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?

[headsspinningforachange]

I don't Think they are Racist I know they are they make it blatantly obvious when I have seen them marching , in their publications, FB & Twitter.

[DandyFloss]

Who did the national front oppose?

[mrsjay]

know plenty of 'Tattooed thugs' trust are neither Racist or Thugs

what i said had nothing to do with people with tattoos

[duchessandscruffy]

Those militabt Muslims who you saw marching and shouting 'uk go to hell' and those who go on edl marches calling for a ban on Burkas whilst wearing balaclavas themselves (lol!) - they are of exactly the same ilk, just part of different groups.

[Weeantwee]

I think you have to stand by and witness an EDL march go by in your hometown to get a real sense of what they are like. The reason they come across to people as racist is that they are uneducated, loud mouthed and generally offensive to anyone who looks different to them, I.e. Not Caucasian.

When they walked through my hometown all the local lads told them to go back to their own country. The EDL were walking through a Welsh town waving the St George flag.

[mrsjay]

EDL have told whole town on their rallys that they have to stand up against sharia law because that is what the country is coming too,

[NotDavidTennant]

The National Front believed (and still do I think) in white superiority and campaigned for the removal of all non-white immigrants from the country.

[noddyholder]

Why do you feel the need to name change if they are your opinions?

[Thisisaeuphemism]

So you believe your husband and children are attacking you? You do know they wouldn't be 'safe' under edl protection?

[Thisisaeuphemism]

Btw no one likes terrorists. Do you think the edl has a monopoly on horror at events like 7/7 or lee rigbys death? Do you think everyone else just thinks 'ah that's fine'?

[hiddenhome]

I dislike militant islam. My mixed race friend who is a Christian minister is regularly verbally abused in the street by muslim people who are unpleasant towards Christians. She feels frightened and intimidated.

The EDL are just fascist thugs. Militant islamics are no different. Each as bad as the other imo.

[mrsjay]

I agree with you Hiddenhome each as bad

[DandyFloss]

hiddenhome - where does your friend live? I have never witnessed racial abuse of either 'side' in RL. Has she reported it?

[OddBoots]

Fighting one flavour of extremism with another just causes destruction. It makes it hard to have the conversations so needed in a community because it is made to be a 'one or the other' conversation instead of a much wider discussion.

[FirstStopCafe]

I have unfortunately witnessed a few EDL marches in my home town. They were scary and intimidating and sang racist songs.

I have also seen racist comments made by edl members on Twitter and Facebook. I think they are abhorrent and try to gain membership by scaremongering and spreading false stories. A 'friend' on fb once shared a video being publicised by the edl that was apparently showing the police arresting a white woman simply for carrying an English flag. This was being used to stir up racist feelings about not being our country anymore etc. A quick Google and look at the statement provided by the relevant police force showed that the story being told was completely untrue and had been twisted to try and suit their agenda

[headsspinningforachange]

Sorry Mrsjay I read that bit wrong

[tallwivglasses]

I have a Muslim friend who lives in the West End of Newcastle. He and his children have twice been surrounded by EDL members in the street, threatening them. Every member of his family has been attacked at one time or another - his parents, his sisters. His children are disabled but that didn't stop the EDL tormenting them. They're just an ordinary family - not extremists.

But I've a feeling nothing's going to change your mind, OP

[noddyholder]

dandy can you answer my question about name changing? Are you a journalist

[DandyFloss]

tallwivglasses - I don't have my mind mad up that EDL are a good thing, why do you think that?

I want to know why people hate them so much. The only information I have about EDL is from their website, it says they only oppose militant Islam, which the vast majority of people also oppose.

I wanted to understand more about why there is so much tension.

[DandyFloss]

noddyholder - I name changed because it is such a hated topic and I didn't want to get labelled a racist or a facist. I want to understand the whole thing better but in past threads people really get flamed.

[DandyFloss]

But yes, I do feel a little more informed now

[ThisIsMyRealName]

OP have a look at this site. It should give you an idea about the real people who are in the EDL and the kind of opinions they have.

The stories under the 'most read' and 'most commented' sections may especially 'interesting' reading

edlnews.co.uk/

[ThisIsMyRealName]

*make

[Sallyingforth]

DandyFloss
Are you by any chance making excuses for the EDL?
I notice you used their phrase "militant Islam" three times in your first post, and again several times later. Yet we all know that in practice they are against all of Islam.

[themaltesefalcon]

The EDL? Pfft. Their Web site is as poorly spelt and punctuated as much of this thread.

If I ever vote, it will be for someone who understands the beauty of a perfectly placed apostrophe.