Stop Islamophobia: Defend the Muslim Community
[Bristol] info@bristolstopwar | 20.05.2010 10:22
Stop The War Coalition are organising a major one-day conference 'Stop Islamophobia: Defend the Muslim Community' in London on Saturday June 5th. People will be going from Bristol.
If you are interested in going email bristolstopwar@hotmail.com as soon as possible or phone 07766 432413.
Alternatively tickets (£5) can be purchased at http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1860/1/ or call 020 7801 2768.
Stop Islamophobia: Defend the Muslim Community
One Day Conflerence Saturday 5 June 10am to 5pm
Camden Centre London WC1H 9JE
Speakers include:
Daud Abdullah Muslim Council of Britain • Mohammed Ali Islam Channel • Anas Al-Tikriti British Muslim Initiative • Moazzam Begg former Guantanamo Bay prisoner • Lindsey German convenor Stop the War Coalition • Muhammad Habibur-Rahman vice-president Islamic Forum of Europe • Kate Hudson CND • Imran Khan solicitor • Dr Robert Lambert former head of Scotland Yard’s Muslim Contact Unit • Seumas Milne journalist • Peter Oborne journalist • Salma Yaqoob Respect Party
Muslims are under attack in this country as never before. Government policies and the media have created an atmosphere in which all Muslims are portrayed as reactionary and anti-western.
Young Muslims in particular are subject to surveillance in colleges, schools and mosques in the name of combating "extremism". Those who exercise their right to demonstrate peacefully have been subject to arrest and heavy sentencing.
Meanwhile, the racist "defence leagues" have been focussing their attacks on Muslim communities, with provocative marches in towns and cities inciting racial hatred and bigotry.
From its founding in 2001, Stop the War has been committed to combating racism. We recognise that Islamophobia is a direct consequence of the "war on terror". We believe it is vital that the anti-war movement acts in conjunction with other campaigns and organisations to stem its tide.
The Stop Islamophobia: Defend the Muslim Community conference on Saturday 5 June, organised by Stop the War and the British Muslim Initiative, will bring together a wide range of opinion united in concern over the escalating demonisation of Muslims in our society.
Organised by Stop the War Coalition and British Muslim Initiative
Supported by CND, Cordoba Foundation, Federation of Student Islamic Societies, Islam Channel, Islamic Forum of Europe, Islamophobia Watch, London Muslim Centre, Muslim Welfare House, National Union of Journalists, North London Central Mosque, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Unite
If you are interested in going email bristolstopwar@hotmail.com as soon as possible or phone 07766 432413.
Alternatively tickets (£5) can be purchased at http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1860/1/ or call 020 7801 2768.
Stop Islamophobia: Defend the Muslim Community
One Day Conflerence Saturday 5 June 10am to 5pm
Camden Centre London WC1H 9JE
Speakers include:
Daud Abdullah Muslim Council of Britain • Mohammed Ali Islam Channel • Anas Al-Tikriti British Muslim Initiative • Moazzam Begg former Guantanamo Bay prisoner • Lindsey German convenor Stop the War Coalition • Muhammad Habibur-Rahman vice-president Islamic Forum of Europe • Kate Hudson CND • Imran Khan solicitor • Dr Robert Lambert former head of Scotland Yard’s Muslim Contact Unit • Seumas Milne journalist • Peter Oborne journalist • Salma Yaqoob Respect Party
Muslims are under attack in this country as never before. Government policies and the media have created an atmosphere in which all Muslims are portrayed as reactionary and anti-western.
Young Muslims in particular are subject to surveillance in colleges, schools and mosques in the name of combating "extremism". Those who exercise their right to demonstrate peacefully have been subject to arrest and heavy sentencing.
Meanwhile, the racist "defence leagues" have been focussing their attacks on Muslim communities, with provocative marches in towns and cities inciting racial hatred and bigotry.
From its founding in 2001, Stop the War has been committed to combating racism. We recognise that Islamophobia is a direct consequence of the "war on terror". We believe it is vital that the anti-war movement acts in conjunction with other campaigns and organisations to stem its tide.
The Stop Islamophobia: Defend the Muslim Community conference on Saturday 5 June, organised by Stop the War and the British Muslim Initiative, will bring together a wide range of opinion united in concern over the escalating demonisation of Muslims in our society.
