Wednesday, February 24, 2010

"failing to show a commitment to equality and diversity"

I'm just wondering how the NHS suspension of Christian nurse Caroline Petrie in Somerset (for offering to pray for a patient - which apparently shows a failure of 'commitment to equality and diversity') sits with this NHS poster in Tower Hamlets.
















(the poster is in the news because Dr Anwara Ali, a local councillor as well as NHS pinup, has defected from Labour to the Tories)

If wikipedia is correct, the Arabic phrase Assalamu Alaikum ('peace be upon you'), while sometimes used by Arab Christians and Jews, is essentially a Muslim greeting.

Still, mustn't carp - she could well have been in a hijab or burka. Just along the road in Brick Lane people are eagerly awaiting the installation of their hijab gates, part of a council-funded 'cultural trail' which starts at a sixty-foot steel minaret affixed to the Brick Lane Mosque.

A spokeswoman for the council said the concept behind the arch was "loosely based on the sculptural form of a headscarf, reflecting the many cultural backgrounds that have occupied and sought refuge in and around Brick Lane over the centuries".

Using planning-gain funds paid to the council following the development of Bishops Square and Spitalfields market, the trail is intended to bring more tourism into the area and smarten it up. But locals complain that the focus has been too much on the Bangladeshi community, which makes up a third of the Tower Hamlets population.

At the centre of the trail is a 29 metre high minaret that has been attached to the Brick Lane mosque, a grade II listed building originally built in 1742 as a Huguenot church, then converted into a synagogue and now the Brick Lane jamme masjid [mosque]. Tower Hamlets council says the structure "is not a minaret" but a "large steel art sculpture".

19 comments:

tolkein said...

It's Christians the secularists hate most. Then Jews. Once these are dealt with their attention will turn to Muslims - they think.

Sgt Troy said...

Her political principles certainly appear flexible, if the newspaper comments are anything to go by:

"Dr Anwara Ali is full of hot air and deluded self importance. If anyone votes for this ludicrous example of a social figure, more fool you. this defect to the Tories is a personally motivated one and has nothing to do with the Greater Good for the NHS. Shame on You Anwara Ali. You only Expose yourself."

But as Yazza points out "survival" trumps all;

"However, most of us immigrants feel insecure and vulnerable and can never take anything for granted. The survival instinct makes us push the work ethic into our kids."
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/yasmin-alibhai-brown/yasmin-alibhaibrown-if-you-dont-want-immigrants-will-you-then-do-their-jobs-1906513.html

"A spokeswoman for the council said the concept behind the arch was "loosely based on the sculptural form of a headscarf, reflecting the many cultural backgrounds that have occupied and sought refuge in and around Brick Lane over the centuries"."

If it looks like a settler colony, then it is.

Shlomo said...

Laban is correct that the term, meaning 'peace be upon you', is originally Arabic. But, Anwara speaks Sylheti Bengali dialect and the phrase is used commonly by Sylhetis as it is most Muslims - you could argue that it has passed into the language (just as Sylhetis use a mixed Arabic/Persian phrase to say goodbye - khuda/Allah hafiz).

Arabic-speaking Jews do not use this phrase and neither do Christians if they can help it as it was a recommended practice of the man (I use the word loosely) who inspired their ethnic cleansing from the ME. The more fundamentalist Muslims will even refuse to greet Christians with this phrase as there is an authenticated hadeeth prohibiting Muslims from greeting non-Muslims using.

The argument though is not with her using this phrase per se, it's the perceived (or actual in this case) double standards.

Tolkein is right, though we must draw some sense of satisfaction from the popularity of films like LOTR in the ME and amongst the Muslim population given their orthodox Catholic underpinning hehehe

Anonymous said...

The Muslim god is very similar to the metaphysic of secularism. If there is any beyond, it is so transcendent as to be unknowable and in any case uninterested in us. Picture a ball of emptiness in the corner of the mind, even this is inadequate to communicate Allah.

Sgt Troy said...

Laban

I wonder now long your post on the Manningham Labour Club attack will last on Comment is Verboten

Try mentioning Judith Popinski, like I did and see how long it takes to be put in moderation.

My contribution.......

"I hope this comment does not fall victim to moderation because the issue here should be discussed, and not brushed under the carpet."

Here we have an Auschwitz survivor rightly given a tremendous reception at an anti-fascist gathering - who can speak with more heart-breaking authority than she?

