Timing Is Everything

Yaxlich has had his gast flabbered this morning. He has just read that British Muslim leaders summoned to talk to the Government about extremist activity have used this opportunity to demand Muslim public holidays in England to mark their religious festivals. A quote from the Daily Mail article written by James Chapman Dr Syed Aziz Pasha, secretary general of the Union of Muslim Organisations of the UK and Ireland, said: 'We told her if you give us religious rights, we will be in a better position to convince young people that they are being treated equally along with other citizens.' In the same article it also says that Muslim leaders want Sharia law to be introduced to Britain. Below is a further quote from the article Sharia law, which is practised in large parts of the Middle East, should also be introduced in Britain, they argued. While it specifies stonings and amputations as routine punishments for crimes, Dr Pasha said he wanted it only for family affairs. Under the law, a husband pays his wife a dowry on marriage, and money and assets are shared out between family members in specified amounts after someone dies. The article also quotes a recent poll which says that one third of British Muslims want Sharia law introduced to Britain and a similar number want Britain to become an Islamic state. Yaxlich questions the timing of this request by Dr Syed Aziz Pasha. Last Thursday 23 Islamic extremists were arrested for conspiring to blow up ten planes in mid-air and murdering thousands of innocent people. Does Dr Pasha not think that perhaps his requests might have been better received if he had picked another time? Equally, if Yaxlich moved to another country, he would be expected to adhere to that countries laws and observe that countries public holidays. Yaxlich would be in the minority and therefore not in a position to dictate to his host country. He believes the term is 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'. Why should any one minority group dictate a nations public holidays? The last UK census over 10,000 people stated their religion as 'Jedi Knight'. Does this mean that the Jedi Knights can demand a public holiday to mark the death of Obi Wan Kenobi? Yaxlich has avoided posting anything regarding this subject for some time but todays news has genuinely shocked him. He is a tolerant man who does not judge people by the colour of their skin, their socio-economic background or their chosen religion. However he doesn't tolerate bullies and he finds this comment by Dr Syed Aziz Pasha deeply offensive and unacceptable 'We told her if you give us religious rights, we will be in a better position to convince young people that they are being treated equally along with other citizens.' Yaxlich has read the Qur'an and has met a large number of Muslims. He shares a lot of their beliefs in terms of family values, what is right and what is wrong. He knows that the comments made by this 'spokesperson' would be equally offensive to them. Regular readers of Yaxlich's blog will know that he likes to view the world with a smile and tries to see the good in everyone and everything. This post is not in keeping with the vast majority of his blog. It is radically different from everything else in his blog. It's views and opinions will probably shock and surprise the majority of Yaxlich's readers. Perhaps this post would like it's own public holiday.