When did Brits - including Muslim Brits - suddenly get so thin-skinned?

London Telegraph ^ | 9/24/2009 | Rachel Marsden

[Saije]

When did you Brits suddenly get so thin-skinned – particular you “newer” ones? Apparently it’s now acceptable in the UK to unleash a legal hurricane on someone with whom you disagree, just because you’re incapable of debating an issue intelligently.

Word has traveled all the way to North America about a couple of hotel owners in Liverpool being criminally charged under the “Public Order Act” for getting into a religious discussion about Islam within earshot of at least one Muslim guest, who promptly ran crying to the police...Do what I do in movie theatres to loudmouths, lady – go tell them off. That’s how we do things in truly free countries. If someone shanks us linguistically, we stab them right back – then we get on with our lives. In New York, you have to throw someone into a wall before anyone in law enforcement will even raise an eyebrow – and even then, if the guy deserved to get thrown into a wall for being a jerk, no jury in New York will convict you.

Intelligent people, Muslims included, debate and challenge beliefs. The dumber ones burn flags, riot, blow things up, and call on the police to play schoolyard supervisor. I can’t think of any better argument in favour of making sure that any new immigrants have both a high IQ and the ability to speak fluent English upon arrival. Because they may get into a situation where someone says something with which they are at odds – and in that case, they need to be able to handle the situation using intelligence and verbal combat rather than the strong arm of the state. There are already enough people in any country who are stupid, uneducated meatheads; we should pull up the drawbridge on any new ones.

[Saije]

Respond intelligently. There's a concept. Or just walk away if you don't like what's being said. But it's all just part of the victim game, file a complaint, demand your rights, make somebody pay.

[Fingolfin]

Leftists are mistaken if they think you can bring people, especially Muslims, in from all over the world and expect them to be tolerant and accommodating just because the society they moved to is tolerant and accommodating. It is a mistake that is eventually going to cost the Brits and all of us very dearly.

[piytar]

Islamists in a non-muslim liberal (classic sense) nation are ALWAYS thin skinned. It’s part of the process of using such nation’s laws against them to further their cause.

Sadly, it apparently works.

[Greysard]

file a complaint, demand your rights, make somebody pay.

I think they privately know that they have equal rights already. This noise is made just to raise the visibility of their religion, and through that get *more* rights than anyone else. Ideally they'd like the government to be afraid of them, and in many European countries they are close to that goal. Meanwhile in the UK they just harass anyone they can, and by this intimidation they gain the influence, bit by bit.