Comments on: The System Works (again) http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/07/24/the-system-works-again/ Everyone has a right to my opinions Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:04:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Robert Sharp » Blog Archive » Shakespeare the anti-semite http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/07/24/the-system-works-again/#comment-131501 Robert Sharp » Blog Archive » Shakespeare the anti-semite Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:46:40 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/07/24/the-system-works-again/#comment-131501 [...] as with other examples of multicultural friction, liberal democracy looks robust, and does not seem to be at all [...] [...] as with other examples of multicultural friction, liberal democracy looks robust, and does not seem to be at all [...]

]]> By: Scottish Roundup » Blog Archive » Extremism, suspension and resignation, oh my! http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/07/24/the-system-works-again/#comment-92397 Scottish Roundup » Blog Archive » Extremism, suspension and resignation, oh my! Sun, 29 Jul 2007 00:19:21 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/07/24/the-system-works-again/#comment-92397 [...] Among the policies unveiled by Gordon Brown’s administration in the last week of term is a proposal to seize money from dormant bank accounts, as discussed by Ewan Watt. However, it’s the proposed counter-terror measures, which include plans to double the length of time a terror suspect can be detained, that have got other bloggers going. Reactionary Snob casts a cynical eye over government claims that it is working to protect civil liberties, claiming that the Labour government is, in fact, eroding them. Osama Saeed, meanwhile, has a look at this, ID cards and the seizure of terror suspects’ possessions. Robert Sharp believes that the system is already able to deal with extremism, noting the convictions for those who incited violence in response to the Mohammed cartoons: When the cartoons came to light and the argument ensued, many asked why we tolerated these illiberals in our mists. They claimed that this was evidence that our society and values were being undermined by outsiders. But in fact this was not the case: our legal system was robust enough to see off the challenge (perhaps, as PDF implies, a little too harshly). As I have said before, our values can easily see off fundamentalist challenges, without the need to tighten immigration restrictions, or create harsher laws. [...] [...] Among the policies unveiled by Gordon Brown’s administration in the last week of term is a proposal to seize money from dormant bank accounts, as discussed by Ewan Watt. However, it’s the proposed counter-terror measures, which include plans to double the length of time a terror suspect can be detained, that have got other bloggers going. Reactionary Snob casts a cynical eye over government claims that it is working to protect civil liberties, claiming that the Labour government is, in fact, eroding them. Osama Saeed, meanwhile, has a look at this, ID cards and the seizure of terror suspects’ possessions. Robert Sharp believes that the system is already able to deal with extremism, noting the convictions for those who incited violence in response to the Mohammed cartoons: When the cartoons came to light and the argument ensued, many asked why we tolerated these illiberals in our mists. They claimed that this was evidence that our society and values were being undermined by outsiders. But in fact this was not the case: our legal system was robust enough to see off the challenge (perhaps, as PDF implies, a little too harshly). As I have said before, our values can easily see off fundamentalist challenges, without the need to tighten immigration restrictions, or create harsher laws. [...]

]]> By: Cleanthes http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/07/24/the-system-works-again/#comment-91817 Cleanthes Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:19:57 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/07/24/the-system-works-again/#comment-91817 "our values can easily see off fundamentalist challenges, without the need to tighten immigration restrictions, or create harsher laws. " Well yes, they can and - I agree - without the need to create harsher laws etc, but we do actually need to step up to the plate to state and defend our values. The willingness to do so seemed somewhat thin on the ground in this country at the time. In my view, prosecutions ought not to have been necessary if the stance of these "protestors" had been subject to the loud ridicule from all sides that it deserved. The failure of the press to publish the full context behind the original publication of the cartoons or to examine the messages therein was and remains shameful. “our values can easily see off fundamentalist challenges, without the need to tighten immigration restrictions, or create harsher laws. ”

Well yes, they can and - I agree - without the need to create harsher laws etc, but we do actually need to step up to the plate to state and defend our values.

The willingness to do so seemed somewhat thin on the ground in this country at the time. In my view, prosecutions ought not to have been necessary if the stance of these “protestors” had been subject to the loud ridicule from all sides that it deserved.

The failure of the press to publish the full context behind the original publication of the cartoons or to examine the messages therein was and remains shameful.

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