Free Republic

My favorite headline of the year so far comes from the Daily Mail in Britain: "Government Renames Islamic Terrorism As anti-Islamic Activity' To Woo Muslims." Her Majesty's government is not alone in feeling it's not always helpful to link Islam and the, ah, various unpleasantnesses with suicide bombers and whatnot. Even in his cowboy Crusader heyday, President Bush liked to cool down the crowd with a lot of religion-of-peace stuff. But the British have now decided that kind of mealy-mouthed "respect" is no longer sufficient. So, henceforth, any terrorism perpetrated by persons of an Islamic persuasion will be designated "anti-Islamic...

My favorite headline of the year so far comes from the Daily Mail in Britain: "Government Renames Islamic Terrorism As anti-Islamic Activity' To Woo Muslims." Her Majesty's government is not alone in feeling it's not always helpful to link Islam and the, ah, various unpleasantnesses with suicide bombers and whatnot. Even in his cowboy Crusader heyday, President Bush liked to cool down the crowd with a lot of religion-of-peace stuff. But the British have now decided that kind of mealy-mouthed "respect" is no longer sufficient. So, henceforth, any terrorism perpetrated by persons of an Islamic persuasion will be designated "anti-Islamic...

A story based on the Three Little Pigs has been rejected by a government quango in case it offends Muslims. The digital remake of the children's classic was criticised by Becta, the education technology agency, because "the use of pigs raises cultural issues".

A Muslim teenager was stabbed 46 times in an "honour killing" after getting engaged to a girl whose father had decided should marry someone else, a jury heard yesterday. Chomar Ali, 44, a Bangladeshi, had organised an arranged marriage for his only daughter, Manna Begum, 19, and was furious when she not only started going out with Arash Ghorbani-Zarin, an Iranian, but became pregnant by him. Ali confined his daughter to her room, where she slashed her wrists and had to be taken to hospital. On her return home she remained defiant and she and her boyfriend insisted they should...

A Muslim cleric in Århus demands that daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten apologises for publishing cartoons featuring the prophet Mohammed Daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten is facing accusations that it deliberately provoked and insulted Muslims by publishing twelve cartoons featuring the prophet Mohammed. The newspaper urged cartoonists to send in drawings of the prophet, after an author complained that nobody dared to illustrate his book on Mohammed. The author claimed that illustrators feared that extremist Muslims would find it sacrilegious to break the Islamic ban on depicting Mohammed. Twelve illustrators heeded the newspaper's call, and sent in cartoons of the prophet, which were published...

Toy pigs must go at council Oct 1, 2005 (photo mine -YD) Novelty pig calendars and toys have been banned by bosses at Dudley Council in case Muslim staff are offended. Workers in the council's benefits department have been told to remove or cover up all pig products including toys, porcelain, calendars and even a tissue box featuring Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. It comes after a Muslim worker said they were offended by pig-shaped stress relievers delivered to the authority. Muslims are forbidden from eating pork in the Koran and staff were asked to remove the items. The...

The following letter was sent by a Baptist Minister to the head of the 'moderate' Muslim Council of Britain a few days ago in the wake of the terror campaign on London transport. Dear Sir Iqbal Sacranie, BBC2 NewsNight: ‘The teachings of Islam are very, very clear.’ I was very surprised to hear your public statement before the whole nation, which would therefore include Her Majesty’s Government and the Church, that the teachings of Islam condemn and forbid acts of violence such as the odious acts that were carried out last Thursday. I would, as a community leader, find it...