To think this would not be acceptable in any other part of the United Kingdom?

[JanineStHubbins]

Except for Northern Ireland.

I'm astonished that this hasn't been picked up more by the mainstream British media.

Local 'pastor' James McConnell preached a sermon 2 weeks ago in which he said Islam was spawned in hell, Satanic, evil. He said that he wouldn't trust any Muslim in the UK. An he also described Enoch Powell as 'a prophet' and said he agreed with him.

So far, hate speech, as far as I'm concerned. It's what happened next that really bothers me.

McConnell was defended by members of the DUP (largest unionist party). And the First Minister Peter Robinson said yesterday that while he wouldn't trust Muslims on spiritual matters or advocates of sharia law, he would trust Muslims to 'go down to the shops' for him. So patronising, so derogatory, so paternalistic.

He said today that he would be 'hurt' if Muslims felt he had shown them disrespect.

What the hell? Why is this acceptable in the United Kingdom? The DUP are the fourth largest party in the Westminster parliament.

AIBU to think that any other British politician would have to resign for such comments?

jeez that's bad, couldn't he be prosecuted for that?

YANBU. It's the relative morality created by decades, even centuries, of unfettered, institutionalised, small-minded prejudice.

Hate crime against Islam is fine in this country. The media is one sided and it's always been this way. It might be printed in small print at the back of some paper, but I don't think many people cate.

As a Muslim I feel that my faith is villified all the time and people are scared of what they don't understand.

here's a clip of the sermon. The First Minister had the gall to say that the 'pastor' didn't have an ounce of hatred in his bones.

I just read that the longest-standing a ethnic minority politician in NI, Anna Lo, is retiring from politics due to an upsurge in racist abuse from loyalists. No wonder, if mainstream politicians see nothing wrong with comments like those in the video above: Robinson stated that he intended to attend McConnrll's church in the future.

You're talking about a subset of society where it's been the norm to not only hurl jibes and insults at someone for being the wrong nuance of the same religion but to blow them up or drag them out of their homes in front of their children and summarily execute them. NI has been characterised as being a supremely intolerant society and even now, with the worst perpetrators running the show, there's a sort of grudging acceptance rather than genuine integration. Why would it be at all surprising that people from an entirely different religion or culture are subjected to abuse in that environment?

Mediaeval

?!?!?!?
That's shocking!
I'm getting very fed up with the current fashion for vilification of all things Islamic.

They have always felt this way about the Pope, so it's not that surprising. The Wee Frees in Scotland feel the same about Catholics I think, but they're not in government (Lord McKay was at one point, but he was excommunicated for attending a Catholic friend's memorial service).

I think though, the prejudice is coming from the unionist side only in this instance.

In response to cogito re 'worst perpetrators' running things.

Quite a few things happen in NI that wouldn't be acceptable in the rest of the UK. Not allowing abortion for a woman whose pregnancy is killing her, for example

Good point, becca. Both sides are craven in their attitude to that particular issue.

I suppose my astonishment isn't that the pastor made those comments (hateful people in every culture), more that the FM wasn't more widely condemned for his support and for the disgusting way he himself spoke about Muslims. It's all very depressing .

NI is very socially conservative. Like the UK in the 1970's.

'rest of the UK' that should have said.

Peter Robinson is an utter cock. His wife is an utter cock whose god fearing facade was ripped asunder when her seedy affair with a 19 year old boy, 40 years her junior, was uncovered.

Moral apathy. We've become so acclimatised to NI news and politics being full of bigoted, shouty people (all sides) that hate other on the strength of nothing very much that another vile proclamation doesn't get much coverage. It's like getting upset at a dog for pissing up a lamppost..

Some of the new atheists (Dawkins, Hitchins etc) say equally offensive things about theists of all persuasions, particularly Christians. I don't as a God-botherer think they should be prosecuted for it.

The thing is, it's the minority spoiling it for the majority of people who want peace. The Belfast Telegraph had completed a survey on thousands of young adults aged 18 - late 20's. All of them wanted to leave NI because of the religious bigotry and riots relating to the 12th July and the Orange parades.

One video clip I saw, which summed up the situation in NI perfectly in a hilarious way was comedian Jake O'Kane summing up the "Flegs". I think you can get it on Youtube, but it is worth watching .

I have always thought that NI is super sensitive to any differences between people. Historically they have had low levels of immigration so find "differences" very hard to live with.
Please watch George Galloway on last night's Nolan show (33 minutes in) available on bbc iplayer. He is brilliant and spot on his assessment of the issue.

Yes - the sizeable middle ground just disengage when faced with the bigotry and whataboutery.

I'm no SF fan, but the political leadership displayed by unionism on this and other issues of toleration and equality is really reprehensible.

I saw Galloway last night. Quite a state of affairs when he appears to be the most reasonable on the show.

He also said on a local current affairs programme last night that he thought Enoch Powell was right in "rivers of blood" speech!

The pastor that is not Peter Robinson

I now live in NI (am from the south but lived in London for 20 years). This situation is just horrific and embarrassing. I work in a very republican area (bandit country) and find them more tolerant and accepting of people of different nationalities and people seem able to slot in/marry in with little or no hassle - even me with my very "English" accent. DH is from a very unionist area and its totally different. Its very unwelcoming.

There is so much hate here in NI that is stoked up and encouraged by a minority. Young people are fed up and are leaving. DH refuses to leave his crazy family and that's the only thing keeping us here.

I am gutted Anna Lo is talking about retiring from politics. Wasn't she told to go back to where she came from??? The irony being that she is from Hong Kong and was always a British citizen....

Thankfully the reaction on twitter shows that he is in the minority and the majority of Northern Irish people do not agree with either the pastor or the First Minister. Most people are outraged and believe that Peter Robinson should resign.

That has also been my experience MrsMoon76 regarding the unionist community.