My initial reaction to the alleged plot of the three men from Birmingham to bomb the EDL was, “good, they deserve it.” But as my morality and logic kicked in, it became a little more complicated.
The men had been stopped in Sheffield for a routine check and later arrested in possession of guns and explosives. What gave away their alleged plan was a little note on the weapons which said “English Drunkards League.” You can join the dots.
The wrong message
The very definition of Terrorism is an act of violence with a political message behind it. But the only message behind bombing the EDL is “we’re exactly like you think we are”. The worst case is that it actually helps the EDL to gain more supporters by justifying their own existence.
It makes me shiver when the odd few Muslims irresponsibly lash out in response to controversy.
The perfect example of this was after the publishing of the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Those who seemed intent on making the lives of ordinary Muslims a misery waved banners which read ‘Al-Qaeda’ and ‘bomb the West.’ Why on earth would any sane Muslim feed the very fire which causes Islamophobia in Europe?
I more than anybody would like to see an end to the hostility that Muslims in Britain have to put up with. But these fundamentalists are bent on achieving their ridiculous goal of eradicating the West, no matter how much Muslims suffer on the way.
Terror vs. Terror
They are the two polar ends of an abstract war between the far right and extremist Muslims. In simple terms, nutters against nutters.
The EDL aren’t exactly non-violent themselves. In true EDL style, members beat an Asian boy up and ran another over at a protest in Lancashire last year. On the same day, they had trapped MEP Sajjad Karim inside his own house along with his wife and children, and hurled abuse at them.
The group was originally a bunch of angry football hooligans who formed on anti-Islamic principles. Co-founder Tommy Robinson has apparently thought about stepping into politics. But there really is no need. Bigotry is already more than fairly represented by the British National Party.
It is one of the thorns that comes with the rose of Democracy that fascist and racist groups must be allowed to exist and express their views, as everybody else can. Even if they are violent thugs.
See my original story on TheBowlerHat.co.uk.
Jody-Lan Castle 
YES, INDEED, SO I PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE U THE BLESSINGS, TO GOING ON!!!!!!!
For one to wade into this controversy, one had better have a much larger picture of what’s going on than a couple of isolated incidents. Muslim/Christian conflicts date back 1400 years. While they seem to be as simple as two religious ideologies clashing, there is a much deeper economic factor that highly complicates matters. Britain and the US have constantly sought to undermine any self-determinative progress of Middle and Far East countries. Why shouldn’t they be mad? On the other hand, if many people from any group hate you enough to want you dead, should you really allow large numbers of them into your country? This debate is likely to rage on long after all of us living now are long dead.
Firstly, I haven’t waded into anything. I have a good knowledge of not only all Religions, but as you say the long-existing conflicts between the people who follow them.
Secondly, the EDL are not a Christian group at all. They just believe that Islam is destroying Britain.
Thirdly, as I pointed out in the article – not ALL Muslims hate the West, nor do they want anybody dead. They are just as angry as everybody else at the extremist minority who give the rest a bad name. Islamic teachings say that if you are living inside a country that is not a Muslim country, you must live by their law. Which is why another one of the EDL’s fears of a Sharia Law in Britain would never happen.
Thank you for clarifying the EDL for me. As a yank, I have trouble with all things Brit. As far as you wading into something, I don’t know what knowledge of the subject you have. I was hoping for a little more background to the story. Without it, you opened yourself to some of the criticism (with a small “c”, that is, constructive, not scathing, at least in my case) that you received. I realize a lot of Islamic threats are political posturing. But, as everyone knows in the wake of 9/11, some of the bark has bite. All groups are within their rights to call such things to attention. Perhaps some are obnoxiously vocal about it, which shows them for what they are. Although I’m not an expert of England’s hate speech laws, I would think that EDL may be over the line. I basically agree with your assumptions. Continue to enlighten me.
The case is not just confined in the Western. Here in the southeast region where a great percentage is Muslim, these events are also happening. In the Philippines, the extremist Muslims are like barbarians. And its not about religious views per se that they do their thing. Money actually comes in. The trend here in the Philippines and other Southeast nation is they kidnapped people – Non-Muslims and Muslims, whoever they think can pay ransom.
Freedom of religious practice is part of acknowledging and respecting the different cultures of different people. But when the other starts to kill another, that’s not religion. It’s terrorism. The fundamentalist Muslim might argue: We are victims of racist views and oppression that’s why we need justice! Well, my take will be: Are your actions also racist in nature?
Thanks for sharing.
You seem to have at least a partial grasp of the problem.You acknowledge that Islamists are mad. By the standards of the West they are indeed mad, religious bigots using crazy superstitious nonsense to justify their atrocicities.
Likewise the mob that trapped Sajjid Karam and his family inside their home
and abused them.
Well, I wish you could have been with me in Western Australia in 1999 at the Curtin Detention Center when 1100 Muslims baricaded my self and 22 others in a demountable building and tried to burn us alive. Their greivance? the private company Pacific Rim a subsidiary of Wackenhut refused to pay the $3000+ bill to supply them with cigarettes. Bear in mind these were illegal entrants into the country.
I found the majority of these dispicable people to be outright liars who’s only purpose was to perv on the female members of our staff and blame Allah for everything else.
Yes I am a BNP member, Yes I believe that Islam is the greatest danger faced by the West today, no I am not a racist but I am a damn well pragmatist with 20/20 vision and no I am not a knuckledragging uneducated NAZI.
I’m sorry to hear of your bad experiences. I only wish you had been able to have the wonderful experiences with Muslims that I have had.
As a BNP member, honestly, do you really think Britain would be a better place without foreigners in it? From the bottom of your heart?