12 january 2010, islamophobia ?

Tuesday 12th January 2010

I felt great disquiet on hearing this morning that a radical uk muslim group are to be banned. I am almost as much against their views, such as the introduction of sharia (orthodox muslim) law, as I am against those of the british national party. But I stand by their rights to speak, however abhorrent what they say. Or just plain wrong: they have a well-argued critique of the afghan war. I’ll debate them if I have to, but don’t recommend giving them the platform and oxygen of publicity such “bans” bring. Extreme beliefs are not terrorism. That is real enough, but we can’t fight it by outlawing those who have similar views to those that commit violence. That just feeds victim status and raises the majority’s fears higher (see Oct 2004, the new jews). The line must be clearly drawn at violence, not beliefs. Cross the line and law and punishment must endure, but before that, we must beware. There is a risk that we are bringing home foreign policy mistakes, such as sabotaging a legitimate hamas victory in the palestinians' free and fair elections of 2006, after which the time was most ripe for them to turn away from violence. Yes, the planned march through wootton basset (against afghan war veterans, in the very place where dead soldiers are honoured) was repugnant (or actually a fantastic publicity stunt) and should legitimately not be authorised - but making being a member of the group that proposed it punishable by ten years in prison ? That sounds more like the diktat of iranian mullahs than a tolerant democracy. The system has a safeguard: this wrongheaded proposal needs to be endorsed by parliament. It’s easy to tolerate those whose views we know; democracy is about tolerance of those views we virulently disagree with. In the name of democracy, parliament should send a clear democratic message and reject this ban.