The Battle Of Wootton Bassett.

[ivan astikov]

Without wishing to sound alarmist, the little market town of Wootton Bassett in sleepy England, could well be the first battlefield of the coming Apocalypse.

Gaining its first historical mention back in ye olde Domesday Book( Not Doom's Day, alas!), Wootton Bassett, as it is known to the locals, has recently got back in the headlines due to its emotion-laden public tributes to the fallen soldiers of Iraq and Afghanistan - well, the ones on our side, anyway! - and to the shock and horror of this 11,000+ population and quite a few "out-of-town-folk", a muslim cleric of all people, wants to do a "pro-Islam" march up the high street in support of "the other side"... and probably on a market day!

Already, the British National Party - via Facebook, probably - has organised a welcome party to defend the average timid-Anglo's honour.

Here's one British Muslim's opinion

Forgive my non-impartial presentation, but is there any way 'the authorities' can win in this situation?

Does/should a 'free society' allow a minority group to disrupt the lives of another minority group, in this case the townfolk, and at the security expense of the tax payer?

My solution:

Ask the respectable townfolk to all stay at home that day, offering to pay them for any losses that may incur, and arrest everyone else that turns up, and investigate them with a fine-tooth comb .

[The Original An Gadaí]

It's a difficult one all right. I don't really know the answer. If we still had Thatcher she'd make sure to knock some heads.

[ivan astikov]

The thing is, in a "free and open" society, there should be designated areas where these sort of events can be staged. The right for a group to gather and peacefully protest, should not outtrump the right of others not to have their day to day lives unnecessarily disrupted.

I'm sure the organiser behind this intended demonstration, Anjem Choudary, would object vociferously if people who thought he was a rabble-rousing arsehole wanted permission to march through his neighborhood.

[What Exit?]

In the US, Anjem Choudary would have the right to schedule his march and get protection during it. I do not always agree with this right as it even allows the KKK to march, but it is a fairly basic American Right. Is this not true in the UK?

[ivan astikov]

I'm not at all sure of the legality side of this issue over here, but are you saying the KKK could also pick the place they wanted to march in and be entitled to protection, over there? Say they wanted to march through The Bronx?

[What Exit?]

I'm not at all sure of the legality side of this issue over here, but are you saying the KKK could also pick the place they wanted to march in and be entitled to protection, over there? Say they wanted to march through The Bronx?

Within reason, yes. The route has to be able to accommodate them. I participated in a spontaneous anti-klan rally when I was still in High School. So obviously I don't have the greatest respect for this right, but it does exist. I would expect a "pro-Islam" march to be approved as a matter of course. I am sure there are ways to make it more difficult for some groups, but I don't know a lot about the planning of said events.

[The Original An Gadaí]

I was thinking about it again today and they should be allowed march, even though they're obviously a pack of attention-seeking arseholes. The townsfolk of Wootton Bassett claim what they do isn't political but that's hogwash. Reminding the people of Britain of the people their Armed Forces are murdering overseas, even in an arseholish way, isn't something I'm really against. Then again, if there is going to be a counter-demonstration, it is probably a good idea that there be a large police presence.

[Glazer]

I'm not at all sure of the legality side of this issue over here, but are you saying the KKK could also pick the place they wanted to march in and be entitled to protection, over there? Say they wanted to march through The Bronx?

Up till around twenty years ago the Klan would march every year in downtown Atlanta. And Hosea Willams (civil rights leader and comtempoary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) would march every MLK day in Forsyth County (then a hotbed of Klan supporters).

Protest and demonstrations are not usualy allowed in neabourhoods for security reasons. They mostly are allowed in Public Square or government and bussness districts.

[Inigo Montoya]

The march is an insensitive response to a blindly patriotic ritual. I don't know what the atmosphere in WB is with regard to Islam. Do they blame the deaths of their fallen on "savage Moslems" or do they simply lament the loss of the person? If they're bashing Islam in the process then I'd say they need to have their lights turned on because Islam is no more the root of the war than Christianity was of WWII. SOME kind of action would refocus their grief where it belongs.

That said, strutting through a neighborhood that doesn't welcome you simply because you want to tell them you're there regardless of their feelings, is just being a dick. It's like saying, "Here I am in your face! You may as well treat me like an equal because I'm going to stay right here in your face anyway!" Just because you might have the RIGHT to do something doesn't make it a good idea, or even a productive action to take.

[What Exit?]

That said, strutting through a neighborhood that doesn't welcome you simply because you want to tell them you're there regardless of their feelings, is just being a dick. It's like saying, "Here I am in your face! You may as well treat me like an equal because I'm going to stay right here in your face anyway!" Just because you might have the RIGHT to do something doesn't make it a good idea, or even a productive action to take.

On the other hand, that worked out pretty well for the Gay and Lesbians overall.

[ivan astikov]

On the other hand, that worked out pretty well for the Gay and Lesbians overall.

I don't think they were threatening to behead anybody, or kick them back to their homeland though!

[What Exit?]

I don't think they were threatening to behead anybody, or kick them back to their homeland though!

For some people what they were threatening was just as bad. Ignorance is tough to fight. Most seem to resist.

[Inigo Montoya]

On the other hand, that worked out pretty well for the Gay and Lesbians overall.

I can't quite put my finger on why, but that's different. I see your point about how some folks would be geuinely affeared of queers being generally accepted and how that fear can parallel the aversion some people have toward Islam.

Still...different somehow.

[Glazer]

I can't quite put my finger on why, but that's different. I see your point about how some folks would be geuinely affeared of queers being generally accepted and how that fear can parallel the aversion some people have toward Islam.

Still...different somehow.

Gays aren't blowing up market places or flying planes into buildings.

[Inigo Montoya]

Gays aren't blowing up market places or flying planes into buildings.

No, but they are instigating the war against Christianity and decency. Depending on whom you talk to.

[ivan astikov]

Alas, I can't see a Gay/Muslim alliance against Christianity, anytime soon.


ps. Tbh, I've a feeling Wootton Bassett would be just as offended by a Gay Pride march going up its main thoroughfare.

[Inigo Montoya]

up its main thoroughfare.

Snort...

[The Original An Gadaí]

Gays aren't blowing up market places or flying planes into buildings.

Yeah but they're mincing around like the own the joint.

[Glazer]

No, but they are instigating the war against Christianity and decency. Depending on whom you talk to.

No that would be the Progressive Liberal Facist. The Gays just happen to be those too.

Yeah but they're mincing around like the own the joint.

Around here they do.

[CatInASuit]

Well the group have decided that they will no longer be marching through Wootton Bassett, because if they did they would be banned by the Home Secretary under anti-terror laws. Looks like Islam4UK is going to be added to the list of banned terror organisations.

[ivan astikov]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of people.

Protest against the EDL and the BNP all you want, but you don't make unnecessary enemies.

[What Exit?]

Well the group have decided that they will no longer be marching through Wootton Bassett, because if they did they would be banned by the Home Secretary under anti-terror laws. Looks like Islam4UK is going to be added to the list of banned terror organisations.

Do you think this is legit? How extensive are the rights to free speech and the right to assemble in the UK?

I obviously do not know enough about the laws of the UK or this group to know if this is an overreaction by US standards or not.

[ivan astikov]

The fact of the matter is, you don't need to take your protest on the road anymore, when communication technology allows people to be filmed anywhere.

Invite your group to a local park, and if the numbers are big enough, the media will pick up on it.

Anyone who insists on being seen and heard along a certain route is simply looking or asking for conflict.