"Later in the evening. Judith Popinski, who survived the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz, received a standing ovation for her speech.

"Judith's story reminds us of how important the fight against Nazism is today. Since 1980, over 20 people have been murdered by the Nazis in Sweden and we must never turn our back on them", said Mattias, who as well as Joel, will donate the money he received to Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna and its campaigns against Nazism and racism."

http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2009/12/0701.html

And yet a few weeks after she is quoted as saying this.....

"This new hatred from a group 40,000-strong is focused on a small group of Jews," Mrs Popinski said, speaking in a sitting room filled with paintings and Persian carpets."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/7278532/Jews-leave-Swedish-city-after-sharp-rise-in-anti-Semitic-hate-crimes.html

Clearly this apparent, and worrying, incongruity cannot be analysed in a simplistic way"

Totally unacceptable it seems


Malmo matters are forbidden

"And in his(Milne's) ear I'll holla "Judith Popinski!'
Nay,
I'll have a starling shall be taught to speak
Nothing but 'Judith Popinski,' and give it him
To keep his anger still in motion."

Henry IV

Bloody commies

Sgt Troy said...

"LabanTall
25 Feb 2010, 11:48AM
Milne :
"so do the arrests, many of them carried out months after the event in dawn raids by dozens of police officers, who smashed down doors and handcuffed family members as if they were suspected terrorists.... and now there is a street movement, the English Defence League, directly adopting the officially sanctioned targets of "Islamists" and "extremists""

I'm sure then you'll be pleased to see this.

"On Saturday 20th February 2010 Members of the leadership team of the English Defence League were arrested as they traveled to Scotland to support the Scottish Defence League demonstration.
While in custody the team members homes and families homes were raided by police armed with automatic machine guns which terrified the leaderships family which included small children and other older family members. Computer equipment was seized during the 3 hour raid.

Now I think machine guns is OTT - it's as if they were trying to put the frighteners on the families - and how many trains have the EDL blown up ?

But you certainly can't say that what's sauce for the Islamist goose isn't also sauce for the British nationalist gander."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/feb/25/anti-muslim-hatred-threat-to-all?showallcomments=true#end-of-comments

Into the Valley of Death rode the 600

Well done laban

It is a good day to die

They won't like that at all

Anonymous said...

"Picture a ball of emptiness in the corner of the mind,"

I'm watching The One Show , now what?

Weekend Yachtsman said...

My ancestors were Huguenot refugees who came to that part of London; they may well have attended that church, or even helped to build it.

So I suppose this could be seen as just the next stage of a history of influxes.

The difference is, we integrated into British society, whereas they want to destroy it.

Anonymous said...

From this 'Judith Popinski article:

After the war, just as liberal Sweden took in Jews who survived the Holocaust as a humanitarian act, it also took in new waves of refugees from tyranny and conflicts in the Middle East. Muslims are now estimated to make up about a fifth of Malmo’s population of nearly 300,000.

Im sure, were we to look into the last 60 years of Swedish politics, we would see these same people and their descendants steadfastly defending the Swedish nation, which generously sheltered them, against deranged Swedish liberals intent upon mass Muslim immigration.

Look here:

Marcus Eilenberg, a 32-year Jewish attorney, who was born in Malmö and in April will be moving to Israel with his young family, has recognized that the issue is not just a Swedish problem:

“This is happening all over Europe. I have cousins who are leaving their homes in Amsterdam and France for the same reason as me.”

How much more blatant must the problem of Islamic antisemitism become before someone finally undertakes countermeasures?


Clearly were one to take a closer look at the politics of France, Holland and elsewhere we would then naturally expect to find Jews overepresented in the ranks of nationalist, anti-immigrationist parties. Wouldnt we?

Luckily for that young attorney he run off to Israel> Thats fortunate, he has an ethnic, national state to fall back on, where he is guaranteed citizenship and protection.

Hey, I'd like some of that action! Perhaps as a white British person I might have a country that did for me. We could even have a party to help bring it about. We could call it, er...I know, it could be the...er...British National Party. Thats pretty straightforward.

Jews like Judith and Marcus would understand, they would stand four square with us on that issue wouldnt they.

Anonymous said...

Ive been trying to read up on Judith Popinski. Interestingly, as far as the internet seems to be concerned she has played no role in anything political at all, ever. That is until this current story.

