Another letter to Davis from a SIOE supporter

Dear Mr Davis

I write as a European Citizen.

I respectfully disagree with the ideas expressed in the press release you released about the Stop the Islamisation of Europe march.

You say, "The fact is that Europe and its values are indeed under threat, but the danger is not coming from Islam". This statement is completely at odds with the known facts about recent terrorist outrages in Europe (and indeed the world), Muslims have been implicated or convicted of the following attacks: the Madrid train bombings, the London Tube bombings, more attempted London transport attacks, the attempted suitcase German train bombings, the attempted attack on London nightclub goers, the attempted attack on Glasgow airport, the attempted attacks on German airports, the derailing of a train in Novogrod, attempted attacks using liquid explosives at Heathrow... I could literally go on and on.

I agree that it is important for us to follow the rule of law and to up hold human rights, but we must not blind ourselves to the FACT that there are Muslim groups, in Europe, who have stated that they wish to destroy European civilisation and replace it with the Caliphate under Sharia law.

It is not wrong to oppose groups of this sort, indeed, I think that it is necessary, since if they ever came to power, the rights which you defend, including the right of women to choose their own clothing and lifestyle, the right to freedom of expression and the right to change your religion will all be severely curtailed. If you are serious about protecting human rights, you must oppose Sharia.

And Sharia has become worryingly important. There was a recent case of a German judge citing Shaira provisions in a German civil court in denying a German woman a divorce from her violent husband because she is a Muslim!

I am opposed to racism and xenophobia. I have been an immigrant to Europe myself. But opposing a political ideology or even a religion is not racist and not xenophobic. It is rational.

I sincerely hope that you will consider the ramifications of what you have said in your press release, and come to the conclusion that, respectfully, you are mistaken on this point.

Indeed, I think is is essential that freedom of expression includes the freedom to offend! I am sure that as a politician, cartoonists and satirists have made fun of you at times, and if not you, then certainly your colleagues. This must be offencive and hurtful to you at times, but we don't consider banning cartoonists or satirists from making their barbs! Why should we do so in the name of religion? If it is a Muslim religious duty to not mock the Prophet, I would be the first to stand up and condemn anyone who would force a Muslim to do that - but for those of us who are not Muslims, why should we be bound by Muslim religious law? I am not Jewish and happily eat bacon - should I stop that because it offends a Jewish religious law? Of course not, so it is the same about mocking the so-called Prophet of Islam.

The rights of freedom of thought, conscience and religion are indeed very important, but they are derivative rights, which cannot exist without the freedom to speak your mind and convince others that you are right! Freedom of expression, except where it is inciting people to harm others, must surely take precedence over the right of someone to not be offended - a right not mentioned anywhere in any statute of human rights!

We who oppose Islam do not oppose it as a personal faith. If someone chooses to be a Muslim, then I think that is their right - a sacred right enshrined in all the human rights charters in the world. But as soon as a Muslim comes into the public sphere and demands any sort of privilege or concession on the basis of that private belief, then it is our right to oppose that. Freedom of religion means that all religions should be treated equally in the public realm - and the state should be wholly secular.

Because of your strong support of the freedoms of thought, conscience and religion I hope that you are giving your maximum attention to the new societies of ex-Muslims which are establishing themselves in Europe. These people face physical attacks and ostracization from their communities because of the exercise of the rights who hold in such esteem. If anyone is deserving of support and help, it is them. If you are genuinely interested in supporting these people who are exercising these rights I can provide you with names and email addresses of some of these people.

Yours sincerely

Nick Pullar
European Citizen