Multicultural liberals are always trying to police debate. A tolerant society does not abandon the freedom to argue.
.... Against traditional liberalism stands multicultural liberalism, which the majority of people who call themselves “progressives” believe. An unimprovable example of how it turns old certainties on their heads came two days before the Paris massacres. The Muslim Council of Britain demanded a blasphemy law because “Muslim communities need to be able to respond to accusations [against] Muslims, or against the Prophet, in a more effective way”.
.... Fear has driven multicultural liberalism, too, and that fear will be back with a vengeance after Paris, along with the double standards and demands for new authoritarian laws that always accompany it.
Progressives condemn “clash of civilisations” rhetoric and deplore the racism of Marine Le Pen and Donald Trump. But their attempts at appeasement show that they are not so different. They also treat Muslims as “the other” rather than fellow citizens and insist that different rules must apply to them in case they turn violent.
I have no idea whether traditional liberal principles will help slow the wave of religious violence. For now, it seems as if nothing will. But I do know that if we don’t stick by them we will end up with an even more unjust society than we already have. [The Observer] Read more
