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quote:
Emigration Debated
Shadow defence minister Gerald Howarth has caused a stir with his blunt suggestion that those who "despise everything we stand for, despise our values, loathe our country and do not show it any allegiance" should "go and find somewhere else to live". Mr. Howarth's comments were apparently precipitated by those of Omar Brooks (alias Abu Izzadeen), who finds the murder of 52 innocents "completely praiseworthy" and Sajid Sharif (alias Abu Uzair), who exults that "the banner has been risen for jihad inside the UK".
The Tory MP feels that such individuals, whose views concur with those of the 100,000 Muslims in Britain that think such terrorist attacks are "justified", as well as those of the more than 150,000 that describe themselves as "not at all loyal" to Britain, "should go and find another country where they would feel more at home".
While rational observers like Muslim Labour MP Mohammed Sarwar ("there is absolutely no room for people like [extremists Omar Bakri and Abu Hamza] in a civilised, democratic society like ours") find Mr. Howarth's suggestion to be quite reasonable, outrage is to be found in the usual quarters. Unsurprisingly, those taking offence engage in intellectually dishonest distortions of what Mr. Howarth actually said.
For example, Inayat Bunglawala, of the Muslim Council of Britain, accuses Mr. Howarth of advocating "deporting British citizens," which he did not. And Anas Aktikiri, national spokesman of the Muslim Association of Britain, expresses his dismay in a curious way, finding that (emphasis added):
"To suggest that those people who hold opposing views to ours should leave the country, that this would be some kind of solution, is absurd."
Yes - some people find suicide bombing abhorrent, and others (in significant numbers) do indeed "hold opposing views". Mr. Aktikiri's statement forces one to wonder just how much validity he gives to the position of the latter.
That question becomes particularly apposite when one considers that another prominent spokesman for his group, Azzam al-Tamimi, actively supports the tactic - so much so that he'd like to try it himself. From a BBC interview, 2 November 2004 (well worth reading):
TIM SEBASTIAN: No – please come back to my question. Please come back to my question. Why if it is so glorious and honourable to do this, why don't you do it?
DR AZZAM AL-TAMIMI: I would do it ...
TIM SEBASTIAN: When?
DR AZZAM AL-TAMIMI: If I have the opportunity I would do it ...
TIM SEBASTIAN: When are you going to do it?
DR AZZAM AL-TAMIMI: When? If I can go to Palestine and sacrifice myself I would do it. Why not?
Interestingly, it has been alleged that Dr. Tamimi doesn't share his associate's view concerning the absurdity of inviting those of "opposing views" to leave the country. According to Labour MP Louise Ellman, he feels that Jews should "sail on the sea in ships back to where they came from and all drown in it."
Good intentions and tender feelings may do credit to those who possess them, but they often lead to ineffective — or positively destructive — policies ... Kevin D. Williamson