Fundamentalist: Fascist or Common-Sense?

Is the only way to fight Fundamentalist Extremists becoming one yourself? Having grown up in a liberal democracy, being educated in the ideals of freedom of speech and expression, diversity, multi-culturalism and the political correctness that stems from such a comprehensive education, I find myself questioning whether I am a closet fascist when it comes to the way in which the British Judiciary are referring to the whole issue surrounding the London suicide bombers of 7 July and the related legal news stories stemming from this.

I cannot understand the logic of the British Judiciary in countering the British Government's call for the expulsion of a number of foreign nationals specifically identified as contributing to anti-British feeling amongst the Muslim community. For example, one of the people due for expulsion is Abu Qatada, a Jordanian who has been tried and convicted in his absence in Jordanian courts for terrorism and given a life sentence. He is known as Osama bin Laden's 'Ambassador in Europe'. Now he is concerned that if he is returned to Jordan he will face the death sentence. The question becomes one of whether we can expel someone from Britain to what may be their death? While we don't know the details of his Jordanian convictions, terrorism in the Middle East tends to be pretty deadly, so it is fair to suspect this person has been convicted of something relating to people being killed.

This is where liberal ideals and common-sense conflict ? while we may agree in Human Rights Law, is it so wrong if we don't care that this man is being sent back to what might be his death? When someone commits themselves to terrorism, do they give up their right to justice when they so blatantly abuse it? How can we allow someone to rely on Human Rights law when they have so obviously overlooked the human rights of everyone else in the country? On a more local level, why do we have someone at liberty in Britain who has been convicted of terrorism in another country? Why were they being granted freedom of speech, and freedom to gather audiences, when it was known that they had fundamentalist tendencies and links with terrorist organisations? Is it our policy in Britain to say 'welcome to Britain and feel free to hate our society and way of life?'

It would be wrong to withdraw many of our fundamental human rights such as freedom of speech because we are scared of what people might say ? but surely when there is evidence that people have gone beyond what are acceptable societal boundaries then they need to be restrained in one way or another. Is this not what the new anti-terrorism provisions are seeking to do? Finding a way of tackling fundamentalism without resorting to fascism is going to require some common-sense in terms of interpreting the law.

Nobody wants to see a repeat of the shooting of the innocent Brazilian on the underground system, but neither do people want to encounter suicide bombers. For years there have been critical news reports on Isreali soldiers shooting Palestinians who they believed to be suicide bombers, many of whom may have been innocent, as well as reports of suicide bombers blowing themselves up in buses and bars ? now the reality of this is hitting Britain. There is no way to stop a suicide bomber but to kill them before they detonate themselves. Equally, there is no way of being absolutely sure that somebody is a suicide bomber until they actually detonate themselves. There lies the Catch 22 which will dominate the British legal system for years to come. Here we believe that someone is innocent until proven guilty, but by the time a suicide bomber is proven guilty it is too late.

So where does this leave us? If we can identify the underlying factions that are stirring up fundamentalist ideals, is it not common-sense that we either imprison or deport them? Even the Muslim Council of Great Britain supports such moves. However, we need to make sure that the extremists don't win by lulling us into a fascist state out of fear, and hence we become what they are propagating we already are. It will be common-sense that wins, not fascism, but it needs to be applied through the judicial system, not just in Government.

Eddie Blass is a freelance academic and ghostwriter specialising in business & management, futures, legal, and educational issues.

---

NAFTA; What did we learn?

A quick look back at NAFTA; how did we do?Stabilizing... Read More

The Politics of American Public Education and Why Dramatic Progress Still Eludes Us

The current political efforts aimed at improving the American public... Read More

Questioning Both Sides of the GM Crop Debate

One question not addressed in GM Crops and Monsanto Terminator... Read More

Using a Meteor Shower as Decoy for ICBM Attack

In the event of that a threatening nation to the... Read More

Delta

As you know Delta Airlines is close to bankruptcy. Their... Read More

American Eugenics

"When you are right you cannot be too radical; when... Read More

Lawyers and Franchising

It is amazing how the Federal Trade Commission has destroyed... Read More

Gun Control? How About Crime Control Instead?

The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees every American... Read More

A Few Quick Thoughts on Freedom and Technology

We have known of the innate characteristic need of members... Read More

Is it just hubris, or ...?

In what the Americans love to describe as the war... Read More

Dafur Emergency: A Challenge To Civilisation

With pain rocking through my whole body today, I cast... Read More

The FIRST FAMILY of the United States

The Randolphs:Peyton Randolph was the first President of the United... Read More

Osama bin Laden Needs a Pay Raise

Osama bin Laden probably needs to get a pay raise,... Read More

Count Rumford

Why did FDR say Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Count... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Falsely Purports Franchise Disclosure is Cost Effective

In a recent report on the status of the Franchising... Read More

The Wage-Productivity Gap

The most damaging factor to our economy today is the... Read More

Housing Bubble, Interest Rates, Timber Costs; What Has Changed?

What has really changed in the housing market with regards... Read More

Congress Considers National Data Privacy Law

Legislation was introduced into Congress this week that would establish... Read More

Anglo-Israelism and the Flesh

Recently a friend insisted that I read a book by... Read More

Workaholism, Leisure and Pleasure

The official working week is being reduced to 35 hours... Read More

Hawala, or The Bank That Never Was

I. OVERVIEWIn the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks... Read More

The Transformation Of Political Science And The Rise In Crime Rates

The current field of political sciences is dominated by a... Read More

Electronic Commerce Taxaton: Emerging Legal Issues - Part II

UNAUTHORIZED HACKINGThe term "computer hacking" traditionally describes the penetration into... Read More

Uncle Sam Cracks Down Online!

In a move that rocked the online world and left... Read More

Government Workers and Lawyers Revolving Door Rule Needed

We need more oversight and transparency in government. We need... Read More

Bushs Election Victory: Ethics, Morality and Religion Defeated War, Economy and Foreign Policy

President George W. Bush has unofficially won his re-election bid... Read More

Media Advertising: New Alcohol Advertising Codes - 1 October 2005

Businesses advertising alcohol either in TV or non-broadcast format need... Read More

Using More Trees to Reduce Atmospheric CO2

As global warming continues to escalate the concerns of today's... Read More

Interview With A Former ACLU Office

I had the benefit of getting an interview with Mr.... Read More

Business: ?Where Is America Headed To??, New York Millionaire Wonders

Hello! Happy new year. May you live a long healthy... Read More

The Politics Of The American Dream

The American Dream is the promise to have it all... Read More

MORAL ARMORS Counterfeit 911: Refuting Michael Moore

Michael Moore asserts the following in his political film Fahrenheit... Read More

William Seward and the Alaska Purchase

Aren't you glad you purchased Alaska? You got a bargain,... Read More