All Anjem Choudray wants is lots of infidel media attention

06 January 2010

The proposed Muslim march is wrong-headed in every respect, says Rod Liddle.The sight of bearded maniacs storming through Wootton Bassett will onlygalvanise support for the war in Afghanistan

Smug and stupid, comfortable in front of the camera, he’s loathed by most Muslims, of course, for the trouble he occasions them, for bringing them all to the attention of Luke and Sam and Mr Supremacy and the other 170,000 who have signed themselves up to the Facebook campaign. If Choudray had half a brain he would realise that the eternal cortege of dead British soldiers through Wootton Bassett and the angry interviews with bereaved relatives on the evening news are the most potent weapons in the battle to stop the war in Afghanistan: the infidel public has become soft-bellied and squeamish, unwilling to fight a war in which our boys might get hurt or be killed. Happy enough to start the war, but not to finish it. Paradoxically, a march by Mr Choudray’s bearded maniacs screaming death against the rest of us might well swing the opinion polls back in favour of war overnight: look, there’s the enemy and what fabulously vile people they are, bring out the cluster bombs and the depleted uranium shells. But then Choudray’s motive is not primarily to draw attention to the suffering of his Muslim brothers, but to get himself lots of infidel media attention once again. We could probably buy him off with the promise of a chat show or maybe an appearance on Come Dine With Me (‘back in his kitchen, Anjem is preparing his main course of ricin curry’).

Where Luke and Sam and the others have a reasonably compelling argument is in what they perceive as the unfairness of the treatment of the notion of freedom of speech. They point to legislation which makes it illegal for them to whip up hatred against the Muslims, yet are forced to sit back and watch hatred being whipped up against themselves. A similar point is made by the somewhat shadowy English Defence League, which has made such marches its raison d’être. Castigated as a neo-Nazi group or a bunch of fascists by mainstream politicians, they are treated far more roughly by the authorities than the gatherings of furious fundamentalists whom they oppose. This is the point the liberals cannot grasp — that you can still be a victim even if you are a part of the supposed cultural hegemony. It is the sort of mindset which has aided the rapid growth of the BNP over the last ten years, stoking feelings of deep resentment within the white working class and, I suspect, well beyond.

The traffic moves slowly through Wootton Bassett even when there isn’t a funeral cortege, a continual procession at snail’s pace through what was once a village but has long been a choked overspill suburb of Swindon. Having been rebuffed by Sky, Luke and Sam try their luck with the ITV van down the road, but there is only an elderly troll inside guarding the equipment. But they’ll be back, the four lads, if the march goes ahead. Which is just what Mr Choudray wants.

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January 7th, 2010 6:44am Report this comment

Really? So why give it to him?

KindnessofWomen

January 7th, 2010 4:11pm Report this comment

A small correction regarding Omar Bakri Mohammed. My recollection, confirmed by a glance Wikipedia just now, was that he left the country of his own accord shortly after the 7/7 bombings. He was later informed by the Home Office that he would not be allowed to return to the UK. Not quite kicking him out of the country, but the next best thing perhaps.

peter gompertz

January 8th, 2010 2:17am Report this comment

Balance and fairness on the early evening news? not when the news is about alleged global warming or the idiot Holmes is banging on about Bandwagon United.

Christianity4Mecca

January 9th, 2010 3:57am Report this comment

I have a theory that these people like Anjem Choudary and his followers, together with the successful and wannabe suicide bombers/murderers and all those who sympathise with or are involved with Al Queda are in a highly secret and dedicated anti-Islamic, anti-Koran, anti-Muhammad, anti-Allah movement, passionately committed to Islam’s ultimate demise. Any idiot can grow a beard, recite the Koran and dress like a middle-east muslim, but how else could you explain the behaviour of these people who clearly relish their role in taking a once universally respected world religion and by their behaviour turning it into a toxic, putrid stench that offends the nostrils of all decent civilised human beings across the world? The most passionate of Islam-haters could not have imagined such an overwhelmingly successful result in their wildest dreams.

I feel genuinely sorry for all decent, honourable, muslims who have passively watched their religion hijacked and thoroughly demonised in this way. My only question is why they have not yet rallied en masse to Islam’s defence? A vast organised march around Finsbury Park waving ‘Not In My Name’ banners would work wonders for muslim public relations.

Augustus

January 9th, 2010 6:11pm Report this comment

The Queen will have to go of course. Kicked out of Buckingham Palace so it can be turned into a mosque. Along with Nelson's Column, as graven images won't be allowed. Obviously, under a sane regime, Choudray would be deported as persona non grata. He has no business here as he openly preaches treason and the overthrow of democracy.

Christianity4Mecca

January 9th, 2010 9:26pm Report this comment

Unfortunately Choudray was born here. Perhaps he could be exiled to a UK territory somewhere, like South Georgia, where the obnoxious little turd would be happy blowing up the sheep and penguins.

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