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An Open Letter to David Davis MP - Iftikhar - 08-14-2005
Established 1981
London School of Islamics
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An Open Letter to David Davis MP
David Davis MP said that Britain’s traditional policy of multiculturalism is now “outdated”. Gerald Howarth MP is of the opinion that Muslim should leave this country. The owner of local radio station, broadcasting in Copenhagen suggests killing Muslims in order to combat terrorism. He holds all Muslims responsible for the London blast. A damning new report by Professor Carl Parsons of Canterbury Christ Church University College has found that institutional racism exists within British schools. Britain’s ethnic minorities will always be perceived as outsiders.
Multiculturalism has always been defined and implemented wrongly by the British establishment. Multiculturalism involves a level of complexity which cannot be understood from the prospective of any single discipline. Instead, historical, cultural, linguistic, political, economic, educational, sociological and psychological factors and processes all play a critical role. Multiculturalism is not about integration but about cultural plurality. It is not about separation but about respect and the deepening awareness of Unity in Diversity. Each culture will maintain its own intrinsic value and at the same time would be expected to contribute to the benefit of the whole society. Multiculturalism can accommodate diversity of all kinds – cultural, philosophical and religious, so that we can create a world without conflict and strife. Britain can assume the role of accommodation and concern for all peoples, for our planet and indeed for our survival. We live in a rapidly changing world. British Muslims are ordinary people with the same sorts of ambitions, frustrations, failures and successes as anybody else. We are just like you, go to work, pay taxes, obey the law and just want to get on with our everyday life. We are hated simply for following Islam.
According to labour’s Karen Buck, Muslims in Britain are now at the sharper end of race hatred and xenophobia. West has many stereotypes, misconceptions about Islam that are due to the media, prejudice and ignorance. Islam is often looked upon as an extremist, terrorist religion. To fight malaria, one does not shoot down mosquitoes, one drains the swamps. Urgent government action is needed to tackle Islamophobia and “institutional disadvantages” suffered by British Muslim community. Now it has become widely accepted that, in Bernard Lewis’ words, “Europe will be Islamic by the end of the century”. The greater Islamist threat to the West is not violence-flattening buildings, bombing railroad stations and night clubs, seizing theaters and schools – but the peaceful, legal growth of power through education, the law, the media and the political system.
Iftikhar Ahmad