Is the only way to fight Fundamentalist Extremists becoming one yourself? Having grown up in a liberal democracy, being educated in the ideals of freedom of speech and expression, diversity, multi-culturalism and the political correctness that stems from such a comprehensive education, I find myself questioning whether I am a closet fascist when it comes to the way in which the British Judiciary are referring to the whole issue surrounding the London suicide bombers of 7 July and the related legal news stories stemming from this.
I cannot understand the logic of the British Judiciary in countering the British Government's call for the expulsion of a number of foreign nationals specifically identified as contributing to anti-British feeling amongst the Muslim community. For example, one of the people due for expulsion is Abu Qatada, a Jordanian who has been tried and convicted in his absence in Jordanian courts for terrorism and given a life sentence. He is known as Osama bin Laden's 'Ambassador in Europe'. Now he is concerned that if he is returned to Jordan he will face the death sentence. The question becomes one of whether we can expel someone from Britain to what may be their death? While we don't know the details of his Jordanian convictions, terrorism in the Middle East tends to be pretty deadly, so it is fair to suspect this person has been convicted of something relating to people being killed.
This is where liberal ideals and common-sense conflict ? while we may agree in Human Rights Law, is it so wrong if we don't care that this man is being sent back to what might be his death? When someone commits themselves to terrorism, do they give up their right to justice when they so blatantly abuse it? How can we allow someone to rely on Human Rights law when they have so obviously overlooked the human rights of everyone else in the country? On a more local level, why do we have someone at liberty in Britain who has been convicted of terrorism in another country? Why were they being granted freedom of speech, and freedom to gather audiences, when it was known that they had fundamentalist tendencies and links with terrorist organisations? Is it our policy in Britain to say 'welcome to Britain and feel free to hate our society and way of life?'
It would be wrong to withdraw many of our fundamental human rights such as freedom of speech because we are scared of what people might say ? but surely when there is evidence that people have gone beyond what are acceptable societal boundaries then they need to be restrained in one way or another. Is this not what the new anti-terrorism provisions are seeking to do? Finding a way of tackling fundamentalism without resorting to fascism is going to require some common-sense in terms of interpreting the law.
Nobody wants to see a repeat of the shooting of the innocent Brazilian on the underground system, but neither do people want to encounter suicide bombers. For years there have been critical news reports on Isreali soldiers shooting Palestinians who they believed to be suicide bombers, many of whom may have been innocent, as well as reports of suicide bombers blowing themselves up in buses and bars ? now the reality of this is hitting Britain. There is no way to stop a suicide bomber but to kill them before they detonate themselves. Equally, there is no way of being absolutely sure that somebody is a suicide bomber until they actually detonate themselves. There lies the Catch 22 which will dominate the British legal system for years to come. Here we believe that someone is innocent until proven guilty, but by the time a suicide bomber is proven guilty it is too late.
So where does this leave us? If we can identify the underlying factions that are stirring up fundamentalist ideals, is it not common-sense that we either imprison or deport them? Even the Muslim Council of Great Britain supports such moves. However, we need to make sure that the extremists don't win by lulling us into a fascist state out of fear, and hence we become what they are propagating we already are. It will be common-sense that wins, not fascism, but it needs to be applied through the judicial system, not just in Government.
Eddie Blass is a freelance academic and ghostwriter specialising in business & management, futures, legal, and educational issues.
limousine chicago serviceDeath may not be dignified in any light but the... Read More
The 'Land of the Free' is teaming with individual rights... Read More
How many legs does a dog have if you call... Read More
The FTC franchising division purports their law enforcement experience in... Read More
They do not allow the criticism of the president in... Read More
Most government agencies cannot pass an audit of their expenses.... Read More
As more and more cities and states set up websites... Read More
Policemen in many US cities are taking their new authority... Read More
This is the beginning of the end for the man... Read More
There is debate about the methodology of forestry and also... Read More
Without the flow of fuel our very mobile society comes... Read More
How much oil can travel through a pipeline? It depends... Read More
Do you find it interesting that people complain about the... Read More
You know now that North Korea is backing down on... Read More
Presently Universities and Private Enterprise are working to build more... Read More
It can be dangerous to engage in free speech. This... Read More
The plight of whistleblowers ? those employees who sound the... Read More
What depth of blind insanity has inflicted itself upon Israel's... Read More
UNAUTHORIZED HACKINGThe term "computer hacking" traditionally describes the penetration into... Read More
Leave it to the Columbia City Police Officers Association in... Read More
The news media will regularly present views from Democratic (liberal),... Read More
Tax Evasion has been used to criminalize many, Nixon did... Read More
Many folks who are pro-NASA and Pro-Space Colonies say that... Read More
With new environmental technologies and modern efficiency methods in mining... Read More
A coffee shop conversation about a Great Country in Historic... Read More
street light changer street light instrumental Pete's produce .."Similar to Medieval Inquisitions, judges have been given the authority,... Read More
Back-Dooring the CSIS:The US and Israel have admitted they back-doored... Read More
This is the third in a short series of four... Read More
One of my favourite pieces of music is the Sex... Read More
At the start of the US involvement in WWII Joseph... Read More
We all know Elliot Spitzer is going to run for... Read More
Former Senator, Daniel Moynihan, accurately summed up the situation when... Read More
Well, another election has come and gone in the US... Read More
Americans pride themselves on being the best, that's a fact.... Read More
Up until the final debate at Arizona State University, the... Read More
Previously Senator Dick Armey and his staff in 2000 to... Read More
Many people do not understand politics very well. They often... Read More
A coffee shop conversation about a Great Country in Historic... Read More
Why did FDR say Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Count... Read More
IntroductionThe way one lyrist has written, "Hum logo ko samajh... Read More
The most damaging factor to our economy today is the... Read More
Which companies are most affected by fuel? Who really bears... Read More
An interesting conversation that I thought I must share with... Read More
Are the junior attorneys in the Attorney General's office leaving... Read More
MUD ? Much Unnecessary DisclosureThe Federal Trade Commission recently asserted... Read More
Death may not be dignified in any light but the... Read More
The debate to raise minimum wage in California is totally... Read More
You have in front of you two buttons, one is... Read More
Many people who are expert in the issue of the... Read More
De-classification of official documents have been a routine practice in... Read More
Political Political |