Boris Johnson = New Mayor of London

[theonlysaneone]

While the first quote is merely weird, and the third is oddball, that middle one is scary.

What's so scary about that? He's merely saying what everyone is thinking about the Islamic church, albeit in a particularly blunt way. Islamic doctrine is being used to justify horrific acts, and none of their leadership is willing to stand up and repudiate the extremists. Johnson's statement is controversial, to be sure--but the only reason you find it frightening is that you've been fed the same politically correct slop I and every other American has been subject to since 9/11 about how Islam is a peaceful religion and the terrorists hate us for our freedom/wealth/whatever.

Let me be absolutely clear: I have no problem with most Muslims. On the contrary, I have a great amount of respect for their faith and devotion. Islam is not an easy religion to be a part of, partly because of the many requirements for its adherents (Rammadan [sp?], the Hajj, etc.) and partly because of the way the extremists reflect on adherents who aren't suicide bombers. My problem is with the clerics who continue to allow, or worse, encourage, said extremists to blow themselves up in the name of their religion. When Johnson says Islam needs to "get 18th century," he means the Muslim world needs to wake up and purge those radical elements from its ranks, like so many other religions have.

As an aside, Islam also needs to rid itself of sharia law that suggests the death penalty for anyone who leaves the church of Islam. Orson Scott Card, author of Ender's Game, wrote an excellent piece about that here.

[Mongrel]

If you don't think there's anything wrong with summarily denouncing an entire religion, then no, there's not a problem with Johnson and everyone here is just a whiny weirdo. I'm not even going to defend myself against the claim that I'm regurgitating "politically correct slop," because I know I'm not and I don't feel like getting into it.

[Igg]

Aw, don't make me have to move this to debate. It is a topic of mourning for the City I spend most of my life in at present. And discussion is cool, but let's try not to be provocative.

I... still don't see what the problem is, except that you guys don't agree with him politically. Is this how people in Britain always react when they lose an election?

the problem is that we don't think he's going to be good for the city. His policies are either not great or just stupid. Also the fact that some people literally voted for him because they think he's funny, because that's the requisite of running a place.

Regardless, the mayoral election result with the Local election result is probably to do with people being sick with New Labour, as Twinkle suggested.

I agree with that in part, it's just annoying because with local elections you shouldn't just be voting for a party, you should be voting for the candidate. So Ken, who didn't really adhere to New Labour (hence 'Red Ken') took the brunt of people's disillusionment with the labour government, even though he himself was doing a good job.

Judging by the rest of the results, we are all sick of New Labour.
And the BNP and Green parties.

Not entirely- BNP got London Assembly seats! *considers moving far away*

[Helena]

Judging by the rest of the results, we are all sick of New Labour.
And the BNP and Green parties.

Not entirely- BNP got London Assembly seats! *considers moving far away*

They did? I didn't hear. Hmm. Interesting. Some parties aren't ever going to happen (What was that one? Christian choice or something?) because it's so multicultural here.

[Asthaloth]

Judging by the rest of the results, we are all sick of New Labour.
And the BNP and Green parties.

Not entirely- BNP got London Assembly seats! *considers moving far away*

They did? I didn't hear. Hmm. Interesting. Some parties aren't ever going to happen (What was that one? Christian choice or something?) because it's so multicultural here.

They lost everywhere else though.
I seem to recall that Conservatives gained 30 new constituencies, including good ol' Southampton.


theonlysaneone:
You say that like Islam is the only group with extremists.
I seem to recall being a sinner in the womb because of my mental conditions, personally.

[Igg]

Judging by the rest of the results, we are all sick of New Labour.
And the BNP and Green parties.

Not entirely- BNP got London Assembly seats! *considers moving far away*

They did? I didn't hear. Hmm. Interesting. Some parties aren't ever going to happen (What was that one? Christian choice or something?) because it's so multicultural here.

Yeah they did. How utterly petrifying is that? Who is voting for them??

[Asthaloth]

I'd take a wild guess at the people who dream of Colonial Britannia ruling the waves once more.

Or morons who buy into the stupid propaganda of "The middle east hates your FREEDOM!1!!1!!1"

[theonlysaneone]

I'd take a wild guess at the people who dream of Colonial Britannia ruling the waves once more.

Or morons who buy into the stupid propaganda of "The middle east hates your FREEDOM!1!!1!!1"

The BNP are white supremacists. Please don't associate me with them. Besides, radical Muslims don't hate freedom, they hate people who aren't Muslim.

You say that like Islam is the only group with extremists.
I seem to recall being a sinner in the womb because of my mental conditions, personally.

Every group has extremists, but the other ones normally repudiate (or at least don't openly advocate) their beliefs.

You're also referring to original sin. The idea isn't that unborn babies have sinned; it is that because we're human, we can never be perfect in the eyes of God (perfect, in this context, means completely free of sin and wrongdoing). That doesn't sound so extreme to me. If Catholics were killing unborn babies because of their original sin, that would be extreme.

[Carson]

From what I'm aware of the Mayoral elections and the local elections, they seem to mark a real change. In my local area (Denbigshire) the conservitives have made a few gains, contrasting with labout losses. For Wales this is a dramatic change, the conservatives have never been popular, yet Labour have lost 5 councils I think, and Plaid Cymru lost their one council. Labour lost over 100 councillors while the Conservatives gained many, including a council or two if I remember correctly.

If Brown hoped for a successful local election campaign, followed by a resounding general election victory he is truly... well, screwed. Although the gains the Conservatives have made on the local level may not translate into constituent victories Labour are in pretty bad shape.

