Lady Warsi claims Islamophobia is now socially acceptable in Britain

Conservative chairman believes prejudice against Muslims is seen by many Britons as normal

Islamophobia has "passed the dinner-table test" and become widely socially acceptable in Britain, according to Lady Warsi, the Conservative chairman.

Warsi, the first Muslim woman to attend Cabinet, is expected to use a speech at Leicester University today to raise the alarm over the way in which she believes prejudice against Muslims is now seen by many Britons as normal. She will also warn against the tendency to divide Muslims between "moderates" and "extremists", which she contends can fuel misunderstanding and intolerance.

Warsi is expected to say that terrorist offences committed by a small number of Muslims should not be used to condemn all who follow Islam. But she will also urge Muslim communities to be clearer about their rejection of those who resort to violent extremism.

"Those who commit criminal acts of terrorism in our country need to be dealt with not just by the full force of the law," she will say. "They also should face social rejection and alienation across society and their acts must not be used as an opportunity to tar all Muslims."

On the matter of portraying Muslims as either "moderate" or "extreme", she will say: "It's not a big leap of imagination to predict where the talk of 'moderate' Muslims leads; in the factory, where they've just hired a Muslim worker, the boss says to his employees: 'Not to worry, he's only fairly Muslim'.

"In the school, the kids say: 'The family next door are Muslim but they're not too bad'. And in the road, as a woman walks past wearing a burqa, the passers-by think: 'That woman's either oppressed or is making a political statement'."

The peer will also blame "the patronising, superficial way faith is discussed in certain quarters, including the media" for making Britain a less tolerant place for believers.

Warsi raised the issue of Islamophobia with Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Britain last year, urging him to "create a better understanding between Europe and its Muslim citizens", according to extracts of the speech obtained by the Daily Telegraph.

Guardian

Hindus, Jews Ask Pope to Abandon Double Standards on Roma Apartheid

Hindus and Jews claim that Pope Benedict holds double standards on the issues of Roma (Gypsy) apartheid in Europe.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a statement in Nevada today, said that despite their repeated requests, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI had not come out openly to support the 15-million European Roma who faced apartheid conditions. But in a message for "19th World Day of the Sick, 2011", posted on Holy See's website on January 15, Pope says (as per Zenit.org translation): "...know how to recognize and serve him also in those brothers who are poor, sick, suffering and in difficulty, who have need of your help".

The Pope also points out in this message: "A society unable to accept its suffering members and incapable of helping to share their suffering and to bear it inwardly through 'com-passion' is a cruel and inhuman society". And he quotes in this message: "As I have loved you, so must you love one another" (John 13:34).

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich argued that it was a travesty to silently watch Roma suffer day after day for the last about 1200 years, and do nothing about it. Roma apartheid occurred right under the Pope's nose in Europe. Hindus and Jews had been regularly appealing to the Pope to openly support the Roma cause and come up with a White Paper on their plight, and yet the Pope continued to ignore these reasonable requests for justice in Europe for the Roma.

Rajan Zed and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich further said that the alarming condition of the Roma people was a social blight for Europe and the rest of the world as they reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, language barriers, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, and racist slogans on Internet.

The Pope needed to make a public statement against persecution of the Roma, Zed and Freirich added.

Rajan Zed and Rabbi Freirich pointed out that religions shared a conviction to help the helpless, defenseless and downtrodden. The Pope should recognize, acknowledge and affirm the Roma as children of God who deserved to be treated like all other people-as equals. Roma apartheid was shocking, reprehensible, hazardous and immoral. As the most powerful religious leader in the world, the Pope's must lead in upholding the moral obligation to make efforts to stop the frequent human rights violations suffered by Roma.

Hindu Rajan Zed and Jewish Jonathan Freirich offered help to the Pope, if asked, to support the Roma cause.

Sify News

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

Stars unite in anti-BNP campaign

Falklands hero Simon Weston has added his voice to a campaign against the BNP in the Assembly elections. He has been joined by Twin Town star Rhys Ifans.The pair have added their support to the campaign by Unite Against Fascism.

