Fickle Society: Make up your mind!

I can't help but feel slightly irate at just how fickle society can be. It's taken me long enough to realise this, I know, but allow me to explain why.

I have just read with great frustration and irritation an article published on Cranmer's blog about a right wing author being banned from chairing a debate at the London School of Economics & Political Science entitled: ‘Islam or Liberalism: Which is the Way Forward?’. Supposedly, as a result of the Israeli attacks on Gaza, there is no debate to be had.

I suspect that students and staff fear that mere rational discussion of the issue would be deemed as "offensive" and "prejudiced against Muslims".

What complete and utter crap.

For decades, Christianity has long been the subject of endless mockery, criticism and scorn. I am aware that Christianity is not without flaws, as a result of what I believe is human error, and am not saying that people have no right to criticise. What I am saying is that Christianity is no less a faith or religion than Islam, or Sikhism, or Hinduism, or the Jedi Knight faith. Quite the opposite: it remains, contrary to popular belief, the world's most popular faith. Of course that probably means that it has every right to be subjected to criticism: it is not a minority and therefore does not need to be protected. In other words, society would rather see billions offended than millions, or even a few thousand...not exactly utilitarianism at its best, is it?

Anyway, stop rambling man...get to the point. Which is how fickle society is. In light of the recent attacks on Gaza, the topic of Islam, unless being heralded and praised, is frankly taboo. PLEASE NOTE I am not defending Israel...far from it, the violence is sickening and unjustifiable. But what I am saying is, suddenly when Muslims are the victims of attacks, we are obliged at all times to defend their faith.

Now cast your mind back seven and a quarter years. We are in September of 2001 and have just witnessed Islamic terrorists crash planes into buildings, killing thousands of innocents. Security is heightened massively, people are distraught, and the world is on tenterhooks, scared to travel on aeroplanes. And what was the attitude towards Muslims then? Was the world defending Islam? I think not. If my memory serves me correctly people could not criticise the faith quickly enough.

Similar instances occurred once again in July 2005.

NOTE here again that I am not justifying hatred of or prejudice against Muslims. What I am doing is criticising the fact that society changes its mind faster than you can say "terrorism". What resides in society is one humongous bandwagon upon which people, Muslim or Sikh, Hindu or Christian, black or white, man or woman, cannot wait to jump.

That is why I at least am proud to say that I know what I think. That is not to say I am closed-minded or unopen to change. Far from it: bring it on. But if anything will persuade me to change my opinions, it will be rational minded discourse, not irrational emotional reflex reactions to current events.