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Man dead after 'knife attack' in Woolwich

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Al-ibn Kermit

Junior Member
I don't necessarily agree.

I'll talk about London as I'm from there. There's already been a sharp rise in anti-muslim sentiment since the tragic event in Woolwich. Muslims abused, verbally and physically.

I understand why that is the case. Doesn't justify it.

What was the response like after September 11th?

Right after 9/11 (which was a much bigger thing than this knife attack obviously) there was a large anti-Muslim fervor among the general population and the media. It seemed that those who bought into the paranoia actually saw anybody who was a foreigner and brown as a threat as I can remember stories of Indians and Sikhs specifically getting attacked in public.

But it also motivated other religious organizations and people who personally knew Muslims to stand up in their defense. I think the islamophobia from this attack would probably mostly blow over in a month or so. These stories don't make people racist as much as it makes them feel more brave and righteous to insult and attack Muslims.
 

hym

Banned
English Defence League chief, Tommy Robinson and Muslim political commentator, Mohammed Ansar share hug at protest - 26 May 2013

YsuvW5t.jpg


Is this representative of EDL? I bet not
Is this a good message to send? Definitely
 
Have the British and Americans been arming and acted as the financiers to the dictators that ruled Japan until this day?

Have democratic governments formed in Japan been overthrown through the permission, coalescing and direct action of the British and the US in order to restore an Emperor?

Israel is a pertinent example in its treatment of its citizens and those that fall under their purview.

Yes, if only we would remove ourselves from the region completely it would bring about great governments (lol). Have you been paying attention to the Arab Spring (or the non-Muslim Winter)?

The Egyptians for example got the opportunity to establish a new government and they elect Islamic fundamentalists/Sharia Law. Is that a good thing or a bad thing for global peace and human rights?
 
Again, I don't entirely agree.

I was simply bringing those points up to say that I can understand why people may react in such a way. However stupid, it is understandable.
We'll probably just have to agree to disagree.

But it also motivated other religious organizations and people who personally knew Muslims to stand up in their defense. I think the islamophobia from this attack would probably mostly blow over in a month or so. These stories don't make people racist as much as it makes them feel more brave and righteous to insult and attack Muslims.
The problem is that tensions in Europe seem to be higher because many Muslims are stuck in economically poor, homogenous neighborhoods. There is also an immigration angle to it similar to our issues with the Mexicans. It's like rolling up the economic grievances of African Americans with the migratory complications of the Mexican Americans and then adding on top of that the religious and cultural clash from the Middle East. It sounds like a much more complicated mess over there.

America also has a long history of dealing with this kind of stuff while it's relatively new for Europe. We make progress faster these days in part because we've made more mistakes that we can learn from.
 

Al-ibn Kermit

Junior Member
^Yeah I've heard of that problem and it makes sense. Over here, Muslims area always a minority and have to integrate more while the only place I've ever seen anyone wear a niqab/burqa is in France. The solution honestly seems to be to have less immigration, having everybody stuck in their own neighborhoods is just going to make these situations worse.

Yes, if only we would remove ourselves from the region completely it would bring about great governments (lol). Have you been paying attention to the Arab Spring (or the non-Muslim Winter)?

The Egyptians for example got the opportunity to establish a new government and they elect Islamic fundamentalists/Sharia Law. Is that a good thing or a bad thing for global peace and human rights?

Be real. Do you think WORLD PEACE is more threatened by a starving country with Sharia law or by putting a few Jews with nukes in a region where they're surrounded by people who don't like them (and who's land they're taking)?
 
Yes, if only we would remove ourselves from the region completely it would bring about great governments (lol). Have you been paying attention to the Arab Spring (or the non-Muslim Winter)?

The Egyptians for example got the opportunity to establish a new government and they elect Islamic fundamentalists/Sharia Law. Is that a good thing or a bad thing for global peace and human rights?

Your view on Morsi/Egypt/Sharia Law demonstrate quite a breath-taking amount of ignorance.

I suppose the best way to establish human rights and global peace is to invade sovereign countries on a pack of lies in order to occupy for a decade or so.

If only the corrupt governments of these lands weren't being corrupted by us.

Cannot wait for you to tell me Afghanistan isn't an Arab country. But by the standard of your previous posts, I bet you thought it was
 

Dude Abides

Banned
Yes, if only we would remove ourselves from the region completely it would bring about great governments (lol). Have you been paying attention to the Arab Spring (or the non-Muslim Winter)?

The Egyptians for example got the opportunity to establish a new government and they elect Islamic fundamentalists/Sharia Law. Is that a good thing or a bad thing for global peace and human rights?

