Wilders: 'stop Islam, defend freedom,'

[Gromit]

Geert Wilders, the controversial anti-Muslim Dutch MP, has said he is forming an international alliance to spread his message to Britain and across the West in a bid to ban immigration from Islamic countries.

"The message, 'stop Islam, defend freedom,' is a message that's not only important for the Netherlands but for the whole free Western world," Mr Wilders said at the Dutch parliament.

"The BNP is a party that, whatever you think of it, it's not my party - I think it's a racist party," Mr Wilders said.

Mr Wilders has seen his support in the Netherlands soar in recent years. This is in contrast to the BNP which had a disastrous General Election.

Is Mr Wilders' version any better than the BNP, and will it take off in the UK or even replace Griffin's discredited lot?

[ll_billym]

This guy says he 'Doesn't hate Muslims but he hates Islam'. Although anti-Muslim is probably how some people will describe him.

It depends how the message is put across I guess and whether the UK population have the same concerns as him.

In my daily life I don't come across many things that make me concerned about the spread of Islam, I guess that if I did and this was beginning to be one of my major concerns then I would give a party like this some support and I suppose many other people would too. The BNP have been around too long and have so much stigma attached that they will not ever be a real force I think.

[Zeuhl]

I have too little insight into british muslims to be certain on this but one thing does concern me.

I know some British Hindus, British Muslims, British Chinese-Malaysians and Afro Caribbean Christians. The distinction that bothers me is that most of those people relate first and foremost to values and beliefs that integrate and are very similar to what I would think of as 'British'.
The Indians of my acquaintance still describe themselves as Hindu and their faith and Indian culture is important to them, but I would judge that their primary sense of self is their 'Britishness'.
I am not so sure about Islam because of its significance in how its followers define themselves. Again and again it shows its ability to motivate seemingly moderate, civilised, intelligent people who have grown up in this country to commit acts of violence.

My underlying prejudice is against any and all religions because of their ability to spread irrational beliefs and behaviour.

So my concern here is because of the particular power and influence of Islam on its followers globally.

We could have a situation, maybe even after several generations of integrated, 'westernised' British Muslims when the faith motivates and activates large numbers of our fellow citizens to attack non-muslims.

It happens in other parts of the world so is not without precedent.
.

[anotheoldgit]

It is not PC to believe that Islam is a religion that we should show some concern about in the Western World, but if their track record is anything to go by I think we should.

The English Defence League (not to be confused with the BNP) is protesting against the rise of Islam in England, some will cry them down as racist, which is wrong because Islam is not a race, but a religion.

Incidentally it is not widely known but there is a party called The Islamic Party of Britain started in 1989, this is the first national Islamic political organisation in the UK and the only Islamic political party in the non-Muslim Western world.

So doesn't it make sense that we should at least be on our guard?

[anotheoldgit]

Must be a slow day Gromit.

Any question concerning Islam or Muslims, generally gets top postings.

[Gromit]

Maybe I don't have your knack and practice AOG.