Livingstone I will agree was a good mayor, yet I feel it unwise to judge Boris on his first couple of days. Sure, he's made his fair share of blunders in the past. At the same time so has Livingstone, they're perhaps not as well publicised but he has put his foot in it, as well as made his fair share of unpopular decisions.

Let's wait and see what Boris does. If he does a crap job we need only look no further than ourselves to blame.

[Asthaloth]

/snipped

Actually, I'm pretty sure the "Radical Muslims" are hating on our continued support of Terrorists (We supplied Al-Qaeda those weapons, for starters) our ties with the Saudi family and our exploitation of the middle east and third world nations.
Know why?
They keep saying that, and frankly, I believe the statement.


And actually, the BNP want anyone less than.. 2nd, generation English out I think it was, so, no, not white supremacists exactly.
And the less said about your apparent admittance to being of the colonial mind set the better.

I'm also not referring to original sin, I've read my bible, I know what that is and I know that it and "You have a mental disability because you sinned in the Womb" are not the same thing.

[jellyoflight]

I want Boris Johnson's babies.

[theonlysaneone]

/snipped

Actually, I'm pretty sure the "Radical Muslims" are hating on our continued support of Terrorists (We supplied Al-Qaeda those weapons, for starters) our ties with the Saudi family and our exploitation of the middle east and third world nations.
Know why?
They keep saying that, and frankly, I believe the statement.

Our "exploitation" of the Middle East? People in Dubai and Saudi Arabia feel a lot of things, but my guess is, "exploited" isn't one of them.

And actually, the BNP want anyone less than.. 2nd, generation English out I think it was, so, no, not white supremacists exactly.
And the less said about your apparent admittance to being of the colonial mind set the better.

This coming from the person who has a swastika in his avatar.

I'm also not referring to original sin, I've read my bible, I know what that is and I know that it and "You have a mental disability because you sinned in the Womb" are not the same thing.

Normal Christians don't believe that and most of them would denounce those who do. That's the difference between Christianity and Islam.

[Ammer]

While the first quote is merely weird, and the third is oddball, that middle one is scary.

What's so scary about that? He's merely saying what everyone is thinking about the Islamic church, albeit in a particularly blunt way. Islamic doctrine is being used to justify horrific acts, and none of their leadership is willing to stand up and repudiate the extremists. Johnson's statement is controversial, to be sure--but the only reason you find it frightening is that you've been fed the same politically correct slop I and every other American has been subject to since 9/11 about how Islam is a peaceful religion and the terrorists hate us for our freedom/wealth/whatever.

Let me be absolutely clear: I have no problem with most Muslims. On the contrary, I have a great amount of respect for their faith and devotion. Islam is not an easy religion to be a part of, partly because of the many requirements for its adherents (Rammadan [sp?], the Hajj, etc.) and partly because of the way the extremists reflect on adherents who aren't suicide bombers. My problem is with the clerics who continue to allow, or worse, encourage, said extremists to blow themselves up in the name of their religion. When Johnson says Islam needs to "get 18th century," he means the Muslim world needs to wake up and purge those radical elements from its ranks, like so many other religions have.

As an aside, Islam also needs to rid itself of sharia law that suggests the death penalty for anyone who leaves the church of Islam. Orson Scott Card, author of Ender's Game, wrote an excellent piece about that here.

It doesn't seem offensive to you because you're not Muslim.

I am a Muslim. Am I a terrorist? No. Do I take pride in these terrorist attacks? Heck no! But apparently in Johnson's view, all Muslims are evil terrorists.

What this Johnson creature was stating in the article on Islam was that all Muslims were radicals. He equated every Muslim as a radical Muslim which deeply offends me. He didn't even make an attempt to state that "I am not against Muslims, but am against those Muslims which preach hate and intolerance towards the Western World" or something of the sort. He made it seem as if it's everyone VS every Muslim in the world.

For someone who preaches about alienation, he sure as Hell made me feel alienated during that article.

What a creep.

And actually, the BNP want anyone less than.. 2nd, generation English out I think it was, so, no, not white supremacists exactly.
And the less said about your apparent admittance to being of the colonial mind set the better.

This coming from the person who has a swastika in his avatar.

Hinduism uses the symbol as well which represents the evolution of the world.

Let's not jump the gun and start calling each other racists or anything.

Last edited by Ammer on Wed May 07, 2008 3:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Rachel]

This coming from the person who has a swastika in his avatar.

That's not a swastika - it looks like a windmill or something, but definately not a swastika...

[Asthaloth]

Our "exploitation" of the Middle East? People in Dubai and Saudi Arabia feel a lot of things, but my guess is, "exploited" isn't one of them.

Roffles.
I'm sure you'd know all about it, yes?

This coming from the person who has a swastika in his avatar.

ROFFLES!
A: Not a Swastika my dear.
B: Swastika is the symbol off renewal, and was used by Nazi Germany to specifically insult Judaism (Who also used the symbol as I recall) -a corruption of their belief is the ultimate insult, if you will.
C: I love how you ignore my statement to make a false accusation as to my political stance.

Normal Christians don't believe that and most of them would denounce those who do. That's the difference between Christianity and Islam.

Which is why I said "Extremist" Yes?
Seriously, learn to read what I write, I'm not always in a misanthropic mood.
Oh, and your denouncement of Islam has given me a hearty laugh, thank you.


Edit:

This coming from the person who has a swastika in his avatar.

That's not a swastika - it looks like a windmill or something, but definately not a swastika...

It is a personal symbol that represents the self destructive nature of chaos, amongst other things.