New Anti-Terror Measures *rant warning*

On the BBC, a Muslim Cleric compares Blair to Hitler:

"Dr Naseem [chairman of the Birmingham Central Mosque] told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that he saw "similarities" between Mr Blair's approach to Britain's Muslim community and Hitler's demonisation of Jews early in his time as German Chancellor.
'He [Hitler] was democratically elected and gradually he created a bogey [think he means bogus] identity, that is, the Jewish people, and posed to the Germans that they were a threat to the country. On that basis, he started a process of elimination of Jewish people. I see the similarities. Everything moves step by step. I am saying these are dangerous times and we must take note of this.' "

I am not an historian but I know enough about that period of history to disagree with Dr Naseem.

Firstly, extremists/terrorists who claim to act in the name of a religious idealogy are not bogus creations, they exist in the world today.

Secondly, Blair is not rounding up all muslims, anyone else who may be muslim, anyone who may wish to help innocent law-abiding muslims or anyone who opposes him. He is not herding these people onto cattle trains for transport to extermination camps. He is not seeking to ethnically cleanse the UK of all racial minorities except "pure blood british".
(As an aside, there is no such thing as the 'Aryan race' in the UK - historically we're a fabulous mix of angles, celts, danes, french, roman, etc - just look at the evolution of our language in The Adventure of English for proof.)

There are unfortunately those minorities who would wish to see the UK like this. They are probably the same people who are taking advantage of the current climate to commit racially motivated crimes. Their warped thinking equating all those of asian appearance with fundamentalists/extremists. For most people this idea is as abhorrent as it is absurd. Many comments have been made by British Asians via the media that these people aren't acting in their name and these acts are incongruous with their beliefs.

Britain may not be perfect but as a country we have certain common goals and ideals. What most people want is to be able to live in relative peace and quiet, to go about their daily business safely. Those who wish to live and work in Britain should respect the British way of life. That is not to say that Britain requires them to loose their cultural identity, far from it. But Britain is a western culture and with that comes certain moralities, ethics, beliefs and way of life. If they can accept that way of life, they are welcome. Those who seek to actively destroy that way of life should not be welcome. And that is not an unreasonable request.

This article shows the proposals that are being discussed. Here are some:

* New grounds for deporting and excluding people from the UK - including fostering hatred or, advocating and justifying violence to further beliefs.
* Make justifying or glorifying terrorism anywhere an offence.
* Automatically refuse asylum to anyone with anything to do with terrorism anywhere.
* Create a list of foreign preachers who will be kept out of the UK and consult on creating new powers to close places of worship used to foment extremism.

We are led to believe that the people involved in the bombings in London were potentially manipulated by extremist/fundamentalist leaders. They were used as pawns. No other family in Britain should have to loose a son or daughter in that way.

I am a firm advocate of human rights but at present Spock's famous saying holds true, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few".

If excluding a small number of people from the UK helps to make it safer for everyone else living in Britain, Blair has my support.