Wootton Bassett March!

Posted 4 Jan 2010 by Walaa Idris

Ghost Town

I was going (against my better judgment) to listen but keep out of the discussion, then Sky aired a debate between Abu Yahya form Islam4UK and Richard Kemp (did not get his title and I do apologies if I misspelled his name). Abu Yahya defended the rights of 500 Islam4UK’s members marching down Wootton Bassett with empty coffins (symbolising the death of innocent civilians killed in Afghanistan) as freedom of expression and described the act as like for like! Like for like would be to march killed Afghani soldiers to their resting place through a town in Afghanistan. What the Islam4UK is doing is purely for publicity, it is a deliberate and calculated provocation. It is very distasteful and Un- Islamic.

War is ugly, painful and many innocent lives are lost because of it. But antagonising and provoking negative feelings is as ugly, and that is the only possible outcome this march can achieve. The fallen innocent in this war should be honoured and remembered too, but not in Wootton Bassett. On the other hand if this organisation has a political issue then they can take it up with Whitehall, Westminster or Downing Street, but not the people of Wootton Bassett.

The event is organized by Anjen Choudary, the leader of Islam4UK, a web-based organisation that describes itself as “a platform” for the extremist group Al Muhajiroun, which has been banned in Britain. Al Muhajiroun is the same organization that called the 7/7 boomers the “Fantastic Four”. Islam4UK make it clear that their plan is to make Britain an Islamic state and introduce sharia law. Giving this group any air time or attention is what they and their terror merchant associates’ want and crave.

In my opinion, the best thing is to let them go on with their march but not to give them anymore publicity, on the day and during the march Wootton Bassett should shut its shops, offices and ask everybody to stay indoors. The media should turn off their microphones and cameras, and not give them any airtime and let them march in a ghost town, just like the old westerns movies.

5 comment(s)

Sally Roberts

Sally Roberts
4 Jan, 18:55

Very well said, Walaa and you are right – what Islam4UK proposes to do is deeply un-Islamic!

What worries me is the BNP and other extremists using this story as an excuse to peddle their hatred against ALL Muslims. It is deeply frightening that this incident may lead to a conflagration, and despite my initial reaction that the march should be banned, I now tend to agree with you is the best course of action is no media attention whatsoever.

As for Choudhury – He used to be known as “Andy” and pursue a hedonistic Western lifestyle. They say there is nothing as extreme as a convert to anything….

Eveleigh

Eveleigh
5 Jan, 11:49

Well said. The honouring of the fallen that happens in Wootton Bassett does not glorify the war – it pays respect to those who lose their lives doing what our democratically elected government requires of them. Undermining this would serve only to divide our society even further.

Walaa

Walaa
5 Jan, 13:52

Thanks Sally and Eveleigh for your comments, what are your thoughts on a total blackout?
Some think it might give them even more publicity. It is really wrong and evil to use Wootton Bassett that way. I hate to say it but the amount of publicity will be huge on the day.

Umar Farooq

Umar Farooq
5 Jan, 19:38

I have to agree with you when you say: ‘the best thing is to let them go on with their march’

I think we can all agree that the Wootton Bassett fiasco is all based around maximum publicity and impact in the media. However, I have never changed my viewpoint on nutters like Anjum etc and I continue to support healthy debate and exchange of views.

There has been a huge reaction as soon as he announced the idea of the march with people calling for him to be banned. I disagree wholeheartedly with banning anyone and getting rid of their right to free speech. The man has extreme views but he is making a point we can all counter within limits of the freedom we have been given. I’d like the march to go ahead, a peaceful march and I’d also like moderate Muslims like myself to turn up and counter it with a march of our own (we’ve done it before and we’ll do it again). The moment you start banning the likes of Anjem Choudhary, Geert Wilders or even Nick Griffin is the moment these extremists turn around and use that ban as a means of spouting yet more rubbish. They will argue, see, no-one is listening to us and so we need the Shariah here etc.

Let their views be heard and countered and then the world can see rational views prevail. Healthy debate and rights like freedom of speech is what a vibrant liberal democracy is all about.

Walaa

Walaa
5 Jan, 20:43

Umar, I agree in that we should not ban, bar or ever stand on the way of any freedom of expression, provided it is with in the law and does not infringe on others’ freedoms.

But I hate see the extremists use and manipulate the public and the media in this way (if they have a political issue/agenda WB is not the platform for it). They know too well that their march is nothing but a media stunt, and the timing of it (Umar Farooq Abd AlMutalab) attempting to blow flight 253 and the double/triple agent suicide bomber is all just too conviennent. The US took its eye of the ball and Al Qaeda is making inroads and fast. It might all now sound far fetched and too imaginary but it is not.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and do come back.

Commenting is closed for this article.