Organised by Stop the War Coalition and British Muslim Initiative
Supported by CND, Cordoba Foundation, Federation of Student Islamic Societies, Islam Channel, Islamic Forum of Europe, Islamophobia Watch, London Muslim Centre, Muslim Welfare House, National Union of Journalists, North London Central Mosque, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Unite
[Bristol] info@bristolstopwar
Original article on IMC Bristol:
http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/692472
Comments
Hide the following 8 comments
I wont be attending
20.05.2010 13:14
Personally I'm not comfortable defending a religion which condones killing gay people and stoning people who are the victims of rape.
At a time when we need to foster understanding in the world between all people on earth, religion is a great big wedge dividing us all. The sooner it's confined to the dustbin heap of history, the better.
No Gods, No Masters
Fuck Islam (And the SWP)
21.05.2010 09:40
Antifascist Atheist
religion is bullshit
21.05.2010 12:30
As long as we don't use religion as an excuse for racism by singling out only one for criticism, it should be fine to slate religion. We definitely shouldn't be supporting it.
anon
Stop anti-Semitism: Defend the Jewish community
22.05.2010 17:10
observer
Islamophobia != anti-Semitism
23.05.2010 09:51
anti-Semitism is being opposed to or hating a specific racial/cultural identity - you can be Semitic and not Jewish.
Maybe a better analogy would be Zionophobia or Judeophobia. I would say just the same thing about that too.
Judaism and Christianity are just as much bullshit as Islam - I don't think anyone here is suggesting Islam is special in any way.
It's the supporters of religions who are bigots, not atheists.
anon
God is watching you!
23.05.2010 11:54
Anarchists believe in nothing. That is a supreme bigotry. And you keep making statements like the one above and all you do is illustrate for the rest of us just how little and easily guided your thinking is.
Its no secret that those who wage war, dominate the masses and exhort their superiority over us small folk have a good number of devices that they use quite regularly to control and influence public opinion. That the cause of violence is the fault of those who follow a faith is one of them.
They do this in Israel. Whenever you hear or see a show of violence (especially if the Palestinian's come off worse) then we saps in the west are firmly encouraged to feel that's its just a religious problem...i.e there is no solution! Its all part of maintaining a crippling state of unending western and gentile 'debate'. 'Debate' being that thing that always leads to inaction.
And while we in the west are dismissing the problem as religious, incurable and far to difficult to resolve, the violence continues and the land-grab goes on while the world wrings its hands. The warmongers know that this is an effective tactic because...they know we in the west are secular and easily confused because we don't believe in God, and therefore are weak for lack of faith.
The idea that the root cause of violence is religion is the well-honed narrative of the powers that be while they wage their wars.
Subscribe to it and you are reduced to little more than an unpaid worker in service to the creed of organised violence.
You may not believe in God for you and your family, but when your family are dead and rotting in the streets, your belief in God will soon enough appear. And when it does, your tormentor will say its your religion that killed your family.
So be careful when you say No Gods, No Masters. Your enemy smiles when you say this!
Lord Wellington of Cheyenne
Speak for yourself!
23.05.2010 13:52
The vast majority of people who read IM are not anarchists. But the anarchists like to pretend that they are.
When you write in the future do not use the word 'we', instead use 'I'. You do not speak for the IM readership.
Personally, I think you have to be a drug addict or severely mentally disturbed to be an anarchist. Its had its day and just isn't relevant anymore.
A Nark is miss ick!
re: Anarchists believe in nothing. That is a supreme bigotry.
23.05.2010 17:28
I don't follow that logic. Anarchists believe in many things, but generally real things rather than fairy tales, myths and legends. That's not bigotry, just common sense. I don't despise religious people just for being religious. I just think they are wrong, and I despise some of the beliefs that go along with the religion like homophobia, sexism, racism, etc.
I'm sure some people clutch at religion as a way to deal with reality, and maybe it is even useful for some people. But it is still believing something which isn't real, which I don't think is any grounds to base a society on.
You say witnessing brutal acts may turn people to religion. It often has the opposite effect - many people in wars report losing their religious faith after seeing what inhumane things take place. How can a loving deity allow such things to occur?
anon