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Originally Posted by Chrysalis
"send em all back" I would agree with someone if they said send all the protesters back, if you read the protesters billboards they were not simply saying ban the cartoons they were promoting murders terrorism and putting down our way of life. So I say if they dont like it they free to go back to the middle east.
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People posting here seem to have overlooked a fundamental element of the equation.
In all probability many of the protesters seen in London last week are as British as Yorkshire pudding - born and reared in Britain. As far as I know, and I'm not condoning it (before anyone gets their Oswald Mosley / Enoch Powell hats on), up until last week waving a placard promoting or glorifying terrorism wasn't a criminal offence under British law.
Can someone explain to me how you tell someone born in Britain to go back to somewhere they may never have been? Is it as simple as determining by the colour of their skin, or the religion that they practice that they don't quite fit in to "our way of life"? Is it as simple as asserting, simply because they elect to advocate and practice a freedom of speech which espouses something contrary to our collective moral beliefs, that they should be "sent home"?
Comments such as "Send em all back" and "if they dont like it they are free to go back to the middle east" are as racist, shameful and bigotted as the "No blacks, no dogs, no Irish" signs which adorned the windows of many thousands of B&B's throughout Britain in the 70's - 80's and anyone who would suggest otherwise is deluding themselves.
The bottom line, as far as the protesters are concerned, is you either respect their right to freedom of speech or you don't. You either respect them as individuals or you consider them all to be terrorists and you either acknowledge their right to be British or you deny it. A denial of their legitimate right to freedom of speech or their British nationality (where applicable) and the fundamental human right to the freedom of religious expression and practice - irresepective of their place of birth, colour of skin or religious denomination - is a racist action.
You are perfectly entitled to disagree with / dispute their point of view. Their nationality, however, is not up for debate. It is defined by their passport / place of birth and an elected desire on their part to be declared a citizen of whatever country they wish - with the provision that they meet the qualifying criteria and are deemed to have done so by the appropriate legislative authority.
If you're a racist come out and say it. If you're a xenophobe don't be afraid to say it but, for goodness sake, don't try to hide behind some sort of moral / sociopolitical children's playground argument that deludes you into thinking that you've adopted a moral high ground that puts you beyond others seeing you for what you actually are.