I don't see why it's our responsibility to ensure that people across the world have good governments.
 

bonercop

Member
Yes, if only we would remove ourselves from the region completely it would bring about great governments (lol). Have you been paying attention to the Arab Spring (or the non-Muslim Winter)?

The Egyptians for example got the opportunity to establish a new government and they elect Islamic fundamentalists/Sharia Law. Is that a good thing or a bad thing for global peace and human rights?


Have you? Tunisia is doing a lot better now than it used to, for example.

Egypt might not be looking too hot right now, but that could very well change in the next election. Maybe you shouldn't be writing off the concept of democracy so quickly, just because the people didn't suddenly adopt progressive attitudes which developed countries are still struggling with.

Be real. Do you think WORLD PEACE is more threatened by a starving country with Sharia law or by putting a few Jews with nukes in a region where they're surrounded by people who don't like them (and who's land they're taking)?

Israel is awfully aggressive too boot, because it feels it can get away with everything thanks to the US backing it up. A good example of this is their refusal to sign the non-proliferation treaty.
 
Have you? Tunisia is doing a lot better now than it used to, for example.

Libya is also doing well, and we were heavily involved in that and still are. I don't think we can point to any one country as being representative of the entire Arab Spring. Each case is different.
 
Libya is also doing well, and we were heavily involved in that and still are. I don't think we can point to any one country as being representative of the entire Arab Spring. Each case is different.

I will say if those citizens of Libya were to turn on us, I would understand (not that it justifies it)

When our government does this to its citizens whilst our former Prime Minister was [url="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/evidence-grows-of-blairs-links-with-gaddafi-2356576.html]shaking hands and kissing Gaddafi in a tent in the desert[/url]
 
I will say if those citizens of Libya were to turn on us, I would understand (not that it justifies it)

When our government does this to its citizens whilst our former Prime Minister was [url="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/evidence-grows-of-blairs-links-with-gaddafi-2356576.html]shaking hands and kissing Gaddafi in a tent in the desert[/url]

I'm not British but I believe in the Libyan people. Everyone has their own grievances but we would all be happier as friends and I think most Libyans agree. They just want to be rich like Qatar and who can blame them? It's a good life.
 
Your view on Morsi/Egypt/Sharia Law demonstrate quite a breath-taking amount of ignorance.

I suppose the best way to establish human rights and global peace is to invade sovereign countries on a pack of lies in order to occupy for a decade or so.

If only the corrupt governments of these lands weren't being corrupted by us.

Cannot wait for you to tell me Afghanistan isn't an Arab country. But by the standard of your previous posts, I bet you thought it was

I didn't say we should invade sovereign countries, but that we should condemn nations that violate human rights. Are you really defending Morsi/Sharia Law?

Be real. Do you think WORLD PEACE is more threatened by a starving country with Sharia law or by putting a few Jews with nukes in a region where they're surrounded by people who don't like them (and who's land they're taking)?

Sharia Law fuels indoctrination and fundamentalism. It promotes hatred and subjugates non-muslims. Christian Copts living in Egypt have now faced more burnings of their churches and violence against them. I do think world peace is more threatened by fundamental Islam than by Israel. Jews and Arabs could have lived in the region peacefully had the majority of Arabs not left their homes shortly before neighboring Arab states waged war against the Jews. One side would be completely content with disbanding their nuclear weapons if they weren't threatened with complete annihilation.

I don't see why it's our responsibility to ensure that people across the world have good governments.

Should we send equal aid to all governments? Or to governments that promote our ideals?

Have you? Tunisia is doing a lot better now than it used to, for example.

Egypt might not be looking too hot right now, but that could very well change in the next election. Maybe you shouldn't be writing off the concept of democracy so quickly, just because the people didn't suddenly adopt progressive attitudes which developed countries are still struggling with.


In Tunisia, where the Arab Spring began after a vendor set himself on fire to protest the government two years ago, the populace is growing disenchanted with the transition to democracy and an economy left in ruins by the regime change.

Social disruption, dramatic declines in mining and tourism and the Feb. 6 assassination of popular leftist leader Chokri Belaid, who was gunned down outside his home in the capital apparently by hard-line Islamists, known as Salafists, have all contributed to a darkened atmosphere inside the birthplace of the Arab Spring. There’s a sullen resentment at the failure of the Islamist government -- it is ruling with two secular center-left parties – to move the economy on.

Some secular politicians claim that Ennahda is in league with the Salafists, and leftists insist that the Islamist ruling party is ultimately responsible for fomenting violence.

