Posted on 10/16/2006 6:54:31 PM PDT by blam
Kelly tries to pacify growing Muslim anger
By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed: 17/10/2006)
Ruth Kelly, the Communities Secretary, yesterday tried to draw a line under days of rising religious tensions after Government ministers were accused of "demonising" Muslims.
Ruth Kelly denies that the Government was pursuing an 'Islamophobic" agenda
Downing Street was also forced to issue denials that Whitehall was asking university dons to "spy" on Asian-looking students in case they were being recruited by jihadi groups.
Labour MPs are increasingly concerned that the controversy — triggered when Jack Straw, the Commons Leader, wrote about his discomfort in the presence of veiled Muslim women — may be getting out of hand.
The weekend intervention of Phil Woolas, the local government minister, in a dispute over whether a teacher should be sacked for refusing to remove her veil was followed yesterday by suggestions that college staff were being asked to "snoop" on Muslims.
John Denham, the chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said he feared this series of pronouncements looked "like a barrage of general criticism" against the Muslim community.
He called for a "genuine debate" that did not polarise the different sides involved because he feared Muslims as a whole could be perceived as posing "some sort of unspecified threat".
Miss Kelly met local authority and police chiefs as part of a co-ordinated Government drive against Islamic extremism. But she denied that the Government was pursuing an ''Islamophobic" agenda and said: ''The Government values the contributions of Muslims to British society."
She added: "The new extremism we're facing is the single biggest security issue for local communities. This is not just a problem for Muslim communities. Extremism is an issue for all of us.
"The Government is absolutely committed to working with those Muslim organisations demonstrating a genuine commitment to tackling extremism."
Her comments were intended to mollify Muslim leaders who have become increasingly agitated by recent events. Muhammad Abdul Bari, the leader of the Muslim Council of Britain, has written to Miss Kelly, claiming that a recent "drip feed" of ministerial statements had "stigmatised" the entire Muslim community.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What is happening, especially in the last few months, has been a barrage of demonisation of the Muslim community to such an extent that the community is now scared and feels vulnerable."
The biggest row centres on the suspension of Aishah Azmi, 24, from her post as a teaching assistant in Dewsbury, west Yorks, for refusing to remove her veil. Mr Woolas said she should be dismissed for "denying the right of children to a full education".
His stand was supported by Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary. She said: "The veil is a symbol of women's subjugation. Women who are heavily veiled, whose identity is obscured to the world apart from their husband, cannot take a full place in society."
A new front was opened yesterday when it was suggested that a Government document indicated ministers wanted university lecturers to report students they suspected of involvement in Islamic extremism to the police.
According to The Guardian, which obtained the report, it acknowledged that for some academic staff, passing information to Special Branch would seem like "collaborating with the secret police".
But Miss Kelly denied lecturers were being asked to "spy" on their students. "This is about protecting students from individuals who might be out there trying to groom them into a path towards extremism," she said.
"It is important that we strike the right balance but this isn't about picking on individual students or even spying on them, it is about sensible monitoring of activities to make sure that individual students on campuses are protected."
"Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ... "Muslim anger" ...
Then she can come back and tell us again what her views are.
Kelly Tries To Pacify Muslim Anger (UK)
Why? Kick their butts back to the ME and be done with them. Problem solved.
That ain't no woman, it's a MAN baby!!!!
You are correct ... they seem to have invented 'agit-prop'.
This is a case where one man believes in something, like the True Believer, and the other believes in nothing. It's not to hard to figure out who will win if this continues.
lol..I hate to be catty, but she might look better in a burka!
"And they're always angry and always put upon and always righteous and our democratic leaders in the West spend way too much time trying to tamp down Muslim anger instead of laughing at them as the hot-headed grandstander that they are."
The so called 'arab street' will remain a breeding ground for collective psychosis and terror until the 'AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN STREETS' GET ANGRY!
But that will be impossible to muster in this country and in Europe, because the WESTERN PRESS SPENDS SO MUCH TIME TRYING TO TAMP DOWN OUR RIGHTEOUS ANGER!
Muslims do enough to demonize themselves without us infidels even getting involved.
"But they'll have to prove they are committed to tackling extrimists."
Like turning in a few terrorists.
yitbos
I thought the title said "Kerry"--but, hey, kumbaya y'all.
Brits need to look across the English Channel and see whats happening in France.
Coming to a Community near you brother.
These people intend to take over.
We need to run CAIR out of this country.
LOL, funny words, good graphic!
Just as the saying goes, "It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you," it might be said that,
"It's not 'demonising' if they really are demons!"
Actually for a politician,and a woman with three daughters and a son, I think she's not bad looking. Different tastes for different folks.
Now this one would definitely look better in a Burka
Uggggggg. Now that was NOT the first thing I wanted to see upon waking up this morning...lol
Couldn't you have sent me a pic of one of our good looking heroes in the military or something?
That would have gone so nice with my coffee......
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