im not into the whole apologising for people i dont even know charade, its indignant. the demand has stuck however ever since 2001.

You mean like:
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=10332

‘they were surrounded by over 400 anti-fascist protesters chanting slogans and jeering at them.

The anti-Nazi counter demonstration, called by Unite Against Fascism, drew a large, vibrant and diverse crowd of local residents, trade unionists, students and anti-racist activists.

East London trade unions were particularly visible on the Unite demonstration, with banners from local branches of the GMB, T&G, RMT, PCS, NUT and Unison unions.’

Support for organised anti-extremism/anti-fascism is, in my view, one of the small set of key ‘core values’ which different groups simply need to share in order to get along peacefully in the same city.

That applies even to the bloody SWP…

http://mcc.org/news/news/2006/2006-09-01_peacemaker.html

Mohammad Ali El Husseini said he believes that about 20 percent of his fellow Lebanese Shiite Muslims share his views on nonviolence. However, he said it is difficult for him to compete with more militant voices.

I left the meeting very impressed with Mohammad Ali El Husseini and hopeful that his aspirations — which include building a community center to teach about peacemaking — may be realized sometime soon. I was honored to meet this courageous peacemaker in a country that has been traumatized by war.

That, and the points from the last discussion we had with regard to the whole secularist/islamist thing – a topic which is tres chic a.t.m. – and in which I already clarified my position on this point of view. That last discussion happened a few days ago on PP.

Oh and Katy, the issue (or ‘grievance’) that you seem to be implying is addressed here…in my view this guy has just had a (sort-of) reality check. Nothing more.

Anyone who needs an excuse to extend surveillance of the civilian population.

Any group that sees racist stereotyping as a means of gaining political power.

Any corrupt regime who can use the excuse of hardline ‘Islamists’ to stay in power, per.

The list can be longer. Still, in the context of this post I think the more interesting point is to what extent perceptions would influence policy makers and people in general if the media had to be enforced in presenting its ‘views’.

Who’re you thinking of in particular Random?

the writer who you quote plays sensationalism just like any other journalistic scumbag, fitting misapprehended facts together to lie another day.

my favourite piece of the articles foolishness is this
“The world could use more moderate Muslims….”

first ‘the world’ … sorry do you thing you have any right to talk of the world you colonial thrwoback.. are you just culturally bred to beleive you are the world?

second ‘use’… hmm im glad weve got that one straight

third ‘moderate Muslims’… does that mean you are embracing the faith then? why are you further dividing muslims with your pansiness?

Err…I think you are missing out on some other major groups and organisations that also derive a healthy amount of benefit from this type of sensationalism. Was that intentional?

Apart from that, interesting read. It has the usual generalisations and yearning to simplify, as well as the standard moral high-horsing that is part and parcel of such commentary nowadays, especially in the context of a non-muslim, non-believing (?) Westerner whose genuine stake in the whole debate is normally one of the following: revisionism, rescoping, or miscontextualising the issues at hand.

Its especially interesting to read what his perception is of the Algerian Civil War, with the government etc. ‘putting down’ jihadists when the whole horrible escapade has been precluded by the immoral actions of the very same government during the ’91 elections. Still, we sure love the word ‘Islamist’ these days don’t we?

Cynical, moi?

As a ‘moderate Muslim’ if I am expected to somehow actively oppose and denounce extremists among my fellow believers, am I also expected to actively oppose extremists in Britain eg. the BNP/ Paisley style Unionists and amongst Bangladeshis eg. Jamaat I Islam?

All things being equal, will others operate under a similar burden eg. when can we expect Whites come out in their thousands and actively denounce the people of Dagenham and other areas where BNP councillors have been elected?

Individuals should be held responsible for their own actions.

Perhaps nothing can stand in the way of the drive to generate profit…