BBC told us what Costello said, we might decide for ourselves that, far from saying something offensive, he said something eminently sensible and that many would support. So we look elsewhere. Heres a non BBC article that reports both sides statements in somewhat more detail. Make you own mind up.
Our values or go home: Costello
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/our-values-or-go-home-costello/2006/02/23/1140670207642.html
“Is it provocative to say that citizens should be loyal to Australia, that they should abide by the rule of law, that they should respect the rights and liberties of others?” he asked on ABC TV yesterday. “Gee, things have got pretty bad if that’s provocative.”
earlier, Costello had said
“PETER Costello has lashed out at “mushy misguided multiculturalism,” warning that Australian values are “not optional” — and that migrants who do not share them should be stripped of their citizenship.
In a hard-hitting speech to the Sydney Institute that immediately sparked anger from Muslims, the Treasurer said migrants should be forced to honour their pledge of allegiance to Australia or face the prospect of being kicked out.
In his strongest comments on the issue yet, he said anyone refusing to acknowledge the rule of law “stabs at the heart of the Australian compact”.
“Those who are outside this compact threaten the rights and liberties of others,” Mr Costello said. “They should be refused citizenship if they apply for it. Where they have it they should be stripped of it if they are dual citizens and have some other country that recognises them as citizens.”
Mr Costello said the citizenship pledge should be “a big flashing warning sign” to Muslims wanting to live under sharia law.
“Before entering a mosque visitors are asked to take off their shoes,” Mr Costello said. “This is a sign of respect. If you have a strong objection to walking in your socks don’t enter the mosque. Before becoming an Australian you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objection to those values don’t come to Australia.”
His comments follow Prime Minister John Howard’s claims this week that a fragment of the Islamic community is “utterly antagonistic to our kind of society”. Last week Liberal backbencher Danna Vale said that Australia could become a Muslim nation within 50 years because “we are aborting ourselves almost out of existence”.
People will not respect citizenship that explains itself on the basis of “mushy multiculturalism,” Mr Costello said.
“We are more likely to engender respect by emphasising the expectation and the obligations that the great privilege of citizenship brings.”
Mr Costello said he had attended an Australia day citizenship ceremony at the Stonnington Town Hall in his electorate of Higgins during which a state MP “extolled the virtues of multiculturalism”.
He said the MP said becoming an Australian did not mean giving up one’s culture or language or religion — and it certainly did not mean giving up the love of their country of birth.
“The longer he went on about how important it was not to give up anything to become an Australian, the more it seemed to me that, in his view, becoming an Australian didn’t seem to mean very much at all, other than getting a new passport.”
Islamic Council of Victoria president Malcolm Thomas said he was disappointed at Mr Costello’s speech. “We have had the uninformed comments of Danna Vale, we have had the comments made by the Prime Minister and now we have these comments — all they do is reinforce a stereotype which doesn’t exist.”
Mr Thomas said that singling out Muslims was pandering to a conspiracy that Muslims wanted to overtake Australia.
“Australian Muslims are Australians first,” he said. “They abide by the law and they want to live here in peace and harmony. They are not interested in taking over the country. They are not interested in creating a theocracy”.
Ikebal Patel, an executive member of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said the comments were “inflammatory”.
“Islam law teaches that when you go into a country you embrace the laws of that country,” Mr Patel said.
“I hope we are not going away from multiculturalism as the founding stone of our immigration policy.”
Mr Patel said the timing of the comments smacked of an attempt by the Government to deflect attention from the AWB scandal.
Islamic Friendship Association of Australia chairman Keysar Trad accused Mr Costello of making “divisive, politically opportunistic comments that do nothing but play on people’s fears”.”This is very poor form from the Treasurer,” Mr Trad said. “It seems to be (something) we are increasingly hearing from members of the federal Liberal Government. It’s most disconcerting that instead of giving a logical argument they would resort to fear-mongering.”
Mr Trad said the overwhelming feeling at a national symposium at Griffith University last week was that multiculturalism was the best thing for Australia and any country.
Mr Costello said Muslims who did not like the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in newspapers should recognise this does not justify violence.
He said he did not like “putrid representations” such as Andres Serrano’s controversial work, Piss Christ (showing an image of Christ immersed in urine), but recognised that art galleries should be able to practise their “offensive taste” without fear of violence or a riot.
World Vision chief executive Tim Costello praised his brother for raising the debate about multiculturalism. “I think there should be a debate because it’s complex,” he said. “Should people from countries who practise female genital mutilation or bigamy and say it’s part of their cultural or religious beliefs be allowed to do so here? I would say no, they have consented to our laws by coming here. I think Peter is right in that fact.”
If the Sharia Law Party of the UK start winning seats in future local and general elections, I am moving to OZ. I don’t want to be part of a dhimmi UK.
But I am starting to wonder if the display of just a small Danish flag in an office or on a car would be regarded by the police, the Beeb or by politicians as an act of an “extremist”?
TAoL | 26.02.06 – 4:09 pm |
During the World Cup 2006 ? Give me a break !
http://www.righttojustice.org/
One for the BBC to put on TV on a Sunday instead of Islam
I’m away to ASDA to ask the bakery man for two ‘Roses of Mohammed’formerly known as Danish pastries to go with my coffee……think I’ll get some?
TheCuckoo,
A great (first?) post, and fisking!
More please.
Protests in Paris against anti-semitisim today;
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060226/ids_photos_wl/r3847015882.jpg
Al-Beeb?
I bought some Lurpak butter and some Danish clogs. Come and get me al-Beeb — I’m an extremist!
I bought some Lurpak butter and some Danish clogs
The butter I take it makes wearing the clogs more comfortable ?
Clogs come in other forms besides wooden!
Clogs come in other forms besides wooden!
Susan | 26.02.06 – 6:38 pm | #
Lurpak Clogs ?
susan -> no sign of those protests yet on the European page of Al-BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/default.stm
We nead a serious debate on the media to get to grips with this what is Left and what is a right-wing policy problem, cos this confustion is messing up all debates.
If one follows the dictionary definition Margaret Thatcher could have been described as far LEFT wing. Also the current goverment as conservative reactionary right. The BBC never does or would.
This of cause will not do, when trying to describe what ones political beleives are. Because the description, would have to change every time the goverment did.
The BBC have for a long time not cleared up this confustion because it suits their purpose, to keep us in this state.
They keep changing from one diffinition to another to help marginalise any opinion that they dont approve of. Namely the Conservative Party. As this is the only opposition, however pathetic, to the goverment, this is a very very serious matter indead. This present goverment can and does get away with anything it wants. The responsibility for the most unaccountable goverment in my living memory, is almost entirly theirs.
The Labour goverment is now almost surely going to lose power at the next election, and the BBC are visibly shitting themselves. However as we know, an animal is always at its most dangerous, when injured.
To illistate the point; the BBC describes the Russian Communist party as right-wing now and a left-wing one, when in power. Which does not make sense using any definition at all.
For those with todays Sunday Times check out what AA Gill has to say in the culture section, “BBC World News is nationally and professionally deeply shaming.” That’s the last line of his slaughtering of the world news output from al-beeb.
Chris
I travel Quite a lott and to many very different places. The BBC is available to my knowledge everywhere. At least in hotels.
I would add to AA Gills comment that it is however still better than the British BBC news. When it reports aboard at least it rarely effects the election results in those countries. It always has here.