EDL....

[DandyFloss]

I am a regular who has name changed for this thread.

I would like to have a discussion about EDL. I want to know exactly why people find them so abhorrent and why it is such a taboo subject.

I dislike militant Islam, it is a dangerous movement and it really frightens me. A family friend was killed in 9/11 and it was a horrible horrible tragedy.

I have two mixed race children, my DH is mixed race, I would not say I'm racist or xenophobic.

As far as I can gather EDL oppose militant Islam, and this alone.

Why does this make them racist? Surely militant Islam, although a very small proportion of Islam, should be opposed?

Let's start by educating you, Flapjack. Here is a link to the Wikipedia entry on jihad, the first result if you google it. Hope that helps.

Gordy

Don'tpanic - I'm not hating the whole - or else I wouldn't have muslim friends would I?

So why would you hate everyone who has ever attended an EDL rally?

By the way, I wish more muslims would decide that jihad is a peaceful activity.

So skyler - here is what you told me to do:

the word jih?d translates as a noun meaning "struggle"

Jihad is COMMONLY USED TERM for "Holy War"

This is what I put before upthread.

I'm not the one who agrees with extremists who co-opt words, twist their meanings and seek to degrade Islam, Flossie.

The highest number of victims of terrorism this week is actually from Peshawar. In Northern Pakistan - both Muslim and Christian sections of the community have been victims of the Pakistani Taliban.

The terrorism the Pakistani people suffer in Pakistan itself dwarfs anything we in the UK have suffered.

Dear me, Flapjack, are you only capable of reading 2 (partial sentences)? Do read on, you might learn something.

"British soldiers go to hell" can also be interpreted in different ways.

Nope skyler - I can read. That is what stood out for me.......and anyone else who can be bothered to look it up.

I may die from the irony

It's a shame for you that you don't seem willing or able to read further than the first two lines. You really should try and redress that, as I suspect it will impede your understanding of issues that take more than two sentences to explain, as evident here.

It's also a shame that you seem to think you can speak for everybody else who uses Wikipedia.

The Pope was called on to comment on how Catholicism is a religion of peace every time that was daubed on walls in Ireland.

Oh wait, no, he wasn't. That must mean the Catholicism is a terrorist religion.

Ted, you are being deliberately inflammatory. That is what the EDL do.

I shall judge on your words. Your words smack of bigotry.

Why is it that people who are not getting anywhere on a thread just HAVE to start getting personal? I thought they were more educated than that

Here you will find a list of crimes perpetrated by EDL members

docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuLXE7S47JBsdHpneE5ySTdtaWxKYjh5c21fbEh6RFE#gid=0

Because Adventure as a huge historical religion the Muslim faith represents a vast spectrum of people and belief structures and ways to practise.

Currently thank fuck the EDL is small and has a very tight mission statement albiet unwritten, that they want all those of the muslim faith out (at the very tip of the iceberg) therefore there is no room for wiggle you join them you hate a race you are a racist.

Muslims all over the world suffer as a result of terrorist atrocities carried out by various perpetrators. Far more than we have ever faced in the UK from Islamic Extremists.
We should be more sympathetic and aware of this.

Cat - Bigotry? Why? Just because I don't have exactly the same views as you?

We have a massive problem in the UK withislamic extremism. You want everyone to stay silent about it. Do you really think this will help muslim/non-muslim relations?

Interesting document Harticus.

Of course not because your views differ.

Because your views are based on total inaccuracies and ignorance.

There is no massive problem - those are words used by the EDL who are a bunch of racist bigots - and there you go.

we really don't have a 'massive problem' with Muslim extremism in the UK that is pure hyperbole

no more than we have a 'massive problem' with Irish nationalist extremists or just, you know, extremist

It is isn't it YouTheCat.

Always worth referring to whenever some poor misguided person claims that the EDL are just "misunderstood".

They are fascist thugs. That is all that needs to be known.

gordy - no more than we have a 'massive problem' with Irish nationalist extremists

Well, you've got a darned short memory, then. We were bombed by the IRA so many times it became the norm. I remember it well. If you don't, then I suggest you do a bit of historical research!

"We have a massive problem in the UK withislamic extremism."

We really don't. Unless by "massive" you mean "very small".

There is no 'massive problem' with Islamic extremism in the UK. That is rubbish.