After the events in Paris earlier this month, right-wing marches in Germany and a growing feeling that Islam is under attack, the government of the United Kingdom should have at least given a second thought before writing to imams across Britain.
The unprecedented letter was sent to every mosque in the UK, to all Muslim leaders, that they must do more to root out the “men of hate” who are preaching extremism. The letter, penned by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, urged the imams and other Islamic leaders to tell young Muslims that they should be proud to be British.
He also asked them to publicly condemn Al Qaida and terrorist ideology and urged mosques to identify hate preachers within their ranks.
Let’s be clear: This letter, its tone and its very nature is racist and smacks of Islamophobia — and the fact that it was written by a member of the British Cabinet is a shame on the administration of Prime Minister David Cameron. Imagine the outcry, if you will, if such a letter was sent to every Rabbi, urging them to denounce Israel’s racist and bigoted policies against Palestinians; or if such a letter was sent to every Presbyterian minister asking them to condemn the Orange Lodge for its bigotry towards Roman Catholics.
There is no place for such a letter. Pickles owes an apology to every Muslim. His sentiments and tone are insulting, insensitive and ill-timed.
