Britain already has an ‘Islamophobia law’ – we’re just too scared to admit it

When Labor MP Tahir Ali asked Sir Keir Starmer to “ban the desecration of all religious texts and prophets of the Abrahamic religions” at the Prime Minister’s this week, the Prime Minister did not defend freedom of speech and the right to blaspheme. . Instead, he vowed to fight “hate… including, of course, Islamophobia in all its forms.” Sir Keir’s critics, as we reported, believe his response has “opened the door to Islamophobia legislation”.

However, I personally think these critics are wrong. After all, Sir Keir does not need to create an “Islamophobia law”. Because we already have one.

Perhaps not in legislation. But in practice we seem to have one, supported by those mysterious figures the BBC likes to call “community leaders”.

Consider what happened to the religious studies teacher in Batley, West Yorkshire, who showed his class a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad. The subsequent protests were so violent that he had to go into hiding – where he remains today, almost four years later.

And let’s not forget that last year in Wakefield (also in West Yorkshire), a 14-year-old autistic schoolboy received death threats after he accidentally caused very minor damage to a copy of the Quran. At a hastily called meeting at a local mosque, his mother asked for forgiveness, and the police officer profusely thanked the imam for his “tolerance and understanding.”

Why would Sir Keir introduce legislation when supposed “Islamophobia” is being tackled so quickly?

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It’s not easy being green

A surprising new front has opened in the war against racism. The British Board of Film Classification has ruled that Wickedwhich is now in cinemas, contains images of “discrimination” – as characters make fun of a witch for having green skin.

I think we should be grateful to the BBFC for this important intervention. Such scenes may upset green-skinned viewers. As far as we know, Shrek and Princess Fiona are planning a family trip to the movies this weekend. And of course, the Incredible Hulk could get very angry. Again, he always does this.

Either way, the BBFC’s decision could have wider implications. Take Halloween costumes: zombies, Frankenstein’s monsters and so on. In our efforts to be more sensitive to the green community, will “greenface” soon be considered as offensive as blackface?

The latter is now considered completely unforgivable. I know this because I recently started rewatching it. That Mitchell and Webb look (BBC Two, 2006–10). And at the beginning of one episode, I was startled to see a newly added warning that read, “This episode reflects the standards and attitudes of its time that viewers may find offensive.”

Really? This wasn’t Bernard Manning’s 1970s stand-up routine. It was the Bafta-winning New Years sketch show of David Mitchell and Robert Webb, two middle-class, Cambridge-educated BBC comedians with impeccable liberal views. What crime against political correctness could they have committed?

Two minutes later I received an answer. During a skit about a historical reenactment society, some of the white characters darkened.

However, the sketch itself was not racist. It was the other way around. In the end, the characters quickly realized and outright stated that painting over was offensive and wrong (“It’s racist. Very, very racist.”). Indeed, this was the whole point of the sketch.

However, it was apparently decided that the warning still needed to be added, in case viewers these days were too stupid to catch it.

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Is Santa right?

According to reports, the French are experiencing an acute shortage of Santas shopping center. I suggest hiring someone from Britain. We have many spare Santa Clauses.

Mainly because we keep firing them for being too right-wing.

In Rotherham, a 70-year-old man who volunteers as Santa for a local charity has been told his services are no longer needed after he publicly accused Labor of “cancelling Christmas”. Meanwhile, in Blackpool, a 78-year-old man who volunteers as Santa for a community group has also been sacked – because he claims he supported Tommy Robinson.

To be clear, the two men expressed their views on their own time and not while wearing Santa suits. They did not tell children that they would not receive gifts this year if they did not vote for reform, nor did they explain that “being a good boy or girl” meant campaigning to leave the ECHR.

In any case, if they still want to play Santa, I encourage them to apply for the many openings in France. I doubt the French would consider them too right-wing. Especially after the elections in France this year.

However, I think it’s worth considering whether it’s appropriate for Santa to be right. And, all things considered, I’m afraid I don’t think so.

Considering that Santa is an old white male and also a business owner, people might assume that he is a born conservative. They may also suspect that he is setting up his business in the Finnish region of Lapland to take advantage of Finland’s temptingly low corporate tax rates.

Nevertheless, he approves of generous handouts, insists on free movement, and only children believe in him. So he must be a socialist.

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The Way of Peace is a satirical look at newspaper headlines, published twice a week, designed to satirize the absurdity of the modern world. It is published at 7am every Tuesday and Saturday.

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