Cameron to address Islamic extremism in speech today

David Cameron will make a speech later today in Birmingham (trailed yesterday) in which he will urge firmer action on immigration and more freedoms for Muslim women.  ConservativeHome will report the speech as soon as we have a text.  Michael Gove MP - who made a major speech last week on the rise of an anti-Islamist intelligentsia - will probably have been a key member of the speechwriting team.

The Tory leader's intervention coincides with a Populus poll for Policy Exchange - a think tank chaired by Mr Gove until the last General Election - that identifies alarming signs of extremism amongst younger Muslims in Britain (see Telegraph report and graphic on right).

Comments

[Denis Cooper]

It would save a lot of confusion and potential problems if as far as possible we only used English words, readily understood by almost all of the 97% of the UK population who are not yet Muslims, to describe different Islamic garments.

For example, the box above says:

"75% would prefer Muslim women to wear the veil or hijab"

I'm not really that interested in Islamic fashions, or indeed in Islam itself (I was brought up as a Christian, but I rarely even look at the Bible, let alone thinking it worthwhile to wade through somebody else's religious texts) but according to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab

"Hijab or ħijāb (حجاب) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun), based on the root حجب meaning "to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter". In some Arabic-speaking countries and Western countries, the word hijab primarily refers to women's head, face, or body covering. But in Islamic scholarship, hijab is given the wider meaning of modesty, privacy, and morality.[1] The word used in the Qur'an for a headscarf or veil is khimār (خمار)."

There's a lot of difference between a headscarf, as worn by me old mum as well as by the Queen for country pursuits, and a veil which conceals the whole face apart from a narrow slit for the eyes.

[TomTom]

The thing to recall Denis is that Islam only exists in Arabic. It is the unifying force of the Arab tribes transmitted to the northern Indian Subcontinent and to Persia by "militants" and fused Arab customs with Arabic text to form a Pan-Arab Empire.

That is why it adopts its current form in Europe of settlement and expansion, because it is the historic mission of the Arabs to align the whole world with Mecca and the 'divine2 language of Arabic. This is hard-wired.

[Serf]

36% believe in a death sentence for what someone believes. Wow, that is scary.

[powellite]

I must confess to being very disturbed about the percentage of people wanted to live under Sharia Law.

Firstly, there are plenty of places in the Middle East and elsewhere where people can live under Sharia Law if they wish to. Given the appallingly prescriptive conditions which non-Muslims are forced to live in in countries such as Saudi Arabia, I think that calls for Sharia Law in this country are beyond the pale. If Muslims are so keen to live in their own sub-community in this country under laws other than those instituted by the elected Government, why do Muslim states not return the favour to non-Muslims? May be something to do with what it says in the Koran, but I'm only guessing...

[Matt Davis]

Be very interested to see what Cameron says on this one since, imho, it is the major geopolitical issue facing the world and badly needs to be addressed. However judging by his previous form and ever increasing addiction to political correctness rather than conservatism we'll probably get "hug a hijab" ..... oh no but then that would be offensive to Muslims wouldn't it.

[TomTom]

If Muslims are so keen to live in their own sub-community in this country under laws other than those instituted by the elected Government, why do Muslim states not return the favour to non-Muslims?

because they don't want to...they want to expand here not contract there

[Denis Cooper]

I'm afraid the uncomfortable truth is that some Muslims (not all) see themselves as colonists, and plan to impose their own culture on the native population, rather than as immigrants seeking to merge into the culture of the host country. It will of course end in bloodshed unless that notion is nipped in the bud very soon.

[John Moss]

All the main religeous texts are "codes for living" written by those who happenned to be in charge at the time. If we lived by those rules today, we would be condemned to the sort of poverty and bigotry which has largely been irradicated in Western civilisations over the past 200 years.

That Christianity has ceased to be powerful has also allowed Christians to develop a looser relationship between their faith and the law of the land. This is a good thing and only occassionally does the state or the church over step the mark.

Islam has never managed to separate its religeous code from law. This is why, where it is the source of law, countries remain backward socially, broadly homophobic, especially mysoginist and general barbaric in their punishment of criminals and animals.

This has then been twisted by those with the education to read the Koran and "interpret" it - for they cannot ever question the words of the Prophet. This is again because their countries are backward and those in positions of power can project their views on to others quite easily.

Witness the very clear and probably willful mistranslation of the teachings on veils etc. The Koran actually calls for modesty, nothing more, it is the Mullahs and Imams who have extended this to headscarves, veils and full body covering garments. It is they who administer the sort of justice which condones the gang rape of an innocent woman for a non-existant "crime" committed by a male relative.

Sharia Law if homophobic, racist, sexist and barbaric. We shouldn't mince our words and we should make no concessions to it at all.

[Simon]

I think it's a bit late to start 'combating islamic fundamentalism' in the UK. It's too well entrenched in some sections of muslim society- let's face it, multiculturalism for 40 odd years is to blame. The cruel fact is we have 'separate societies' living amongst the population. This will only become worse. Politicians made this mess- they cannot fix it.

