We Must Be Free To Criticise Islam

Hardeep Singh argues in Spiked Online that:


the UK government should not adopt a proposed new definition of Islamophobia. 

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims is calling on the government to establish a legally binding definition of ‘Islamophobia’, akin to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism. Last November, the APPG launched its landmark Islamophobia Defined report, offering the following definition: ‘Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.’ To tackle what it calls Islamophobia, the report calls for ‘appropriate limits to free speech’ and for the policing and regulation of matters ‘far beyond what can be captured as criminal acts’.

Hatred towards Muslims has certainly resulted in some horrendous crimes, like the Finsbury Park van attack, where an innocent worshipper was murdered. Women in hijabs are also vulnerable to attacks, particularly following major terror events, due to their visibility as Muslims.

Nevertheless, there are serious problems with the APPG’s definition of Islamophobia, and indeed with the term Islamophobia itself. It is far too vague and it conflates attacks on Muslims (and non-Muslims) with criticism of Islam and of the behaviour of a minority of Muslims. 


3 comments:

  1. Whether it is seeking legal change in Germany to accommodate polygamy and underage marriages, or the stealth halal proliferation in foods in the U.K. , or the changing names of traditional festivals to remove their religious origin or special protection under the law, more than would publicly admit now see Islam makes constant and very unique demands on a host culture.

    Some changes might be welcomed beyond their religious demographic, for example councils changing the name “Christmas” to “Winter Festival” in their literature could appeal to atheists too.

    Without taking a view on the benefits or costs of these changes , it’s quite clear more Islam means less of what went before, at a rate of change different to before.

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  2. DD

    Fair points and its only a matter of time until we hear some among the british and irish radical left chant for the -- Repatriation of the ISIS 1.








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  3. Christy, if you are on about Jihadi Paddy al-Dublini picked up recently in Syria , I think the greater danger is the way “moderate” Muslims can publicly disavow him for disingenuous reasons,obscuring the broad overlap of their beliefs to the unread, and actually make themselves the victim (again) in this because they Irish sense people Irish people are starting to tire of the changed inflicted on them.

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