I am an "Islamic Extremist"

[Asi-Irish]

Tradcat, first off, I am not a Muslim, so most of the criteria don't apply to me. I believe that in some cases, armed resistance is justified, and I would have difficulty condemning the killing of British soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So, my point is, under this strategy, someone who believes in something, as I do, can be branded an Islamic Extremist, without being a Muslim or an extremist.

This is outrageous, and may result in innocent people being branded Islamic Extremists. This is an infringement of people's rights.

[pete2]

This is outrageous, and may result in innocent people being branded Islamic Extremists. This is an infringement of people's rights.

Don't like it, don't go to the UK. If you're in the UK and don't like it, move. Would that work?

[Mazzy Maz]

Don't like it, don't go to the UK. If you're in the UK and don't like it, move. Would that work?

Does anyone else find the "if you don't like it, go somewhere else" argument as lazily moronic as I do?

I prefer the whole "if you don't like it, then stick around and change it" ethos of democracy.

[JCSkinner]

I want to get an 'I am officially considered an Islamic Extremist by the British Government' T-shirt printed up.
Anyone know who might do this for me?

[seabhcan]

I want to get an 'I am officially considered an Islamic Extremist by the British Government' T-shirt printed up.
Anyone know who might do this for me?

It would be fun to wear that going through Heathrow security.

[JCSkinner]

It would be fun to wear that going through Heathrow security.

Nah, I wear my 'IRA Undefeated Army' shirt for those trips. ;-)
Actually, since they brought in the latest round of silly exit taxes, and gestapo invasions of personal privacy under the excuse of 'security', I just don't go to British airports or via British airports.

[Gobuchul]

• They advocate a caliphate, a pan-Islamic state encompassing many countries.

Well this is a goal of the islamists, but I would guess that it is a goal of any muslim. So the desire for a caliphate is surely not extreme only the means one would be willing to use to achieve it.

They promote Sharia law.

This would also be a goal of the islamists, and I would guess that it is a goal of any muslim. So this desire is surely not extreme, once again only the means one would be willing to use to achieve it.

They believe in jihad, or armed resistance, anywhere in the world. This would include armed resistance by Palestinians against the Israeli military.

It is right and proper that a democratic country should oppose military conflict against other democracies, if that government officially supports these other countries, then those who agree with armed resistance against official allies would necssarily be extremist. I mean lets face it, the government has to set its own guidelines and the use of violence is (i would hope) always extreme by default. If you don't like who the government support an unjust situation in another country, campaing against them and vote them out.

They argue that Islam bans homosexuality and that it is a sin against Allah.

As I believe Homosexuality is nobodies business except gay people, then I agree that this is extreme, but it's not confined to islam, or even to religious people. and as long as their beliefs does not impinge on the rights of gay people, also living within the law.

They [B]fail to condemn the killing of British soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan

Is it failure to condemn or belief that no condemnation is warranted or worse still, approval of the deaths? because the deaths of soldiers should be condemned if only because they were killed by doing their duty as determined by others in the chain of command. Since the government put them there, they must believe in the validity of their deployment.

The criteria seem to be very general and each one taken individually could not make someone an islamist. Plus, since we only have a newspaper article interpreting what it says are the criteria from an unofficially leaked document, it's hardly worth getting upset over.
But I do think a combination of all or most of these criteria plus quite a few more besides, would definitely be an indicator to extremism, not proof, but an indicator.

[pete2]

Does anyone else find the "if you don't like it, go somewhere else" argument as lazily moronic as I do?

I prefer the whole "if you don't like it, then stick around and change it" ethos of democracy.

Yes but it would work Be pragmatic, the entire 'bend over backward to accommodate' ideology has failed and it has failed all over the EU. For example, the UK already has parallel Sharia Law courts in operation. Entirely legal, yet the guardian report makes it sound like those even thinking about Sharia Law will be interned or worse. The report has poor Asi-Irish terrified about islamics being oppressed.

In the UK the widespread opinion visible in polling appears to be that islamics in these lands have obtained lots of concessions and only return with ever more radical demands. Hopefully if the guardian can be believed the UK government is now drawing a close to the failed policy of multiculturalism and politely indicating that it is time for a process of integration to begin. If people are unable to integrate they would be advised to move on.

edit - Sorry, by "integrate" I mean them integrating with our way of life, not the other way around. There is no "challenge facing secular democracy" here, only a challenge facing them, do they wish to be integrated in our societies or not?

[Alterego]

According to the criteria outlined in a new "strategy" being considered by the British government, I would be branded an "Islamic Extremist", if I were a British subject.

According to a draft of the strategy, Contest 2 as it is known in Whitehall, people would be considered as extremists if:

• They advocate a caliphate, a pan-Islamic state encompassing many countries.

• They promote Sharia law.

• They believe in jihad, or armed resistance, anywhere in the world. This would include armed resistance by Palestinians against the Israeli military.

• They argue that Islam bans homosexuality and that it is a sin against Allah.

• They fail to condemn the killing of British soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Now, I believe that some people (including the Palestinians) have a right to engage in armed resistance.

I might also fail to condemn the killing of British soldiers in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Anti-terror code 'would alienate most Muslims' | Politics | The Guardian

I'm guilty too

[yanshuf]

All the above mentioned paragraphs are at least something they can try and implement, but they will have to do it now, before Londonistan extremists rule all over Britain, and Sharia laws would become the justice system there. fikhs!