Comments on: Policing Thought

By: muslimmatters.org » Interview with Dr Bilal Philips

muslimmatters.org » Interview with Dr Bilal Philips — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 13:09:55 +0000

[...] As some readers may be aware, the Canadian Muslim scholar Dr Bilal Philips was recently refused a visa to attend an Islamic conference in Melbourne, Australia. The Australian government cited security concerns as their reason and a number of serious allegations against Dr Philips were made in the media. For example, the Herald Sun reported: Sheik Philips, 50, a Canadian citizen who lives in Qatar, once wrote: “Western culture, led by the United States, is the enemy of Islam.” The US Government named him as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the 1993 bombing that killed six people and injured 1000. He was deported from the US in 2004. [...]

By: Dr. Bilal Philips denied visa at Congregation of Muslim Bloggers

Dr. Bilal Philips denied visa at Congregation of Muslim Bloggers — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 08:53:20 +0000

[...] Dr. Bilal Philips has been denied entry into Australia to attend a conference. Amir at Austrolabe presents his views. However, let us assume the man is an extremist of some description and his ideas are indeed offensive. Is that really an argument to ban him? [...]

By: gess

gess — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 06:40:54 +0000

I don’t think the banning has anything to do with silencing him or censurering him (obviously, he is front page), but to cause troubles, any troubles.

By: Baybers

Baybers — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 05:16:10 +0000

There is some degree of irony in the government’s position. It is one of the main protagonists of the view that Muslims censor and intimidate views that they don’t like, in contrast to the West which is civilized because it allows freedom of expression as a “core” value.

In this sanctimonious and rambling speech, Peter Costello expresses his views:

“I think religious leaders should be free to express their doctrines and their comparative view of other doctrines”

“At the time I was worried that ‘vilification’ legislation would inhibit free discussion of important political issues”

“We would be better to forget the litigation and work to reinforce the values drawn from the tradition that underlies our society – respect for individuals, tolerance within a framework of law, and mutual respect.
This is the legacy of our Judeo-Christian tradition.”

(its not but that is another matter)

So we may reasonably ask: does Costello believe that freedom of expression should be for Christians only, or does he lack the courage to tell his boss his strong personal views on freedom, or are his views a movable feast, dictated by focus group sampling in marginal electorates in an election year?

Clearly the Prime Minister’s claim of personal intervention in this case is to remind the great unwashed that he alone is “daddy” that will protect Australia from the Muslim menace.