Muslims told to spy on their own children
The Home Secretary John Reid will tell Muslims today that they need to keep an eye on their children in case they become terrorists. He will ask parents to watch out for any changes in habit, talk to them, and no doubt report them if they are (to paraphrase) up to no good.
Mr Reid's statement has the sinister undertone that all Muslims are somehow complicit in terrorist activities and that even if they knew about them they wouldn't try to stop them. On top of that, are we all five year old hooligans that we need to be taught about social responsibility?
If Mr Reid was looking for some drama in his meeting today, then he's certainly managed to stir up some drama queen antics here. It's just a silly thing to say and will only serve to exacerbate the bigger picture.
Spot test: anyone remember another period in history when family members were asked to spy on each other and then report back any "wrong" behaviour? On that occasion it was the youth who were asked to spy...
Mr Reid's statement has the sinister undertone that all Muslims are somehow complicit in terrorist activities and that even if they knew about them they wouldn't try to stop them. On top of that, are we all five year old hooligans that we need to be taught about social responsibility?
If Mr Reid was looking for some drama in his meeting today, then he's certainly managed to stir up some drama queen antics here. It's just a silly thing to say and will only serve to exacerbate the bigger picture.
Spot test: anyone remember another period in history when family members were asked to spy on each other and then report back any "wrong" behaviour? On that occasion it was the youth who were asked to spy...
posted by Shelina Zahra Janmohamed at 10:51
3 Comments:
People 'spy' on their kids in order to check if they are into drugs, or keep the wrong kind of company, or even do things like shoplift. It is normal for a parent to care enough to spy, it is what parents do, because kids need their protection whilst they are not adults yet.
I hope for the sake of your child that you will spy on it, because this world is a dangerous place and kids are targets for all sorts of bad people, Islamofascists included.
Ps.: I know you take offense to this, but, for want of a better term, I will keep using Islamofascist to describe rabid extemists who incite and murder whilst abusing Islam as their reason, because I am so not going to grace those losers with the term 'muslims'.
I spotted this letter in The Times
Sir, I have listened carefully to John Reid and as a British Muslim parent wish to make a public declaration of developing extremism in my children.
My family are supporters of Reading Football Club but my son is showing some extremist tendencies of sympathy to Manchester United.
Given that I am more likely to be stopped and searched, transported to unknown camps around the world for questioning and receive little help from my Government in the process, I wish to declare that we will all be within punching distance this weekend when Reading play Manchester United.
As a parent I am, of course, more concerned about the risks of drugs, alcohol, bullying in school, getting my children into higher education, student debt, sexually transmitted disease and unplanned pregnancy in our children.
I recognise, however, that despite my half Irish background with republican sympathies on that side of the family, that I shall be treated differently if my children show extreme tendencies compared to others of different religion who may also harbour extreme tendencies.
RIDZUAN FAROUK
Purley-on-Thames, Berks
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,59-2368778.html
I'm sorry, but as a Muslim myself don't think that Muslims should take this offensively.
If it had been Christians, I'm sure he would've said much the same thing. If it had been Jews, ditto. But the fact is, if a child today has Muslim beliefs that they believe with a passion, they are the likely targets to be persuaded to join terrorist groups. Youth always has radical ways of expressing themselves, and if persuaded that terrorism is the only way to do this, they are likely to feel compelled because of their faith.
All he is saying is, please be careful.
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