To ask if it's a good thing that London has a Muslim mayor

[DoesFlossfloss]

Because my London based in-laws are not happy and I've not been following the campaign as I'm not in London so don't really care. However, we're seeing PILs this weekend and it will be up for discussion.

I think both candidates were utter tossers. Zac was worse though. I honestly cannot believe they ever thought he had a chance of winning How true. Your poor 'PILs' How will they cope?

Khan seems like a good chap. Bens problem was that he was a low intelligence version of Boris
Hopefully Sadiq will reverse some of the London skyline horrors virus introduced

Virus=Boris!!

If Zac Goldsmith had got in I wonder if people would ask if it was a good idea for someone with Jewish heritage to be Mayor? Or actually they'd maybe just be upset because he would probably be a shit Mayor no matter what his background. Whether Sadiq Khan or Zac Goldsmith are suitable mayoral candidates, has no bearing on their religion imo.

Shamefully, my Mil is also horrified by Khan being elected, because she's a closet racist who swallowed the Tory line about him being an extremist whole.

There are times when I wish I could just disassociate myself from people like her, but DH would be upset.

Luckily, he's not grown up to be a racist arse, so it's all good.

Just to point out the FGM has no connection to Islam in that it is not a practice that came from the religion. It is a cultural practice.

FGM is rooted in culture and some believe it is done for religious reasons, but it has not been confined to a particular culture or religion. FGM has neither been mentioned in the Quran nor Sunna

Quote above taken from fgmnational.org website.

I realise that fgm has been aligned with Islam due to its practice in some African countries that have a population with a Muslim majority but fgm is not a practice taught, encouraged or even remotely acceptable in Islam. The body is a gift and any kind of mutilation or damage done to it within or without, is strictly prohibited by the religion.

In terms of the discussion at hand-so great to see that many are of the opinion that the faith of the new mayor of London has absolutely nothing to do with his ability to carry out his responsibilities. I feel the same. We will learn in time whether SK becoming mayor of London was a good or a bad thing based on what he does from now on.

I wasn't going to vote as I was pretty uninspired by all the candidates. But the last couple of weeks of Goldsmith's disgraceful racist campaign - particularly when David Cameron used PMQs twice to promote its revolting tactics - made me feel that this was a matter of principle, something to stand up against and say 'Londoners will not take this shit'.
Quite a few other people felt the same judging by the turnout - a record!

I'm not sure how good a job Sadiq Khan will do but I do know that he's a billion times better choice than Goldsmith would have been. (And yes Portia I agree he's rather handsome).

Very proud of my city today.

I'm delighted that the main mayoral candidates were of Muslim and Jewish origin, which would have been pretty unthinkable 150 years ago, save in the City.

Being a feminist I'm appalled

As a feminist are you appalled by this?
supports womens' rights very vocally

Being a feminist I am delighted.

Particularly seeing the quotes up thread. It's fantastic to have a Muslim man say these things, many others will have the same view but without the platform to get heard, or because it doesn't suit the right wing media agenda.

Why, HildurOdegard? As a feminist, do you assume that all Muslims hold precisely the same views about the status of women? Would you find it acceptable if people made a similar assumption about all women? Have you actually bothered to inform yourself about Sadiq Khan's views on women's rights?

Why are they mad? I actually have no clue what the mayor even does.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/07/zac-goldsmith-racist-campaign-london

Love the thought of ' doing a Zac' becoming a new insult.

Sadiq Khan in 2013:

"June 4th 1913 saw the death of Emily Wilding Davison, killed whilst protesting for women’s rights under the suffragette slogan ‘Deeds not Words’. A century later, this call for action could not be more valid. We must make sure that we continue the push for gender equality, despite the cuts. Communities across the country are feeling the strain in these tough economic times, but if we allow women to suffer disproportionately and be sidelined in the process, then we will not only be going back in time, but we will be undoing much of good work that has been done to reduce gender inequality over the past hundred years. I hope that at next year’s council and European elections, and the general election in 2015, we see a marked increase in the number of women being elected and that together we can work collectively to create a more equal society and eradicate gender inequality."

But never mind his frequent statements in support of gender equality and gay rights - he's a Muslim! DANGER! DANGER!

How many people on hearing that a Christian had been elected mayor would immediately jump to the conclusion that he was a bigoted fundamentalist? And yet there are plenty of those among certain types of Christians.

If you want to have a laugh OP wait until the major Big Ben (Queen Elizabeth's Tower) renovations have started and tell the PILs that the new London mayor has decreed that it must be converted into a minaret.

Hildur, please explain your post, I don't understand.

Lets send Mr Khan to New York to discuss the problems mega cities have with his counterpart there. Ooh some time in the New Year after the election regardless of the result there.

That way he can do some good ambassador stuff maybe getting an idea or too and he not only pisses off the OPs parents, but all scare the Conservative Heartland of America.

With his liberal views

I'd say that khan is far more balanced and reasonable regarding Israel than many many non Muslims in his party (yes, ken, I'm looking at you).

He's also most certainly no anti-Semite and I hope his election will go some way to restoring relations between Muslims and Jews

Pilpiloni- I don't know much about Khan but he put distance between himself and Livingstone and Corbyn which shows at least some nous.

But never mind his frequent statements in support of gender equality and gay rights - he's a Muslim! DANGER! DANGER

My favourite post of the year so far

bloody well said

I actually believe Owen Jones in this article posted up here. This kind of hate campaign based on religion / race is a very dangerous tactic and a proper smear campaign. So it's great to make an example of Zac.
I can't comprehend how he could decide this was the way to go in a city like London where it was sure to backfire. I think the Tpries have become very delusional and a bit gaga too. Khan could have easily picked up on Zac's ex BIL being a Taliban supporter (Jemima WORKED to support her ex in many causes). Imagine if The situation was reversed and it was Sadiq Khan who had a sister who had sons with a known Taliban sympathiser and had worked for his causes too? Tories would have a field day then. I am sure Cameron would discuss it PMQ essentially. But I think Sadiq Khan is a far better man than that and London appreciated that. Lovely