• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

English Defence League searches for foreign allies

Infinite Chaos

Infinite Chaos

DP Veteran
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
26,858
Reaction score
24,305
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
The English Defence League (EDL) formed in the wake of a demo by a small group of Muslims at a Luton homecoming parade in March 2009.

Since then they have protested all over the UK against "radical Islam". Now the group is attempting to take its message overseas.

--snip--

"Tommy", whose real name is Steven Lennon, is about two hours late for a meeting in a London pub but, upon arriving, he's given a hero's welcome, handed a drink and rushed upstairs to meet the EDL's American guest.

Rabbi Nachum Shifren is a Tea Party activist and shares the EDL's views on Islam.

"The American people are facing the most insidious threat to the American way of life and, just like the Brits, are asleep."

EDL members went to New York on 11 September to oppose the "Ground Zero Mosque", or Islamic cultural centre.

-- snip --

More than the US, the EDL has set it sights on links with Europe. The group recently travelled to Amsterdam in support of Geert Wilders.

It was intended to be the first meeting of the European Freedom Initiative - a collective of groups all concerned about "the threat from Muslims". Along with the EDL, members include Politically Incorrect of Germany and Alliance to Stop Sharia from France.

BBC News
Click to expand...

I haven't made my mind up about the EDL yet, I can understand the original aims to protest against the muslim protestors at the Royal Anglians homecoming parade and I can understand the protests against what they see as creeping sharia and the terrorist bombings in the UK in the last few years.

On the other hand, street brawls on our city streets seem to paint a very different picture: does the EDL appeal to the casual street fighter types of the old National Front / the football hooligan gangs and the BNP's security branch members.

The EDL has a diverse membership too - jewish , gay and other divisions and one of the higher up members is s Sikh (Guramit Singh).

To fellow Brits please - What are your views?
 
My view on EDL?
Racist and trying to act like it is not.
I wish they would just admit it rather than trying to tap dance around it
 
Vanguard fighters for a secular England.

What's racist about this, might I ask? Is Islam a race all of a sudden?
 
Infinite Chaos said:
I haven't made my mind up about the EDL yet, I can understand the original aims to protest against the muslim protestors at the Royal Anglians homecoming parade and I can understand the protests against what they see as creeping sharia and the terrorist bombings in the UK in the last few years.

On the other hand, street brawls on our city streets seem to paint a very different picture: does the EDL appeal to the casual street fighter types of the old National Front / the football hooligan gangs and the BNP's security branch members.

The EDL has a diverse membership too - jewish , gay and other divisions and one of the higher up members is s Sikh (Guramit Singh).

To fellow Brits please - What are your views?
Click to expand...

I'm with Laila on this one, I believe that they are racist at the core but trying desperately not to look like it which is a lesson that they have learnt from the BNP.

For me, everything they do and say contains a political nod and wink to their hardcore which is not so carefully concealed for the benefit of the general public. There is no question that the white working class in the UK is being throttled but it is nothing to do with Islam or Muslims.
 
William Rea said:
I'm with Laila on this one, I believe that they are racist at the core but trying desperately not to look like it which is a lesson that they have learnt from the BNP.

For me, everything they do and say contains a political nod and wink to their hardcore which is not so carefully concealed for the benefit of the general public. There is no question that the white working class in the UK is being throttled but it is nothing to do with Islam or Muslims.
Click to expand...

That sounds reminiscent of the charge of American leftists that conservatives have racists within their ranks.
 
Partisanhack said:
Vanguard fighters for a secular England.

What's racist about this, might I ask? Is Islam a race all of a sudden?
Click to expand...

They have substituted "Paki bashing" for an all encompassing and generally more populist "Islam bashing".

It is not about Islam, it is, as always, about race.
 
Its the voice of those who feel disenfranchised in society and the fault of mainstream politics for not facing up to a serious debate on certain issues. As is the case with single issue movements it attracts extreme, or some might say 'patriotic' views. For me, there are most definitely 'issues' [radical Islam] that need addressing, no different than other parts of society needing attendance.

Paul
 
Albert Di Salvo said:
That sounds reminiscent of the charge of American leftists that conservatives have racists within their ranks.
Click to expand...

Conservatives do have racists within their ranks. Not all conservatives are racist but there are racist conservatives.

There are also liberal racists; they are just as unpleasant.
 
I really can't take any supporters of the EDL seriously. I mean these people make the tea parties seem like cosmopolitan hippies. There are groups like this all along the world that are euphemistically phrased as "defense" or "protectors" and they are very very extreme and reactionary. EDL ftl
 
gunner said:
Its the voice of those who feel disenfranchised in society and the fault of mainstream politics for not facing up to a serious debate on certain issues. As is the case with single issue movements it attracts extreme, or some might say 'patriotic' views. For me, there are most definitely 'issues' [radical Islam] that need addressing, no different than other parts of society needing attendance.

Paul
Click to expand...
They are an extremist group however, them being far right and mainly white middle class does not help their supposed good and anti-racist intentions. If you want to fight terrorism, discrimination and direct and often violent street action is not the way to do it. All it does is causes more resentment and isolation to the Muslim populace. Such acts are disgusting.
 
William Rea said:
Conservatives do have racists within their ranks. Not all conservatives are racist but there are racist conservatives.

There are also liberal racists; they are just as unpleasant.
Click to expand...

You're talking about Republicans. They aren't real conservatives.
 
Albert Di Salvo said:
You're talking about Republicans. They aren't real conservatives.
Click to expand...

I used conservative (small c) to indicate a general grouping of right of centre politics, which is generally what that means in the UK. I'd put Republicans in that grouping.
 
WeAreReborn said:
They are an extremist group however, them being far right and mainly white middle class does not help their supposed good and anti-racist intentions. If you want to fight terrorism, discrimination and direct and often violent street action is not the way to do it. All it does is causes more resentment and isolation to the Muslim populace. Such acts are disgusting.
Click to expand...

I'm not disputing that:)

Well, may be just the 'white middle class' part. I don't think you witness many suits Manning the demos, mainly just your stereotypical skinhead element. That is not suggesting elements of the 'middle class' are not closet supporters.
But i still feel we have lacked serious debate on certain issues.

Paul
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom