Last edited by Dudley Clarke (2014-08-27 14:22:45)

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Little did I realize that, by putting up James Heriott's All Creatures Great and Small adaptation for television as a mildly diverting light entertainment, we would soon be going into the Western -v- Islamic debate but it's all grist to the mill because, after all, there is only so much that one can say to the question "does my head look incredibly small inside this gigantic hat?" and "do I look the plonker that I am feeling myself to be in this Douglas tartan smoking suit?"

However, for the record, I am not saying that Muslim aggression against the West began following George W's actions. You can clearly take it right back to the start of Islam itself and the Crusades. However, Britain's relationship with Muslims, within the Empire was (aside from the British insensitivities to religious scruples over animal fats which began the Indian Mutiny), reasonably comfortable and very many Muslims served the British Empire with honour and distinction right to the end; many winning high decorations for courage in the face of Britain's enemies.

Make no mistake about it, Said Qutb's beef was largely with the USA because it was there (during a part of his education) that he, a rather shy, little man, was taunted by the American woman's overt sexuality and mistreated owing to the colour of his skin. Along the way, he noted all the crass materialism. But he never advocated blowing up anyone (except, possibly, President Nasser) and neither he nor any other Muslim that I can think of had a lot to say against BRITISH culture and way of life until Tony Blair became George W's blooded poodle.

Indeed, the Asians who had been in British Kenya had a choice from Kenyata - stay as Kenyans or go to Britain as Britons - and, by far, the most of them went to Britain where they have lived quiet,. industrious, family-orientated and honourable lives, initially amidst the kind of proletarian racialism which still infects the lower rungs of British society. However, again, few of them would consider blowing anyone up over that, or anything else. The average Muslim is no more dangerous to life and limb than your average Roman Catholic or Baptist. Indeed I shared a bottle of wine with a particular Muslim last night.

Last edited by Dudley Clarke (2014-08-28 05:47:09)

Some of my best friends are muslims….as they say.
Qutb founded the Muslim Brotherhood and they indeed did and do blow up a lot of things.
And you are so right, the things that he abhorred in the american culture are EXCLUSIVELY american and have nothing to do with the culture of Britain or your way of life, such as the right of women to dress and wear lipstick as they like, date who they like, freedom of the press to address the prophet with anything less than reverence, secular government, dancing, etc.
Yes, any reasonable shy little man could draw no other conclusion that since America is so bad it follows he must wage jihad against his own government in Egypt and overthrow it, presumably by the means available to a shy little bureaucrat such as spiritual jihad. If that fails, then of course you wage jihad the prophet's way with actual weapons and violence as Anwar Sadat learned seconds before dying.
I know plenty of great Muslims, the problem is they have a really hard time condemning the behavior of such radical islamists in public.
And as you know in some jurisdictions in Britain, once they reach a critical mass they start trying to incorporate sharia law into their communities. All of course, the fault of Bush and his poodle.

Not at all, Chevvie; not at all. Glad to put you straight.