Says leftist politician Adman Besheer: “The government is responsible for the violence that is spreading all over the country and, from this point, the government is politically responsible, letting preachers in mosques and in certain religious parts preach violence.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/0...-in-tunisia-where-it-all-began/#ixzz2UMNLmvr7

I hope it gets better. But if democracy in Muslim majority countries simply promotes more Islamic fundamentalists and Sharia Law than I am not exactly optimistic.
 

RK9039

Member
I didn't say we should invade sovereign countries, but that we should condemn nations that violate human rights. Are you really defending Morsi/Sharia Law?

In that case, why did our governments support the likes of Mubarak in Egypt for decades, who also didn't have a good human rights track record? Why is it not across the board?
 
Blaming Islam is a given in a situation like this because the man said he was trying to show what was happening to muslims around the world.

The problem with the line of thinking is that by blaming Islam you chose a side among muslims between those who want to kill and those you don't. By blaming Islam you essentially take what is spewed by radicalized Muslims and convey that as proof that Islam
Is to blame rather than side with those muslims who condemn it. Its basically saying Al Qaeda influenced folks who are the vocal minority and the killers are a testament of what Islam stands for rather than focus on muslims like
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0815609345/?tag=neogaf0e-20 who respect everyone and keep their faith personal and dont project violent views on themselves or others

But again just like some muslims are ignorant of what Islam really stands for, you cannot blame the ignorant few non muslims either. I mean really if these radicalized muslims who say they are religious cannot understand its own religion how does one expect some nonsensical non muslims to feel
 
In that case, why did our governments support the likes of Mubarak in Egypt for decades, who also didn't have a good human rights track record? Why is it not across the board?

I'm not entirely sure, my views aren't solely a defense for the West or the US government. However it is worth noting that revolution/democracy in the Middle East does not necessarily equate to Western liberal ideals. The Shah in Iran while propped up by the West did not massacre hundreds of leftist/anti-islamic activists daily. Which is what followed after the revolution.

It's a very complex situation that doesn't really have any clear solutions imo. Well aside from Muslims demanding to reform the Koran and ridding it of its promotion of violence and intolerance.
 

bonercop

Member
I hope it gets better. But if democracy simply promotes more Islamic fundamentalists than I am not exactly optimistic.

Yet there are now women in the parliament and a more secular constitution is in the works. They didn't transform into Sweden overnight, but there has been progress. I'll reiterate: maybe you should give democracy more than a couple of months to prove itself.
 
Yet there are now women in the parliament and a more secular constitution is in the works. They didn't transform into Sweden overnight, but there has been progress. I'll reiterate: maybe you should give democracy more than a couple of months to prove itself.

Oh really?

Over 2012, street attacks on free speech in the name of religion increased dramatically, a trend that can only increase, given the apparent indifference of police and level of impunity enjoyed by the attackers. Tunisia’s current government routinely expresses condemnation of violence and its commitment to free speech. Yet the seriousness of that commitment is constantly questioned as officials turn a blind eye to the perpetrators and blame the victims.

It is good to hear about women rights improvements. But your characterization of it being much better than before seems to brush over some things imo.

The Tunisian National Constituent Assembly (NCA) is currently preparing a third version of the draft constitution, expected in the spring of 2013. The current version, published at the end of 2012 carries several articles that threaten human rights in general, raise questions about the Tunisia’s commitment to international conventions long ratified by the country and lack of sufficient guarantees for the independence of the judiciary. It also carries some improvements, such as the removal of articles that threatened freedom of expression by criminalizing “normalization” with Israel and clearer language to preserve equal rights for women in Tunisia.

http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2013/05/tunisias-press-faces-repressive-laws-uncertain-future/
 

RK9039

Member
I'm not entirely sure, my views aren't solely a defense for the West of the US government. However it is worth noting that revolution/democracy in the Middle East does not necessarily equate to Western liberal ideals. The Shah in Iran while propped up by the West did not massacre hundreds of leftist/anti-islamic activists daily. Which is what followed after the revolution.

And yet when the Shah was "propped" up by the West he led a dictatorial regime, doesn't this go against human rights all together?

Just like in Saudi Arabia, where human rights are violated, and yet our governments don't say a word but maintain a good relationship with them?

It's a very complex situation that doesn't really have any clear solutions imo. Well aside from Muslims demanding to reform the Koran and ridding it of its promotion of violence and intolerance.

Solution: Just get out maybe, and stop propping up these tyrants? hasn't enough damage been done? These places have become far worse than they were before (Iraq, Afghanistan).

I don't see how "reforming" the Qur'an is a solution for the Muslims. "Here, let us edit your scriptures for you. These are our values, learn them well".
 
Be real. Do you think WORLD PEACE is more threatened by a starving country with Sharia law or by putting a few Jews with nukes in a region where they're surrounded by people who don't like them (and who's land they're taking)?

