Comments on: Sharia, English Law and British Values

By: British Values and Islam: Can They Meet on English Ground? « Britology Watch: Deconstructing ‘British Values’

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:48:04 +0000

[...] then, that the Archbishop of Canterbury’s speech two and half weeks ago (discussed elsewhere in this blog) in which he called for consideration of the idea that sharia law could be [...]

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:30:43 +0000

I see so the Muslims are not cutting off peoples heads or stoning or cutting off hands, then why are we at war in Afghanistan because I remember a women knelling down getting her head cut off, if this law is acceptable then pull out our troops, and before you say it’s the Terrorist or the baddies, then I ask why are we dealing with Saudi, who do the same things, see we have a problem with New Labour it does not know what it’s doing things .

You come here to the UK or your born here we should have one law the law of the land.

By: Rowan Williams and “sharia courts”: reaction in the media and blogosphere « pixelisation

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:35:08 +0000

[...] Britology Watch: “”: [T]his is why it’s particularly pernicious that the row that erupted over Rowan Williams’ lectur… [...]

By: David

David — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 09:11:06 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Little Englander. Whenever these sensationalist stories break providing an opportunity for a bit of Muslim bashing (without appearing to be Islamophobic), I think they’re used by the political and media establishment to consolidate Britishness, as the exclusion of radically Islamic elements from our concept of British values is one thing most people are supposed to agree about. It’s a chance to get English nationalists on side and behind the shared Britishness thing. But in reality, the exclusion of Islam from Britishness in any shape or form has disturbing parallels with the exclusion of Englishness.

We need to know our enemy, so to speak; and in the case of anti-Islamic sentiment, it’s an unholy alliance of liberal Britishness and traditional Christian abhorrence of a faith enemy. But, as you say, if people actually took the trouble to read what the archbishop said, they’d realise it’s a highly moderate and intricately reasoned piece that is in a way a powerful defence of English legal tradition and tolerance under civil law.

By: Little Englander

Little Englander — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:51:56 +0000

Very interesting and thought provoking article as usual, David. I was out of the country last week and only heard about this through CNN’s American eyes (they too used the term “British law” which immediately got my back up!) and I must admit my first thought was what was he thinking of, but having read what he actually said there is some validity in his words. Unfortunately his use of the words “Sharia law” was probably ill-advised as it is mostly associated with flogging, stoning, beheading etc. by many non-muslims which includes lazy journalists wishing to sensationalise a story.