The Left have wasted no time in using the latest Islamic terrorist attack to condemn all religion. ‘Religious extremism’ must be challenged we are told. Attacks by ‘religious terrorists’ on our democracy will be resisted. But it is not all religions that are attacking coffee shops and shooting cartoonists is it? They are Islamic extremists.
First out of the blocks on this was of course, Harriet Harman on Radio 4’s The World at One. Harman informed us all that ‘no religion should see itself as above the law?” But Christianity and Judaism do not view themselves as above state law. When was the last time a vicar marched into the BBC and murdered the editorial team over perceived disrespect to Christianity?
The editor of The Independent likewise on the Today programme bleated on about ‘religious extremism.’
The Left are running the line that this is an attack on democracy and freedom of speech and indeed it is. But these terrorists are not enraged over just any exercise of freedom of speech – it is any speech that challenges Islam that it views as worthy of such violence. In it is not satire per se they have a problem with but any satire that includes depictions of Mohammed.
It does not suit the left liberals however to acknowledge these simple truths. Better to just keep the discussion to broad principles like freedom of speech and expression. If they had to examine how they will deal with threats and violence against perceived breaches of the sacred tenets of Islam this might be just too uncomfortable to their world-view.
The harsh reality that Harman chooses to ignore is that Christianity does not view itself as above the law. It seeks to influence the law, sure, but this is done through accepted democratic means such as debate, lobbying of democratically elected politicians and campaigning.
The Catholic Church and Church of England wish to influence policy because they believe the Christian view of the common good is superior to the communist view of the common good or indeed a purely capitalist view of the common good. They frequently fail in this mission of persuasion, which is carried out by democratic means. But Islamic terrorists do not seek to persuade – they seek to punish and avenge by walking into a satirical magazine and shooting cartoonists.
So sure, there can be solidarity and twitter hashtags, and a minute’s silence. But do not expect any Labour or Conservative politicians to ask the tough questions.
When Nigel Farage dared to raise the issue of multiculturalism and whether this contributed to the terrorist attack, he was immediately condemned as making a ‘political point’.
Tessa Jowell tells us via Twitter “Sickening comments from Nigel Farage. The murder of innocent people is criminal plain and simple.’ Sure Tessa, that is what is sickening in all of this – a discussion of multiculturalism not the murders themselves. And this was not just criminal. It was not just a bank robbery or a gang murder. It was a terrorist attack carried out by Islamic extremists. But, as I said, expect plenty of hashtag activism, but little in the way of serious political debate.
I personally think the entire political establishment are just shameless, and I mean shameless, in how they are immediately trying to cut off debate on this and shut down Farage as some loon (and I am not even that big a fan).
This is why everyone hates ConLibLab – they are the self-appointed elite who believe the concerns of the ordinary man should be ignored and stigmatised.
It was not the influx of immigrants Farage was even speaking about. It is the fact that a small minority do not integrate because the elite’s policy of multiculturalism told them not to bother. That is the issue.
