Melanie Phillips's dairy
The real Islamophobia
Another important article by Anthony Browne in the Times last Saturday reported on the horrifying consequences for British Muslims who try to leave Islam for Christianity. They face not merely being shunned by their family and community, but attacked, kidnapped, and in some cases killed. And yet the police do not offer them protection:
'For police, religious authorities and politicians, it is an issue so sensitive that they are accused by victims of refusing to respond to appeals for help. It is a problem that, with the crisis of identity in Islam since September 11, seems to be getting worse as Muslims feel more threatened...Mr Hussein told The Times: “It’s been absolutely appalling. This is England — where I was born and raised. You would never imagine Christians would suffer in such a way.” The police have not charged anyone, but told him to leave the area. “We feel completely isolated, utterly helpless. I have been utterly failed by the authorities. If it was white racists attacking an Asian guy, there would be an absolute outcry,” he said. “They are trying to ethnically cleanse me out of my home. I feel I have to make a stand as an Asian Christian.” '
The government wants to create a new crome of incitement to religious hatred because it says it wants to combat 'Islamphobia'. Isn't this the real Islamophobia, where the police -- and, for that matter, the astonishingly silent churches -- are too frightened to confront the intimidation and violence being carried out in the name of Islam?
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