World peace is a dream. Muslims have killed each other over sectarian violence in numbers that dwarf the deaths and casualties that resulted from the formation over the state of Israel. The Middle East's problems do not start and end with Israel, and constantly bringing it up ad nauseum as the issue only distracts the Muslim world from realizing the many problems within their own culture and governments.
 

bonercop

Member
Personally I wish we could all embrace atheism. Wouldn't solve all the world's problems, just a big chunk of them.

I think this works the other way around -- by solving world problems, you create more support for atheism :p Not that I buy into a "grand narrative" of history or anything, but it's hard to deny the connection between prosperous societies and an increase in non-religious belief systems.
 
I think this works the other way around -- by solving world problems, you create more support for atheism :p Not that I buy into a "grand narrative" of history or anything, but it's hard to deny the connection between prosperous societies and an increase in non-religious belief systems.

Education may be the common baseline. Better education = more prosperity and economic innovation. Better education = more atheism.
 

boiled goose

good with gravy
Education may be the common baseline. Better education = more prosperity and economic innovation. Better education = more atheism.

yup.

Simply growing up in a culture without religion is not enough.

The important thing is that the result of your position is due to education, critical thinking, and application of reason.
 
Which part of the Idea to let foreign policies be decided by the threat of violence and bullying by a few non representative insane murderers in a Country of millions of normal people do you like the most?
The part where people start thinking about what their government is actually doing to people in foreign countries and oppose ignorant foreign policies.
Considering that terror attacks happened long before 9/11 and thus make a mockery of the foreign policies excuse that is routinely used by those religious loony toons anyway.
Stupid foreign policy decisions and religious loony toons existed long before 9/11.
 

Dude Abides

Banned
Should we send equal aid to all governments? Or to governments that promote our ideals?

Foreign aid? I thought we were talking about military actions.

I'm not entirely sure, my views aren't solely a defense for the West or the US government. However it is worth noting that revolution/democracy in the Middle East does not necessarily equate to Western liberal ideals. The Shah in Iran while propped up by the West did not massacre hundreds of leftist/anti-islamic activists daily. Which is what followed after the revolution.

We propped up Mubarak because he agreed to keep peace with Israel and repressed the Muslim Brotherhood.

As for the Shah, he ran a murderous dictatorship with a secret police that tortured people, and he replaced a democratically elected socialist in a CIA-organized coup. Not sure why you're defending him.
 

daniels

Member
The part where people start thinking about what their government is actually doing to people in foreign countries and oppose ignorant foreign policies.

Stupid foreign policy decisions and religious loony toons existed long before 9/11.

I like how you think the majority of people are stupid but one crazy murderer somehow has the truth. I mean you do realize that the "foreign policies" that is used by Anjem Choudary and the likes to radicalise disturbed minds is a scape goat, a bunch of made up shit and lies, propaganda with ludicrously exaggerated death toll numbers and Salafist anti western/democracy rhetoric I mean you do know that don’t you? If you force one of those goons to point out on a map where exactly the millions and billions (lol) of Muslim victims are that the British army supposedly have caused they wouldn’t even find their own asshole.
 

Nevasleep

Member
One of the attackers had attended university, and lived in halls for three years.
Would be interesting to know if the attackers were employed?
 
I like how you think the majority of people are stupid but one crazy murderer somehow has the truth. I mean you do realize that the "foreign policies" that is used by Anjem Choudary and the likes to radicalise disturbed minds is a scape goat, a bunch of made up shit and lies, propaganda with ludicrously exaggerated death toll numbers and Salafist anti western/democracy rhetoric I mean you do know that don’t you? If you force one of those goons to point out on a map where exactly the millions and billions (lol) of Muslim victims are that the British army supposedly have caused they wouldn’t even find their own asshole.

Not saying it's not used as a strawman argument from some angry stupid people, but the west, especially the UK and US have a long and extremely dirty history in the middle east, and certainly a level of animosity towards the west from those countries is completely justified.
 
World peace is a dream. Muslims have killed each other over sectarian violence in numbers that dwarf the deaths and casualties that resulted from the formation over the state of Israel. The Middle East's problems do not start and end with Israel, and constantly bringing it up ad nauseum as the issue only distracts the Muslim world from realizing the many problems within their own culture and governments.