[Zorro]

There was plenty of warning about this for decades yet traitorous politicians of both parties did nothing.

So if you're a devout Muslim who hates gays and thinks women should walk seven paces behind you with a bag over their head you're really going to be converted by Cameron's waffle - Not!

[Denis Cooper]

I'll settle for the "barbaric", John, and pass on the "isms" and "phobias".

[TomTom]

The cruel fact is we have 'separate societies' living amongst the population. This will only become worse. Politicians made this mess- they cannot fix it.

True and they don't even understand it. Cameron has no inkling of an inner-city area and how self-contained it really is.

Satellite-TV in Urdu or Al-Jazeera with BBC/ITV being irrelevant. Local village relationships paralleling those back home in Mirpur and Sylhet with money transfers through the hawallah.

Prescriptions from the doctor to mail drugs to ailing relatives in Pakistan. Children withdrawn from school to be sent to relatives in Pakistan during term-time - go to the league-tables and look at Bradford schools with the highest absenteeism - they are the most Muslim.

It is not "multiculturalism" - it is colonisation and it has become very established. Cameron and Blair are totally ignorant of it, they are simply gliding across the pond unaware of what is below the ice.

There is white-flight going on as areas change. The number of gun incidents in towns like Bradford is increasing in every robbery or hold-up.

[TomTom]

All the main religeous texts are "codes for living" written by those who happenned to be in charge at the time. If we lived by those rules today, we would be condemned to the sort of poverty and bigotry which has largely been irradicated in Western civilisations over the past 200 years.

That Christianity has ceased to be powerful has also allowed Christians to develop a looser relationship between their faith and the law of the land. This is a good thing and only occassionally does the state or the church over step the mark.

Not really the case. I fail to see how this statement Christianity has ceased to be powerful has also allowed Christians to develop a looser relationship between their faith and the law of the land has any validity.

Most "Christians" in this country are not in fact Christian in any meaningful sense - they are Gnostics and heretics and have neo-pagan beliefs. The level of knowledge of Christianity is pitiful in modern times and it is reflected in the society which has seen the law of the land rendered meaningless as the Home Secretary has discovered.

The law is unenforced and unenforceable. The State relies upon keeping the mass of the population under control, but has so lost its ability to sustain the Minimalist State - Internal and External Security - that the mass of the public is starting to fragment and question the legitimacy of the political system

[Mirror Man]

Dave says “Islamic extremists are a mirror image of he BNP”. Now I’m not a supporter of the BNP but I can’t remember hearing of any of them beheading someone, flying an aeroplane into a building, blowing themselves up on the tube or calling for people to be murdered because of some cartoons.

Am I missing something or has Dave lost the plot?

[Old Tory]

Anti Gay
Women know their place
Criminals punished harshly
Family unit is number one

Can't see too much wrong with Islam?

[Cllr Alexa Michael]

It is frightening that so many young Muslims want to live under Sharia law, or think that Muslim women should wear veils. It is even more so when it is the younger generation that claim to support these things, not their parents or grandparents.

Britain is not and never will be an Islamic country. Thanks to this stupid policy of multi-culturalism we now have cases where a Muslim woman PC refuses to shake the hand of a male colleague (however would she be able to catch male criminals?) and where a primary school teacher insists on the right to wear a full veil while teaching.

I think the best common sense on this subject has been spoken by Gerald Howarth MP when he said that Muslims who show no allegiance to Britain should leave and go to live somewhere they do have Sharia law, etc. If you want to be fully Islamicised, go to a a fully Islamicised country!

[Graham]

Mirror man

DC has certainly lost the plot, in trying to imply that the BNP is the extreme opposite to muslim fanatics.

If anything the way in which the three major parties pander to the minority of this country and put on trial anyone else for a slip of the tongue is beyond belief.

As I recall the catholic church simply dont want to assist gay couples. I am guessing the muslim church hasnt been asked there opinion. Or is there get out clause already been sorted.

Maybe when the BNP claim large percentage shares of votes. People will finnally listen to the people of this country. And not pander to the few. Are we in the age of where some people are more equal then others?

[simon]

Cllr Alexa Michael is right with regard to comments on Gerald Howarth and the muslim woman pc. i would go further- if any muslim pc went against conventions in the police force or 'british' society, they have done themselves out of a job. With no scope to claim benefits either. This current muslim 'lawlessness' has been actively encouraged by Blair with regard to the 'open door' policy to immigration. If people can come to Britain illegally -and stay here- no wonder the concept of a 'lawful' society has not sunk in! This will only be sorted out with mass- and i mean mass- deportations, and the cracking down on 'islamic protests' ( with death threat placards) like the police did with regard to the miners during the 80's strike.

[Graham]

Can I just add something else. The picture used at the top is really offensive. Considering this weekend they used it to remind us of the holocaust. Why is it acceptable for muslims to be so offensive and to threaten us ?

[Lee]

You can't get much more extreme than letting our women breed with negros.