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Embracing diversity, encouraging democracy
I've recently returned from a trip to the Middle East where I was part of a team helping the government and opposition along the path from dictatorship to democracy.
This is no easy process and yet it is one of the most important issues facing World security today. The leaders of this Muslim country were forthcoming in expressing their anxiety about the rise of extremists within their community and the wider implications this could have.
Naturally, the vast majority of Muslims are peace loving people who share these concerns about those abusing the name of their religion to disguise their extremist agenda. It is damaging and offensive when all Muslims are accused of sharing these beliefs but perhaps it is becoming equally dangerous that others are afraid of tackling these thorny issues for fear they will be accused of racism.
This is not true of incidents such as the name-calling and ignorance displayed in the Celebrity Big Brother House. Such malicious and hurtful words should rightly be swiftly condemned by the British people. But the important debate over how to handle extremism and terrorism rising in some sectors of the World should not be handled in the same way- the time has come for transparent and honest examination of what can be done to support and protect all our communities without fear of accusation and defensiveness on any side.
We are one Britain and it is time to stand up and be counted as a country bold enough to embrace a culture rich in diversity and strong in common values.
I would love to hear your thoughts about how we can achieve these goals, and your ideas on where we should begin.
Yours,
Gary
posted by Gary Streeter M.P. on Monday, January 29, 2007
2 Comments:
Hi Gary
How can I be convinced that voting Consertative is good for this country and selfishly for my family and myself. I have voted labour all my life but the over regulated, over policed and get over it British public, we know best attitude of Labour is too much to bear. I believe that we should be strong in Europe, support the family, welcome immigration, be strong on Britishness and helping those that come to the UK understand UK values and are intergrated, which is what they want. I also believe the Human Rights Convention encourages the individual above society, the child above the family and the self above all. The recent UN report on the child is one outcome of the way we are Governend. Why should a forty year old British born male, married with two children of Irish / Anglo Indian parents, who thinks we should remove the Human Rights legislation from what was already and OK legal system, vote Consertative.
Richard Powell
I believe that although the vaste majority of muslims are peace loving, they are also inflexible and intolerant of others who do not share their beliefs, and seemingly do nothing to defend their society against the actions of war mongering elements within it. If they cannot control those who think nothing of plotting to blow their fellow muslims to kingdom come and to spread their culture to the rest of the world, then they deserve the society they have.
Our own Christian society was no better back in the middle ages. We regularly burned, beheaded, tortured and flayed people who did not share our particular brand of Christianity, let alone those who were not Christians. But we have evolved from that position through trial and a lot of error to the flexible and tolerant democracy we largely enjoy in Britain today. Muslim run countries in the middle east and Asia have not yet so evolved. They are currently trapped in a ‘middle ages’ type of culture and in my opinion, they must be allowed to get on with their own affairs with no interference from westerners who can’t stop trying to bring ‘freedom and democracy’ to people who are not ready for it. Iraq cannot stand as a more evident and eloquent example of the result of such meddling and naïve efforts.
Within Britain however we must strongly defend our culture from those who would erode it or attack it. People in Britain from whatever origin must be required to live by our laws and embrace our values. It does absolutely no good making excuses about it, or exempting on cultural grounds anyone who breaks our rules of behaviour. We must assert our (majority) rights to run our country to our own standards, and those who have a problem with it must leave. No one is forced to stay in Britain after all. The world embraces many different types of society and those who don’t like ours don’t have to stay here. It really is a time for put up or shut up.
I think Anonymous is correct when he says that the Human Rights Act is not serving the cause of our country because it encourages the individual above society, the child above the family and the self above all. A very succinct analysis in my view and the sooner we withdraw from it, the better. It has become obvious that society in Britain has gone badly wrong in the past 40 years or so. We have not been well served by our politicians of any party. It is time for the Conservatives to come forward strongly with policies to attempt to rectify the mess.
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