The media has reported the recent YouGov poll about British attitudes towards Islam as though it were a terrific surprise. The Mail, for instance, states that ‘increasing numbers think "a large proportion" of British Muslims feel no loyalty to the UK and are ready to condone or even carry out terrorist atrocities, while far more people feel threatened by Islam itself than was the case five years ago.’
This shouldn’t be that surprising. Nor should it be surprising that a larger number of Brits than citizens of other countries would hold such views. To adapt a well-known phrase: “It’s the bombs, stupid.” The foreign press often marvel at the perceived un-perturbability of the British. But memories of two years ago, as well as the Tiger-Tiger and Glasgow airport attacks of two months ago lie deep, and do not disappear easily.
What the government – and indeed British Muslims – must consider is how to rid the wider public of the underlying suspicions that polls like the one carried out by YouGov reveal. That cannot be done by pretending the problem is other than it is. And it cannot be done by deflecting attention onto criticism of the public.
As long as bombs are let off – in Britain or abroad – by people who claim they are acting in the name of Islam, Muslims must (tiresome though it certainly becomes for them) continually condemn such actions. One of the things that the YouGov poll suggests to me is that the public have observed the number of British Muslim leaders who claim to condemn terror and then let slip the inevitable ‘but…’
No ‘ifs’, no ‘buts’. That’s how all Brits can unite against the extremists.
Comments (4)
"It's all the fault of religion - in particular Islam". Would the people who make such comments blame the gun/knife for the murder rather than the user (murderer)? Of course not - "No stupid, it's not the fault of Islam".
Posted by Voice of Reason | September 6, 2007 12:47 AM
Posted on September 6, 2007 00:47
The problem is that we are starting to talk about "muslims" as a distinct group ; and - by policy ( i.e.promotion of islamic finance ) - allowing them to consider their religion as a defining characteristic. Paradoxically - given its aim - even this website is contributing to the problem.....but if we don't discuss it, the problem will just grow.I believe that we really need to be up-front and attack the Islamic religion and be very clear about our intention to do so. Islam is an evil that seeks to destroy the freedoms of our country,and other nations. To attempt some sort of a compromise - when its exponents show no wish to ameliorate - is to invite destruction.
Posted by anthony norman | September 2, 2007 10:17 PM
Posted on September 2, 2007 22:17
Of course. The impression is given of a large immigrant Muslim community that has no understanding of the host community, no desire to understand the host community, no respect for the values and traditions of the host community, and which is hell-bent on changing the environment in / using the resources of the host country to further their own cultural and political ambitions. A significant concern is that in areas with a high proportion of immigrants, the democratic process will allow MPs, councils etc to be elected made up of representatives of those communities...which would be fine if the communities in question had aims and ideals congruent with those of the host community ... but they don't - so we are allowing our traditions of democracy and tolerance to be used to undermine our tolerant democracy. When will the politicians wake up? When the last pub in Bradford is turned into a Muslim community centre?
Posted by anon | August 31, 2007 11:38 AM
Posted on August 31, 2007 11:38
If Muslims stop killing innocent civilians and get rid of all the extreme views they regularly express, their reputation as people and as a community will improve.
Posted by Senior | August 29, 2007 9:35 PM
Posted on August 29, 2007 21:35