rational geekery

I’m sorry if I have been on hiatus over the last few days, but the past recent events have not been something I wanted to comment on when consumed by emotion. I have been so angry both by the terrible events and by the reactionary responses of many.

Various MSN political message boards have been inundated with posts from right-wing members who advocate a crack down on the UK Muslim populous, nothing in my opinion could be more inflammatory or inappropriate. The very goal of the Islamic fundamentalists is to further divide Europe’s Muslim population from the indigenous Christian communities. The radicals feed on inter-religious hatred and consider non-Muslim’s inherently evil and welcome their suffering and ultimate destruction

The right has attacked the very freedoms that our country cherishes. Reactionaries want to scale back the liberties that many have died for. I accept we need greater controls on immigration and to target the clerics that operate here but we also need to ensure we do not react without reason.

I believe we need to get to grips with renewable/alternative energy sources to remove the Middle East’s strangle hold on our nations, we need them to need us. I honestly believe that if the oil revenues were removed the ME would have to face up to the realities of the modern world. The money cossets the Arab leaders from global trade and interaction, if they had to open their economies, on our terms, they would have to control this fundamentalism or no factories would be built in their countries, and no jobs would be created.

This is an Islamic Renaissance I have often talked about. Christianity was repressive, and stunted human development, subsequently we Christians demanded change and greater individual freedom and expression…. hence the end of the ‘Dark Ages’.


The Muslims world - and the Arab one in particular - is still in its own self-imposed Dark Age. Clerics across the entire ME, Central Asia, Indonesia, and in mosques in the UK and Europe preach hatred and contempt for Western values and Christians themselves. So what does the right suggest? Mass deportation of Muslims as the BNP suggests, taking even the tolerant and progressive Muslims who don’t propagate hate? Again this would create further divide and tensions, short of a full on religious war the only other option is trade.

Fundamentalist Islam succeeds because - like Nazism - it appeals to the disenfranchised and marginalised. Arab countries have huge unemployment due to a lack of basic industry (beyond the oil industry); this then causes hatred for their leadership and deep anger and frustration. The only credible option for the leadership is to deflect criticism away towards America and the West. Building on centuries of resentment and ancient divisions they allow - and support, implicitly - the mosques to exploit this hate, leading to violence and pan-Eurasian hatred among Muslims.

Fundamentalists in this country too operate among the poorer communities where the young are receptive to a message that gives them someone to blame for their situation. Someone to unite against, racism exists between communities and this racism reaches into education and industry. Yes there are equal opportunity programmes that unfairly ‘lockout’ whites but I assure you there are many companies that operate very clear racist recruitment policies. I have worked in manufacturing for years and racism is rife. Fanatical clerics exploit these tensions and the young flock to their message. My point is we need to address the causes. There will always be fundamentalists, but we need to be inclusive and encourage those moderates to become the masses, and then they will bring about change from within.

As Tom Friedman wrote in the NY Times, this is an Arab problem and only they have the solutions, we however must apply the pressure and facilitate the changes.

Let’s have Marshall Plan for energy reform. Lets take away the Islamic worlds power, and pull the carpet from under their leaders. Like Lebanon where oil is not an issue they demand reform and representation. Let us increase this pressure and allow their glorified fiefdoms to collapse.

In the short-term lets engage with the Muslim communities within our own country and state clearly that anti-American/British hatred will result in the deportation of their agitators.

I have no problem severe policing of this problem, but we must ensure we do not feed their cause with barbaric methods, and we ensure a fair trail and representation. Then we can maintain the high ground and ensure we cannot be vilified.

We also need to ensure our involvement in the Balkans is known; where an American led NATO (while the EU sat on its hands for the most part) intervened to save millions of Muslims… I wonder if Abu Hamzen ever preached this fact?

Nothing can get away from the fact that these terrorists should rot in a jail cell or die by their own sword, but we should not turn on ourselves and allow them to divide us.

Liberals may have the answers to many of the problems we face. Progressive ideas can shape and better target authoritarianism.

So let the debate begin and lets stop this self-destruction.