.... Did he really think he had the capital that would allow him to address mosques, and those who frequent them, in that fashion? Did he really think a round robin letter, released to the press in a risible show of dynamism, was the most effective way to connect?
As a do-nothing communities secretary in a government that has been lazy at best, and negligent at worst, in its day-to-day relationship with minority communities – particularly Muslim ones – did he really feel well placed to offer advice with any expectation of constructive dialogue? If he did, time for a reality check. Context matters; sometimes it’s everything. [259 comments]
[TOP RATED COMMENT 291 votes] His letter was perfectly reasonable. We live in a society greatly influenced by the thinking of the 18th century Enlightenment. We now need a Muslim Enlightenment ... three hundred years later
[2ND 257] Perhaps the Muslim community needs to look at how and why similar groups in Britain (Hindus, Sikhs) seem to coexist without losing their cultural identity ....
[3RD 199] The behaviour of some sections of the Muslim community is more likely to cause the far right to get power in the UK and Europe than anything else I can think of. .... other minority groups seem to co-exist and prosper perfectly well in the UK.
[4TH 141] I dislike Islam. It frightens me. I wish that it didn't exist. Can I say this? We shall see. Censorship frightens me too.
[5TH 122] Do you remember any Roman Catholic priests in Britain calling for catholics to murder anyone that made a joke about the Pope?
[6TH 121] So...he was right but you can't bring yourself to say so because he's an evil Tory. For goodness sake have we not progressed beyond the everything one side does is perfect whilst the opposition is always wrong dynamic?
[7TH 121] The most successful migrant groups .... are those best able to strike a balance between the cultural possessions they keep for themselves, .... and the things they give up, or dilute, to thrive in a society that demands a degree of collective compliance.
If they are going to give up the homophobic, women-hating, execution of infidels sections of Islam; if they are going to give a quite smile to Muslim jokes, then great. But it doesn't leave much left in the Koran.
[8TH 105] "When he sent that now infamous letter to mosques, telling Muslims they really ought to stop the terrorism ..." That's just a plainly stupid statement which bears no relation to the content of Pickles letter.
But it's Eric Pickles isn't it? So we can pretend his letter amounted to him strutting down Whitehall in a Nazi uniform if we want. It desn't have to be true. Because it's Eric Pickles isn't it?
[9TH 86] We need new voices to be the spokespersons for British Islam. Liberals and reformists, who successfully combine being a proud Muslim with a proud Briton, and who know exactly what Pickles was trying to say, are the Muslims Britain needs to hear from in the media.
The MCB, Warsi and the like are stuck in the groove of the 'grievance narrative' peddled by those who think that anything not Salafism is an insult, is an offensive, is Islamophobic.
They do far, far more harm than good. ....
[10TH 76] Once upon a time, we used to be a country. Now we're different "communities" and that is where it is going wrong ... [The Guardian] Read more
