Muslim leaders in Australia have banned five of their number from speaking to the media. Among the five is Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali, the deluded bigot who claimed last year that unveiled women (whom he likened to ‘uncovered meat’) were to blame if they were sexually assaulted by men.
The muslim leaders claim that the ban is necessary to repair the relationship between the muslim community and the rest of the public. Well, maybe so. A cynical observer might interpret it as a means of keeping poisonous propaganda inhouse for the time being. After all, no sensible warrior (or jihadist, for that matter) would want their weapons of war out in the public gaze before the time for battle has come.
Gagging a mad mullah who is bent on jihad does not stop him from spreading his poison elsewhere. Preparations will continue apace, only out of the gaze of the ignorant public. I would prefer that such people were talking to the media, actually. Always better to know what they are saying.
March 10th, 2007 at 1:01 am
In my ignorance I have always accepted the message that Islam is a decentralised religion and that as a result we have to tolerate rouge Imams. It appears that I was wrong.
March 10th, 2007 at 4:34 am
Couldn’t agree more. Better to have a full open debate or open discussion. The muslim community, especially the moderate sections, are much more likely to level with some of these mad mullahs if they are allowed to express their opinions. If there views have resonance within the muslim community, it is better that they not be silenced or gagged in the presence of the media. I believe these things, but I am not going to comfirm or deny in the presence of a microphone. It is an election year and based upon previous experience, muslims are extremely likely to be demonised in a bid for moderate votes.
March 10th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Australia started going dow the pan when they scrapped the whites only immigrant rule , wtf is a rag head doing in australia?
March 10th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Hmm, the hitch, I disagree. I don’t think the problem is the ‘whites only’ rule. And the majority of the muslim immigrants do not give any trouble. Immigration is an issue, yes, but perhaps multiculturalism is the bigger problem. I don’t agree with the belief that all cultures and values and lifestyles are of equal worth. It is that belief, and the policies predicated thereon, that has caused much of the problems.
We have the same issues here in the UK, and to the extent that our Government has promoted and advocated multiculturalism, it has contributed to the problem.