The group claims that in English towns where the controversial party has been successful, racist attacks have increased. Unite wants to stop the BNP securing any seats in the Assembly next Thursday.

Simon Weston said: "I am against bigotry of all forms and I hate people using race to whip up fear and intimidation. I urge people not to propagate that kind of rhetoric."

Notting Hill star Ifans added: "To Nick Griffin and the BNP - the ethnic communities you dare to vilify in Wales are speaking Welsh, feeling Welsh and will forever be welcome in Wales."

South Wales Evening Post

Use votes to keep BNP out

The British National Party is standing in the heart of the Jewish community in local elections on May 3. In Alwoodley, Conservative candidate Cllr Ruth Feldman takes on BNP nominee Christine Whitaker.

Back in 2004, the BNP made little impact but Cllr Feldman is not being complacent despite the Alwoodley ward not being classed as 'at risk'. Cllr Feldman said: "The BNP tries to give the impression that it has changed its spots and no longer is a racist party. The Jewish community remembers well its past history and is not taken in by this deception. It is necessary for the members of the Jewish community to do their duty and vote for the democratic party which meets their interests."

Aside from the Alwoodley ward other Jewish councillors facing BNP opposition are Labour candidate Alex Sobel (Roundhay), UK Independence Party candidate Jeff Miles (Moortown) and Liberal Democrat candidate Sadie Fisher (Killingbeck Seacroft).

Mr Sobel has fought against the BNP in Leeds and throughout the country for a decade. He said: "I am saddened that they have been able to stand a candidate right in the heart of North East Leeds. I hope the community in Roundhay and throughout Leeds gets out and votes so that they can make no further gains."

Sue Dorsey, Leeds Jewish Representative Council, president added: "News that 33 BNP candidates are standing in the Leeds local elections must be of the great concern to the whole Jewish community. There is no room in British Society for racism and prejudice. The Jewish people have suffered so much throughout the ages, but we now have the power of the vote, which we must all use in May. The equation is simple, every vote for a mainstream party means one less vote for the BNP."

In a worrying trend the British National Party has announced a record number of candidates - 880 as opposed to only 363 last year and a mere 53, 10 years ago. In the Yorkshire and Humberside area BNP is fielding 183 candidates including 33 in Leeds, 17 in Bradford, 16 in Harrogate, 10 in York, seven in Sheffield and three in Hull.

Last May, the British National Party claimed one seat in Leeds.

Cllr Mark Harris (Liberal Democrat) said: "The fact that the BNP are standing in every ward ought to tell us exactly what is going on. This is not flash in the pan stuff. They are confidently starting to use the democratic process to get what they want."

Cllr Keith Wakefield (Labour) said: "We do not want the BNP's form of poison and extremism in our city. People need to be aware that the BNP may now dress in smart suits and wear ties but the message of hatred is still the same."

Cllr Andrew Carter (Conservative) said: "It is a wake up call to all the major parties, particularly nationally. The threat of the BNP must be resisted and exposed for what it is."

Commenting on BNP growth nationally, Board of Deputies president Henry Grunwald said: "This development demonstrates once again the danger of complacency when it comes to the far right. Holocaust denial and Jewish conspiracy theories remain core elements of the BNP's ideology. Any gains in the party's popularity damage society as a whole by stirring up tensions between communities and undermining the values of tolerance that have allowed the Jewish community, and other minorities, to flourish in Britain. Most importantly, this is a wake up call for us to work with other communities in making sure that we get out the vote to oppose the BNP."

Jewish Telegraph (Leeds)

Drive to combat Islamophobia

LONDON, April 10

Muslims and trade unionists in the UK are to hold a seminar on improving the job prospects of Muslim workers and combating Islamophobia, it was announced here Tuesday.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the umbrella organization of British trade unions, will hold the event this Thursday.

The two groups will discuss not only job prospects for Muslims but how to combat the effects of Islamophobia and far right-wing activity in parts of the UK, they said.

