English policies cause schism

This post is a continuation from here

By the time Gallagher reaches his Herald article, he is now up to his third piece in quick succession. He can no longer rely on broad statements with no substantial analysis, and has to go into a bit of detail. It's no surprise then that things really come of the rails for him now.

He says about Muslims:

It is a community in which young people, especially, are pulled in different directions. Besides the appeal of secularism, moderates attached to the Sufi tradition are locked in competition with Islamists who promote a purist form of belief influenced by austere Arabian norms.

This comment sums up the irrelevance of the columns of space he's now wasted. This may well be a raging debate among the chattering classes in England. It is certainly not something consuming Muslim attentions in Scotland.

If he'd bothered to find out who had met with the First Minister this week, he'd find a broad sample of the Muslim people. Young, old, male and female. There were sunnis, shias, braelvis, 'Islamists', some that follow politics closely, others that couldn't give a damn. And all of them get along very well thank you.

Alex Salmond, in contrast to Gallagher, knows the Muslim community very well. In fact, there probably isn't another Scottish politician who knows us better. Despite this, Gallagher arrogantly offers to sit down with him to impart lessons:

It is right that public figures engage purposefully with the Muslim community, but they need to display a modicum of religious literacy and be aware that huge issues are at stake extending beyond the Scottish arena. Before Mr Salmond states that "we are ahead of virtually every other European country on this", he needs to inform himself of the balance of forces within the Muslim community and also what relations are like between Muslims and non-Muslims in particular localities.

The biggest concentration of Muslims is to be found in Glasgow and its environs, where the SNP, traditionally, has not prospered. I would recommend that he reaches out for advice to figures in other parties and the wider society who are knowledgeable about inter-ethnic relations and who know where the pressure points are.

In the course of the last ten years, there can't have been a type of Muslim that Salmond has not met. This is not an issue he is coming onto wet behind the ears. And he has the intellectual ability to know what's the right thing to do and what's not. Gallagher claims the FM is close to Muslims for electoral gain. But the community here is smaller than that in England, and Labour have dumped Muslims there in order to gain votes. No, I believe the SNP leader stands with the Muslim community because it is the right thing to do. Ask what can be feasibly expected of us, but the rest is unreasonable grandstanding.

What we have in Scotland is a country where everyone can bring different badges of identity to the table. You can have your different beliefs and practices, but unquestionably, we are all at the same table. In England, it is undoubtedly the case that the war on terror has thus far divided the country, and separated Muslims from the government. It would be far better to have the country pulling together. Instead there are random calls for Muslims to do more. Those calls cannot be specific about a course of action, so degenerate into vile commentary about Muslim beliefs, practices, clothing, culture and more.

Ironically, the Herald article is headed "English policies will cause a schism in Scotland". Indeed they will, and I'm glad that instead we're sticking together as a country.

Continued

Comments

[Tom Gallagher]

30 JUNE GLASGOW AFTER-SHOCK - ACADEMIC HECKLES OSAMA SAEED!

While studded with other inaccuracies, some of a distinctly risky sort, Osama is actually correct to say I heckled him. This was at the rally organized in Glasgow on 6 July one week after the city narrowly avoided joining Madrid, Bombay, New York, Istanbul and London as a target of bombers influenced by a politicised version of militant Islam.

Of course, this context was completely overlooked in Osama Saeed's speech. He said Muslims had nothing to apologise for and after attacking British foreign policy demanded 'a proper enquiry' into why these attacks are happening. Thus the perpetrators of the acts of mass violence were acttually disassociated from their own deeds and responsibility was laid at the door of powerful political forces not a million miles away from No 10 Downing Street. That's when my composure briefly snapped and in heckling Mr Saeed, I shouted with as much force in my lungs' GET REAL!'

The only other occasion when i heckled was when Scotland's deputy Prime Minister, Nicola Sturgeon stated baldly that 'Islam is a religion of peace', refusing to acknowledge that an appalling interpretation of Islam by zealots who justified violence, and their followers, was leading to tragic events across the globe.

I think Osama Saeed is skating on rather thin ice when he refers to my drunkeness, vagrant appearance, and the likelihood that the police went on to detain me. This was 2pm and I was standing very near to the assistant chief constable (deputy chief of police for the city) who if he had witnessed me breaking the law, would probably have ordered that I be arrested. The most charitable assumption to be made about these remarks by Osama is that he cannot imagine how any sober or respectable person could ever wish to contradict him.

It is an open secret that the owner of this blogspot is very keen to enter the Scottish parliament and his family, hyper-active in the political and religious field, is his main support base. It remains to be seen when, if ever, Alex Salmond will wake up and realise just how damaging it is for the Scottish National Party with its supposedly modern vision of independence for Scotland to be associated with a radical Muslim campaigner who uses very traditional methods to carve out a power-base in Glasgow's inner city.
If Osama Saeed succeeds in entering westminster or Holyrood (home of the Scottish Parliament) for a Glasgow seat, I think he might regret complaining about heckling, whether by me or anyone else.

