Defend Civil Liberties - No Racist Scapegoating

Public Meeting
DEFEND CIVIL LIBERTIES
NO RACIST SCAPEGOATING
Thursday 25 August 2005, 7.30pm
Oxford Town Hall

In the wake of the London bombings, the government is trying to deflect criticism of its foreign policy by making scapegoats of Muslims, and severely restricting civil liberties. Tony Blair’s new security laws will require suspension of parts of the Human Rights Act. Closing places of worship, extending powers of deportation, proscribing bookshops, making it an offence to “justify” terrorism and banning organisations will not make us more safe – but it will make us all a lot less free.

We must resist these proposals. Come to our public meeting:

Public Meeting

DEFEND CIVIL LIBERTIES
NO RACIST SCAPEGOATING

Speaker from:
Oxford Stop the War Coalition
Oxford Muslim Community Association
Oxford Respect

Thursday 25 August 2005, 7.30pm
Oxford Town Hall

organised by: Oxford Stop the War Coalition

"How will these powers be used? Will Liberal MP Jenny Tonge or indeed Cherie Blair fall foul of the new laws if they repeat their view that they 'understand' why people become suicide bombers in Palestine? Will police now vet the remarks of Imams in their mosques? Will the police seize books in Islamic bookshops?" (George Galloway MP)

oxfordstopthewar
e-mail: oxford@stopwar.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

Human Rights

18.08.2005 14:33

I will defend Muslims if they oppose the human rights abuses commited in the Middle East in name of their religion.

Tony

collective racial responsiblity?

18.08.2005 16:16

How can you hold ordinary Muslims in Oxford responsible for human rights abuses by Middle Eastern governments? Simply because they claim the same faith?

By the same logic we should blame Quakers for Bush. Does that seem fair?

Mr Spoon

They only need to speak out

19.08.2005 12:23

I am not holding Muslims responsable for other Muslims wrongdoings, all I said is that they have to speak out against it.
Quakers do speak out against Bush's wrongdoings

Tony

remember rushdie

25.08.2005 15:52

Let's just remember the following:
1) 15 years ago 100thousand moslems demonstrated in Hyde Park calling for the killing of Salman Rushdie. This, and the death sentance from the Iranian theocracy was not condemned by any prominent moslem spokespersons.

2) This led to a climate of fear amongst artists.

3) The Islamic Human Rights Commission used to brag that it had forced bookshops to withdraw a critical book on Islam by an Egyptian feminist.

4) The fascist group Hizbut t'hir has enjoyed a tolerance from the Social Workers Party [sic] not extended to the BNP, despite their harassment in colleges of gay, lesbian, Hindu and Jewish students. This same group at the anti-war marches distributed anti-semitic literature. Not since the time of Mosely has the phrase 'kill the jews' been uttered by so many in Hyde Park.

david murray

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