I am sure that they are. The BNP is not slow in pushing rather nasty strategies that are racist and bigoted in nature. Once they focused on the black population, now it seems as if they only have Muslims in their sights.
But such bigotry is not institutionalised in the same way that colour prejudice or, even, prejudice against Catholics is. It tends to be less structured, more in the way of snide comments issued when passing Muslims in the street or, worse, spitting at them; at least that is according to the newspaper reports today. Of course, that is still unacceptable but the point I am coming to is that Catholics in Great Britain have been subjected to bigotry and discrimination for hundreds of years. Emancipation may have made some public differences such as our right to build churches on main roads rather than several hundred yards down side streets. We are now taxed at the same levels as the rest of society and no longer can anyone confiscate our horse at will which used to be the case in the nineteenth century.
But we do suffer in the workplace from time to time, being passed over for promotion (especially if there is a Freemason or Orangeman at the helm). We suffer (if suffer is the right word) at dinner parties when we announce our faith when the occasion demands. I remember being invited to a party of local greats and goods upon moving to our current house and the hostess inviting us to join the local Anglican parish. When we politely demurred and gently announced the fact that we were Papists she made a grimace with her mouth as if she had just trodden in something Fido had left behind. Hardly a case of persecution but a shade uncomfortable nonetheless.
But we do not get a Catholic Peer to shout "Stop!" from the rooftops; we get on with our lives and let it run off our backs like water off a duck.
And, I am not so sure that Muslims have too much to suffer in the UK. Ever since 9/11 employers and organisations have fallen over themselves in displays of gross sycophancy to provide for their every need. Colleges and Universities now have 'prayer rooms', just for Muslim students. Try asking for a Catholic chapel and see what sort of response you get.
The BBC is obsessed with political correctness in this respect and yet, anyone from a Catholic background will get the sharp end of John Humphrey's tongue or even worse from Ed Stourton.
Walk down Wood Green High Street in North London on a Saturday and you will see stalls set up by what appear to be fundamentalist Muslims encouraging would-be followers to join Jihad against the West. A real case of incitement to violence.
What, I wonder, would be the reaction if some brave soul from the CTS was to set up stall with a banner advocating conversion to the Catholic faith. Arrest? Acts of violence against them? Imprisonment? I would not be surprised. And the media would have a field day.
So my view is that Baroness Warsi should save her bigotry comments and concentrate on initiatives that will help young Muslims break out of the radicalisation mode that is almost certain to be their lot.
But such bigotry is not institutionalised in the same way that colour prejudice or, even, prejudice against Catholics is. It tends to be less structured, more in the way of snide comments issued when passing Muslims in the street or, worse, spitting at them; at least that is according to the newspaper reports today. Of course, that is still unacceptable but the point I am coming to is that Catholics in Great Britain have been subjected to bigotry and discrimination for hundreds of years. Emancipation may have made some public differences such as our right to build churches on main roads rather than several hundred yards down side streets. We are now taxed at the same levels as the rest of society and no longer can anyone confiscate our horse at will which used to be the case in the nineteenth century.
But we do suffer in the workplace from time to time, being passed over for promotion (especially if there is a Freemason or Orangeman at the helm). We suffer (if suffer is the right word) at dinner parties when we announce our faith when the occasion demands. I remember being invited to a party of local greats and goods upon moving to our current house and the hostess inviting us to join the local Anglican parish. When we politely demurred and gently announced the fact that we were Papists she made a grimace with her mouth as if she had just trodden in something Fido had left behind. Hardly a case of persecution but a shade uncomfortable nonetheless.
But we do not get a Catholic Peer to shout "Stop!" from the rooftops; we get on with our lives and let it run off our backs like water off a duck.
And, I am not so sure that Muslims have too much to suffer in the UK. Ever since 9/11 employers and organisations have fallen over themselves in displays of gross sycophancy to provide for their every need. Colleges and Universities now have 'prayer rooms', just for Muslim students. Try asking for a Catholic chapel and see what sort of response you get.
The BBC is obsessed with political correctness in this respect and yet, anyone from a Catholic background will get the sharp end of John Humphrey's tongue or even worse from Ed Stourton.
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| Muslims seem immune to charges of breaching the law |
What, I wonder, would be the reaction if some brave soul from the CTS was to set up stall with a banner advocating conversion to the Catholic faith. Arrest? Acts of violence against them? Imprisonment? I would not be surprised. And the media would have a field day.
So my view is that Baroness Warsi should save her bigotry comments and concentrate on initiatives that will help young Muslims break out of the radicalisation mode that is almost certain to be their lot.
Perhaps the baroness would care to cast her eyes eastward to the plight of Asia Bibi then she might understand what bigotry is.
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