It is one of the customs that made British parliamentary democracy appear authentic and refreshing until in the age of Blair, political leaders refused to confront the voters on the electoral hustings. Let him read lives of Churchill, Bevan, Barbara Castle etc to see how much they relished the cut and thrust of electoral politics. I haven't made a mistake here: the 6 July rally in Glasgow was essentially a political event. Before a small audience of no more than 1500 people, with political campaigners outnumbering the rest, it enabled Osama Saeed and his political allies to capitalise on a near-tragic event. Taking exception to well-modulated and non-abusive interventions by me, suggests that he is rather scornful of dissent. i wish Scotland's Muslims, one of the most talented, vibrant,and idealistic sections of Scotland's population to play their full part in the life of the nation and the wider British union which they belong to.I wish them to enjoy the respect of their fellow Scots and the full protection of the British state if anyone wishes to do them harm. But I think such a positive vision will be jeopardised if politicians driven by an intransigent religious agenda seize the leadership of the community. That's why I feel it is necessary to treat with the utmost scepticism the efforts of Osama Saeed to become the chief spokesman of a communty which has done nothing to deserve the persistent attention that he pays to them.

[Sohaib]

Permit a hyperactive relative to chip in.

I'm not one to comment on your physical sobriety either at the rally or at this moment, but you certainly seem to have written your pathetic articles in one form of stupor or another.

I don't know how to explain that you missed the fact that the abovementioned rally was on the SEVENTH of July, yes, that date that is tragically unforgettable. Yet twice you refer to its having been on the 6th. Memory loss?

Regardless, I doubt that Osama has much problem being heckled, as he'll have seen and heard worse. But I find it quite pathetic that you portray yourself as this "academic" while carrying yourself in such an unbecoming fashion.

Reminds me of your favourite academic, PhD candidate Amanullah De Sondy, whose seminar on "Gender & Sexuality in Islam" I attended at Glasgow University. As a philosophy student myself, I know how to conduct myself while critiquing ideas, so I shared my opinions after his presentation. I wonder what his students thought of his exclamation: "You're attacking an academic!"

Coming back to you, Gallagher. Funny that you should accuse Osama and colleagues of "capitalising" on the Glasgow attack. You seem to have done pretty well out of it, certainly better than Osama, who does all his media work voluntarily.

Osama will continue to do our community proud, while you will keep rehashing tired stereotypes and accusations.

[joe90]

Paul Rodgers,
Bradford University security expert quotes Blair on the question of intelligence about the existence of Iraqi WMD -
"You can only imagine what would have happened if I'd ignored the intelligence and then something terrible had happened"
7/7 Rooting Out Extremism
ukwatch.net

In Feb 2003
British Intelligence JIC told Blair -
The JIC assessed that al-Qaida and associated groups continued to represent by far the greatest terrorist threat to Western interests, and that threat would be heightened by military action against Iraq.
In Denial Over Terrorism
ukwatch.net
03 July 2007

Uncle Tom - He said Muslims had nothing to apologise for..

Obviously Muslims have nothing to apologise for, I mean, that would be like asking German Jewish folk to apologise for the supposed crimes of international Jewish Bolshevism.

Uncle Tom - ..and after attacking British foreign policy demanded 'a proper enquiry' into why these attacks are happening.

Well, these attacks weren't carried out by anyone belonging to Scotland, Muslim or not and the British government has already been told what the causes of these acts of terrorism are, so why doesn't it investigate, unless it's scared it might have to admit to something other than the fact no Iraqi WMD exists.
Blair Admits Terrorist “Blowback”
ukwatch.net

Uncle Tom continued - ..uses very traditional methods to carve out a power-base in Glasgow's inner city.
Is there any other way?
Censured for holding a public political meeting in the centre of Glasgow and also criticised for doing things the old fashioned way - what next, I suppose Scottish Muslim folk will be getting heckled for standing out and condemning terrorism.

[Osama]

Tom, notably you respond to none of my points, except the anecdote. Interestingly, you don't seem to be able to take the personal attacks, but are quite happy at doling them out - do you still think that Muslims speaking respectably in the media are lying for their faith?

Do you also still think Kriss Donald's killers are part of the global terror threat we face?

I believe in open democratic societies and that people can engage therein regardless of faith, race, gender, ability, orientation etc. I also believe people are free to organise themselves to do this.

You criticise Muslims for organising themselves, but do not explain why we have less right to do that than other faith groups. But then you want us to take collective responsibility for terror. Then you criticise Muslims for engaging in the political process as individuals. Make your mind up.