Playing fairer
Why, after finding out all of this do I still think that people should not be banged up without charge for 90 days and 90 nights? Why do I not support the Government's anti-terror agenda?
Because I don't think civil-liberties-trashing draconian legislation is the way to deal with this: it inflames people more, and the law is sufficient to cover incitement and planning of murder and mayhem in any case.
There is a need to publicly accept that the disastrous foreign policies of the Bush administration are at the heart of this, to apologise for untruths told, and to deliberately draw away from the US aggressive agenda and engage with a different agenda, one looking at international affairs in terms of fair trade, anti-poverty action, drugs for the Aids sufferers, contraception and healthcare, clean water, dropping 3rd world debt, looking at aid and farming programmes, working for peace. That would do more to combat terror than passing fierce laws and starting illegal wars and locking people up and torturing them and beating them and generally looking like you're doing everything you can think of to make hotheaded young men still more angry and desirous of 'martyrdom' and further violence.
Even the US looks like it might be pulling back a bit; it may be realising that it can win a battle but it cannot win the peace, and a US-model democracy cannot be installed at the point of the gun or people bombed into freedom. We shall see. I still hope.
Until we have fairer trade and social justice, we will continue to feed the violent agendas of those who hate us. I doubt we would be so hated if we were building roads and hospitals and schools and repairing power supplies in Iraq, instead of allowing Cheney and his cronies to rob the country blind. What we are doing *looks* like a war on Muslims and it is hard to counter that, though I think it is actually a war about resources and power-management.
We need to look at the injustice on which extremists feed. We need to look at ourselves and how we act. Some, who enjoy a greater degree of religious freedom than they would get in Saudi Arabia want Sharia Law in the UK & will never be happy. They are too far down a different path. But we can engage with others. We can stop making Iraq a recruiting seargeant for those who think they are right to engage in a holy war against Western civilisation. I want to keep our freedoms, our democracy, our tolerance and fairness. But we need to be sure that we are seen to extend them to everyone in the UK , not just the privilged majority. We need to be seen to be playing fair.
I also think we should practise what we preach: torture and mayhem, shootings and bombings, allowing the cruel and strong to terrorise the innocent and weak happen on our watch - and we wonder why we are so hated?
Behave better, and so garner more support, there is still time to turn the tide, and enlist the support of many more people against real terror. The bloody violence and nihilistic hate of the few will be more clearly seen for what it is if the cynicism fades and the way to start that process off is to admit mistakes, to apologise for them and to stop lying and stop bullying. Instead we should cherish freedom, look after the unfortunate . I would love to see our leaders put into practise the Christian pieties that Mr. Blair and Mr. Bush speak of but do not seem to live. You know - feeding the hungry. Helping the helpless. Doing justly, loving mercy, walking humbly with your God.
If you are going to bring religion into this, on either side, at least try and behave as if you have grasped what the tenets of your religion suggest you practice - whether that is the New Testament or the Qu'ran. Then it would be easier to have respect for you. And easier to hold onto the hope; it seems there is enough religion to make people hate each other but not enough to make them love each other. If I was God I would be in despair.
Because I don't think civil-liberties-trashing draconian legislation is the way to deal with this: it inflames people more, and the law is sufficient to cover incitement and planning of murder and mayhem in any case.
There is a need to publicly accept that the disastrous foreign policies of the Bush administration are at the heart of this, to apologise for untruths told, and to deliberately draw away from the US aggressive agenda and engage with a different agenda, one looking at international affairs in terms of fair trade, anti-poverty action, drugs for the Aids sufferers, contraception and healthcare, clean water, dropping 3rd world debt, looking at aid and farming programmes, working for peace. That would do more to combat terror than passing fierce laws and starting illegal wars and locking people up and torturing them and beating them and generally looking like you're doing everything you can think of to make hotheaded young men still more angry and desirous of 'martyrdom' and further violence.
Even the US looks like it might be pulling back a bit; it may be realising that it can win a battle but it cannot win the peace, and a US-model democracy cannot be installed at the point of the gun or people bombed into freedom. We shall see. I still hope.
Until we have fairer trade and social justice, we will continue to feed the violent agendas of those who hate us. I doubt we would be so hated if we were building roads and hospitals and schools and repairing power supplies in Iraq, instead of allowing Cheney and his cronies to rob the country blind. What we are doing *looks* like a war on Muslims and it is hard to counter that, though I think it is actually a war about resources and power-management.
We need to look at the injustice on which extremists feed. We need to look at ourselves and how we act. Some, who enjoy a greater degree of religious freedom than they would get in Saudi Arabia want Sharia Law in the UK & will never be happy. They are too far down a different path. But we can engage with others. We can stop making Iraq a recruiting seargeant for those who think they are right to engage in a holy war against Western civilisation. I want to keep our freedoms, our democracy, our tolerance and fairness. But we need to be sure that we are seen to extend them to everyone in the UK , not just the privilged majority. We need to be seen to be playing fair.