Literally out of nowhere she is apparently addressing meetings and quoted by the media yet before December '09, nothing. No political activity, nada, zip. No evidence of any political road to Damascus anywhere.

As to her bio, its the exact same story everywhere, no extra detail, no interviews, nowt.

Even naive, not quite with it, Susan Boyle has more history posted on the web now.

She was sent to Auschwitz, when? She was transferred out of Auschwitz, when? Was taken out of Germany by the Red Cross, when? All her family died, when, where how? These are significan details, yet they are not available anywhere. If her credibility in the Swedish/Muslim story rests on her survivor status I want it zipped up tight.

The whole thing looks like a well crafted media management exercise, Im not saying she is not for real but the presentation is as false as heck.

Anonymous said...

OK, now Ive started looking in Swedish results we are getting somewhere. Watch this space!

Anonymous said...

I've manged to translate some Swedish articles relating to Judith Popinski. However, if I start on this Laban is guaranteed to delete any further musings by me!

Sgt Troy said...

"Anonymous said...
I've manged to translate some Swedish articles relating to Judith Popinski. However, if I start on this Laban is guaranteed to delete any further musings by me!"

Well he puts up with me so I'm sure that he will treat you with his customary generous indulgence.

This revelation is devastating for the left.

Which is why Stasi-CIF delete on sight

Sgt Troy said...

Only imbeciles can't see, and only traitors refuse to see


http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2010/02/25/teenage-gang-force-three-boys-to-lick-their-boots-in-humiliating-train-ride-97319-25912559/

Anonymous said...

The Muslims have achieved what the little Swedish Nazis could never do, throw the Jews out of a Swedish town.

The significance of the Popinski story is clear, but make no mistake, the status quo will only rationalise it as a failure to be sufficiently cosmopolitan and tolerant, just you watch. The Jews will blame it on Nazism and anti-Semitism, not on the indiscriminate immigration of foreigners. Then the cycle will begin again.

Here's a newspaper headline from 20 years in the future:

Muslim jihadist immigrants were European dilemma

Their extreme views overlooked in favor of diversity

February 22, 2030

BRUSSELS--European leaders and media were aware for decades of the anti-Western, pro-sharia beliefs of Muslim immigrant communities in Europe before large tracts of Europe fell into the grip of the Muslim sharia law, but did not act in part because they valued the diversity of having Muslim citizens, EU historians wrote in previously undisclosed reports.


Rivers of Blood 2010

(Some Music)

Anonymous said...

The Muslims have achieved what the little Swedish Nazis could never do, throw the Jews out of a Swedish town.

And where did Swedish Jews stand on immigration into Sweden all this time?

We could simplify down to three options. Swedish Jews were...

1)More in favour of immigration control than Swedes generally.

2)No more/no less in favour of immigration control than Swedes generally.

3)Less in favour of immigration control than Swedes generally.

If 3) is the case then one could argue that Jews have helped to do what the little Swedish nazis could not. Does anyone think that 1) or 2) are likely?

Are Swedish Jews as overepresented in the media, business, politics and academia as they are in most other western countries?

EBMF said...

From Sgt Troy's Telegraph link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/7278532/Jews-leave-Swedish-city-after-sharp-rise-in-anti-Semitic-hate-crimes.html

For many of Malmo's white Swedish population, meanwhile, the racial problems are bewildering after years of liberal immigration policies.

Did Chris Morris write this, or did they cut and paste it from The Onion?

Anonymous said...

"For many of Malmo's white Swedish population, meanwhile, the racial problems are bewildering after years of liberal immigration policies. "

Racial and religious conflict is always the result of an illiberal immigration policy. Just look at Japan.

Sgt Troy said...

Tower Hamlets leader backtracks

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/feb/26/these-are-not-hijab-gates

However

"The IFE has particularly close links to Tower Hamlets council.

Seven serving and former councillors said Lutfur Rahman, the current council leader, gained his post with the group’s help.

Some said they were canvassed by a senior IFE official on his behalf.

After Mr Rahman was elected, a man with close links to the group, Lutfur Ali, was appointed assistant chief executive of the council with responsibility for grant funding.

This was despite a chequered employment record, a misleading CV and a negative report from the headhunters appointed to consider the candidates. The council’s white chief executive was subsequently forced from his post.

Since Mr Rahman became leader, more council grants have been paid to a number of organisations which our investigation established are closely linked to the IFE."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/7333420/Islamic-radicals-infiltrate-the-Labour-Party.html