Britain has a duty to oppose religious and political extremism - be it the English Defence League or the supporters of jihad - in every corner of the land.
This summer, we have seen Christians being systematically persecuted and murdered in the Middle East; anti-Semitic attacks and protests soaring in response to the Israeli government’s intervention in Gaza; institutionalised political correctness leading to appalling sexual abuse against children by Pakistani Muslims; and murders carried out by Isil terrorists who may have included Britons indoctrinated to preach evil at home and enact it abroad.
The common theme is the politics of division and hate: attitudes and mantras that seek to divide rather than unite. Aggressive secularists would advocate the suppression of religion in the public sphere. Yet this would only perpetuate the message of intolerance towards others. Religion is the not the problem – political and religious extremism is.
[TOP RATED COMMENT] It's all very well to be tolerant of other peoples and religions - a stance I fully support. However, when a people settle themselves in our home and are intolerant towards us, we have to have the courage to draw a line. So much and no more.
Who amongst you politicians is honest and brave enough to say and act upon what has to be done to defend our own country? Tolerance and respect is a two way street. Appeasement of an intolerant culture never has, and never will bring resolve.
It is profoundly dishonest to speak of the EDL in the same context as people who do us actual harm. I've yet to hear of EDL supporters hacking someone's head off or planting bombs. Do you think, Eric, that you are an honest man?
[SECOND] What the heck is this? Jihadis are directly threatening us, our society and our way of life and in an article about extremists, the EDL gets first billing!
The EDL wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Anjem Choudray and his bunch of misfits (it was their outrageous protests at a military parade for our returning servicemen that caused the EDL to be formed in the first place) and the PC/diversity/multiculti hand wringing non-response of the authorities to it. No, you must tolerate aggressive and threatening protests by extremist loonies, it would be "racist" to object.
Well I'm sorry, but I do object and if Britain is to remain "a place of justice and tolerance towards others" that means dealing directly with those who threaten it, not looking around for excuses and appeasing such appalling behaviour.
[THIRD] Apologies are due the English Defence League and the British National Party - they have been consistently right about the issues which the Establishment has been so miserably wrong about. Go, Mr Pickles, you have nothing to say on this subject worthy of consideration.
[FOURTH] Eric Pickles was Chair of Bradford's Education Committee when Ray Honeyford was persecuted for having the audacity to criticise multiculturalism. And now the fool is lecturing everyone else on 'tolerance'? Sickening. [The Telegraph] Read more