I also think we should practise what we preach: torture and mayhem, shootings and bombings, allowing the cruel and strong to terrorise the innocent and weak happen on our watch - and we wonder why we are so hated?
Behave better, and so garner more support, there is still time to turn the tide, and enlist the support of many more people against real terror. The bloody violence and nihilistic hate of the few will be more clearly seen for what it is if the cynicism fades and the way to start that process off is to admit mistakes, to apologise for them and to stop lying and stop bullying. Instead we should cherish freedom, look after the unfortunate . I would love to see our leaders put into practise the Christian pieties that Mr. Blair and Mr. Bush speak of but do not seem to live. You know - feeding the hungry. Helping the helpless. Doing justly, loving mercy, walking humbly with your God.
If you are going to bring religion into this, on either side, at least try and behave as if you have grasped what the tenets of your religion suggest you practice - whether that is the New Testament or the Qu'ran. Then it would be easier to have respect for you. And easier to hold onto the hope; it seems there is enough religion to make people hate each other but not enough to make them love each other. If I was God I would be in despair.
posted by Rachel at 7:12 pm
Rachel,
I stumbled upon your blog from following my daughter's blog prairiesummer.blogspot.com and so enjoy reading your postings. Get the faith and keep writing.
A
To pick up on people wanting shariah law in the UK. I think most Muslims want shariah law in Muslim countries, that is what groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir campaign for. Saudi isn't a shining example of shariah, it has major issues.
For examples of shariah people would need to look back into islamic history.
Anyway, Muslims wanting shariah in the UK is not a sign of extremism or being too far down the line.
You are misunderstanding the concept of shrariah if you think it is some big evil thing. Muslims implement Shariah in their lives daily, they base their lives around living according to Shariah.
It's a way of life focussed on justice, social order and individual well being.
Media nonsense would have us believe it is all about oppressing women. Thats a load of rubbish.
And really, so what if Muslims want shariah in the UK? Socialists want their form of government. Environmentalists want their form that suits their beliefs. Everyone wants governance to be carried out in a certain way. Why is it suddenly a seen as *wrong* when it comes to Muslims?
Are Muslims trying to start a civil war in the UK or something? NO. If anything it is just a dream of eutopia in a place they see as home and already love.
However the vast majority of Muslims would just wish for a Khalifate, proper islamic state run according to shariah in a Muslim country, any Muslim country.
And there is nothing wrong with Muslims wanting their country (whichever one and wherever it may be) to be run according to what they believe are the laws of governance set forth by God.
It doesn't make them extremists and it doesn't make them people not worth talking to.
Hands up everyone who has seen sharia in practise..
Every country that currently implements it is a charming place. I suggest you ask someone who has the bad taste to be a non-muslim, or the wrong kind of muslim in one. Mind you, that sort is always making trouble. They don't appreciate that the beatings and killings are for their own good.
When muslim countries talk about tolerance, I am much reminded of what Ghandi said about democracy - a nice idea, perhaps you should try it.
Incidently Hizb ut-Tahrir are a bunch of nutters who think the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are true. Accroding to their list of goals is a political system where non-muslims have no rights. By their words shall they be known.
I auggest you read Suspect Paki
http://www.suspectpaki.com/2006/02/evil-ideology.html
The risk of terrorism in this country has increased by 70% since the invasion of Iraq. Your post indicates exactly why this is. Aggression and lies never achieve anything.
I suggest you actually ask any Muslim if a shariah state exists in the world at the current time, 99% of them will tell you NOT. (Iranians are doing their own thing though of course).
Muslims don't have a central Islamic leadership in the form of a khalifate, until that is place, there is no country under shariah!
YES places like Saudi are picking up bits of shariah to implement, and most Muslim countries have some laws from shariah.
But that is not how shariah works or what shariah is.
You can say what rubbish you like about HT, their members and some of their writers can be weird in many cases, but they are not campaigning for anything "extreme" and nor are they an extremist group. Disgareeing with people is one thing, branding every Muslim with an opinion that differs to yours as an "extremist" or a "nutter" is just pathetic.
The valuing of the testimony of women and non-muslims as of less worth that that of muslim men is specific and clear. You cannot say that it does not exist. Claiming that this is not so, or that it is contrary to Sharia is quite simply not true.
HT have made clear, and specific statments in their charter as to the nature of the world they want. Among other things, the laws they would like to bring in would be illegal under the European Human Rights act.
It is the right of people to make statements. Having made those statements, they will be judged by others on what they say. If I was to advocate a set of laws whereby all those who do not worship the Norse gods according to the rules I set down, should be reduced to second class citizens, without the right to vote etc.... well, would I be a nutter or would I just be a nice chap everyone should give respect to.
The Anon
P.S. I am inclinded to be a Nycklesanite. Extra points if you can actually find that religion :-)