Indeed, for example:

Today in Egypt: Three women murdered in Islamic honor killing: Muslims commit 91 percent of honor killings worldwide

http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-3-women-killed-suspected-honor-crime-163949782.html

http://www.meforum.org/2646/worldwide-trends-in-honor-killings
 
Indeed, for example:

Today in Egypt: Three women murdered in Islamic honor killing: Muslims commit 91 percent of honor killings worldwide

http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-3-women-killed-suspected-honor-crime-163949782.html

http://www.meforum.org/2646/worldwide-trends-in-honor-killings

These so called "honor" killings are not Islamic. Please do not portray them as so. They are merely cultural traditions passed on from generations to generations and has no legal basis in Shariah or otherwise.
 

hym

Banned
These so called "honor" killings are not Islamic. Please do not portray them as so. They are merely cultural traditions passed on from generations to generations and has no legal basis in Shariah or otherwise.

Not merely, sure correlation does not imply causation but I wanna bet honor killings were common practice in nearly all cultures at one time or another, sometimes with loopholes. In my own town in the 16th century a man successfully accused his wife of witchcraft because he despised her for not becoming pregnant, she was burned and courts learned of his motives when he reached the same conclusion with his second wife, the dishonor of not producing an heir was in his pants apparently.

Obviously most cultures have relinquished this attitude entirely, some like to credit religion for that, I would say logic and reason. But then how do you explain the remaining correlation, does Islam lack the tools to educate its followers or is actively undermining logic and reason?

Thousands of Women Killed for Family "Honor" (warning PDF)
There is nothing in the Koran, the book of basic Islamic teachings, that permits or sanctions honor killings. However, the view of women as property with no rights of their own is deeply rooted in Islamic culture, Tahira Shahid Khan, a professor specializing in women's issues at the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, wrote in Chained to Custom, a review of honor killings published in 1999. "Women are considered the property of the males in their family irrespective of their class, ethnic, or religious group. The owner of the property has the right to decide its fate. The concept of ownership has turned women into a commodity which can be exchanged, bought and sold." Honor killings are perpetrated for a wide range of offenses. Marital infidelity, pre-marital sex, flirting, or even failing to serve a meal on time can all be perceived as impugning the family honor.

So called honor crimes occur in societies in which there is interplay between discriminatory tribal traditions of justice and statutory law. In some countries this is exacerbated by inclusion of Sharia, or Islamic law, or the concept of zina (sex outside of marriage) as a crime within statutory law.

So sure it's not sanctioned by Islam but looks to me like Islam is complicit in sustaining this backwards behavior but it's not alone, Hinduism also fails to substantially eradicate it or wall off society from the elements needed to progress.
 

TCRS

Banned
bizarre, just utterly bizarre. People standing next to the dead soldier, people walking past the murderer while he's holding the knife and cleaver...

any update on those two?
 

F#A#Oo

Banned
bizarre, just utterly bizarre. People standing next to the dead soldier, people walking past the murderer while he's holding the knife and cleaver...

any update on those two?

They're in hospital still...police are waiting for the all clear to interview them.

Meanwhile there has apparently been 9 arrests in connection with the murder...and MI5 has had it back patted by the prime minister whilst he sips on espresso's in Ibiza...

Not merely, sure correlation does not imply causation but I wanna bet honor killings were common practice in nearly all cultures at one time or another, sometimes with loopholes. In my own town in the 16th century a man successfully accused his wife of witchcraft because he despised her for not becoming pregnant, she was burned and courts learned of his motives when he reached the same conclusion with his second wife, the dishonor of not producing an heir was in his pants apparently.

Obviously most cultures have relinquished this attitude entirely, some like to credit religion for that, I would say logic and reason. But then how do you explain the remaining correlation, does Islam lack the tools to educate its followers or is actively undermining logic and reason?

Thousands of Women Killed for Family "Honor" (warning PDF)


So sure it's not sanctioned by Islam but looks to me like Islam is complicit in sustaining this backwards behavior but it's not alone, Hinduism also fails to substantially eradicate it or wall off society from the elements needed to progress.

Culture and religion get mixed up a lot...honour killings is one of those examples where the religion gets the blame when people find it suitable rather than actually singling out the real cause of honour killings which is cuture.
 

hym

Banned
Lol, EDL strikes again.

What do you mean?

Imam Abid Salik said: "We did have a few people who did come to protest but when they came some of the members of the mosque went over and they engaged in a conversation.

"Some people went over with cups of tea and biscuits, they were talking for about 30 or 40 minutes and then they came inside, which was a really, really beautiful thing."

They did not act hostile, they accepted the invitation and engaged in conversation rather than trying to incite division.

Remind me the last time antifa anarchists and salafists did that. So you lol at them for not refusing a constructive gesture, and you condemn them for protesting, what do you suggest they do instead? I suppose you want your stereotypical image to be reinforced and have police catch them attacking a mosque... that has never happened though.
 
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