The event comes after the TUC and the MCB issued a joint statement last year pledging to work together to encourage more Muslims to join trade unions.

The statement also backed efforts to improve community relations both at work and in society.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said in a statement "We do not under-estimate the scale of the challenge facing us today".

"Islamophobia is a real and present threat, fuelled by prejudice and misunderstandings, and the rise of the far right and electoral success of the British National Party (BNP) are alarming features of recent years".

"Local elections are approaching once again, and by working together, the TUC and the MCB can expose the far right for what they really are and work towards a better deal for everyone in the workplace", he added.

For his part, Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, MCB Secretary General, said "We believe in social justice and equal rights for all".

"The Muslim community is facing real problems of discrimination and poverty, a third of Muslims are living in the 10 percent most deprived neighborhoods of the country, but we have a tremendous amount to offer the UK workplace in terms of skills, optimism and energy", Dr Bari added.

(KUNA - Kuwait News Agency)

Link to TUC-MCB seminar details.

Magic bus - last stop against racism

After 14 days, 1,700 miles and greeting thousands of supporters, the Daily Mirror's Hope not Hate bus pulled into its final destination yesterday.

The double decker roared into Glasgow's city centre and was met by Gordon Brown and Big Brother's Jermaine Jackson - who are backing our anti-racism message. In a speech made from the top deck, the Chancellor praised the Mirror's campaign to cheers from the crowd of hundreds below.

He said: "Glasgow is saying there is no place for racism in our society. "There is no place for discrimination and there is no place for prejudice. There is no place for bigotry."

The Mirror has had a huge amount of support from local communities on our two-week journey from Dagenham, through to the opening of a Sheffield mosque, a visit to Leicester's Golden Mile and a food festival in Birmingham. The bus also visited shopping centres, deprived estates, cathedrals, football grounds and white, black and Asian communities. It was welcomed everywhere it has gone.

Yesterday Jermaine Jackson added his voice to the campaign. From the top of the bus he thanked Mirror readers for standing up against the racist bullying in the Celebrity Big Brother house, where he was a contestant earlier this year. He applauded our campaign that celebrates all that is great about Britain's diversity.

Jermaine said: "I'm proud to support it because racism has been bred in the hearts and minds of so many people in the past, and it's important to look to the future and promote hope. The younger generation have got it right on target. We've got to get the message out there that we are all God's children, and there are many different cultures in this world."

After listening to Jermaine owners of traditional clothing shop, Slanj, gave the star a plain black isle kilt and sporran. He joked: "I won't be a traditional Scotsman because my mother told me I should always wear underwear."

Celebrities who supported the campaign include Kelly Holmes, Corinne Bailey Rae, Rio Ferdinand, the Sugababes, UB40, Amir Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Ms Dynamite.

Nick Lowles, from Searchlight, co-organisers of the bus, said: "As the BNP prepares to stand in more council seats than ever before, with a record number of council candidates, the Hope not Hate bus has brought a vital message of hope to communities across the country."

Mirror

£370,000 to fight race hate

The biggest ever attempt to combat race hate in Lancashire will be spearheaded by equality chiefs who have secured a £370,000 grant.

Preston and West Lancashire Racial Equality Council (REC) is celebrating a major cash injection from the Lottery's Reaching Communities programme, which will allow it to expand its Race Hate Awareness campaign for the next five years. It comes two years after the city was shamed as England's worst trouble spot for racist incidents – and 10 months after the British National Party secured votes in city elections.

A year ago the LEP revealed incidents in Lancashire's schools were also at an all-time high – with nearly 472 reported to the county's education authority in 2004/2005 compared to 351 the previous period. But the project aims to stop trends like this by educating the public, especially schoolchildren, on the effects of racism and prejudices.

Chief executive Faruk Desai MBE said: "The grant will enable us to provide much needed assistance to victims of racism.

"The funding will allow us to support the public sector in developing and implementing policies spanning much of Lancashire in order to make it a safer and cohesive place for all, and targeted outreach services will be provided through this funding to those district areas most in need."

Lancashire Evening Post