Sunday, February 13, 2011
Darul Uloom - JMIC and Channel 4
JMIC is a centre in Yardley Constituency. They have for many years worked with all faiths in the area and interfaith meetings have been held at the centre. They also work closely with the local police.
Channel 4 have contracted with Hard Cash productions to place secret cameras and bugging devices in the mosque and an attached school (called Darul Uloom).
In 6 months of recording they picked up amongst other things one of the sixth form students criticising Hindus. They are publishing this tomorrow in the Depatches programme.
Well before the school was aware of the secret recording they had decided to expel this student from the school. A copy of the letter (edited to remove his name) is attached below.
I think it is misleading of Channel 4 to critise the organisation for the comments of someone who was expelled from the school for his comments. This is not the only explusion from the school over a number of years.
What is clearly the truth is that the organisation acts toward encouraging people to work together and for cooperation between people of all faiths and none. The mosque is also criticised for encouraging students to "hate the sin, but not the sinner". The mosque discourages attendees from being involved in drinking, drugs and gangs.
I think it is good for society for people to be discouraged from getting involved in drugs and gangs. Hence I think Channel 4 are wrong to criticise this.
However, what Channel 4 are doing in demonising this organisation is to create a unsafe situation for the 130 children that go to the school. The school is being closed early for the safety of the children following a discussion with the police about safety. If Channel 4 had produced a more balanced programme this would not have been necessary.
What we need are organisations committed to unity rather than segregationist ones. We also need organisations which take action against people who argue for division. JMIC and Darul Uloom are committed to unity and take action against people who argue for division.
The following letter proves that they don't tolerate racism. They have a track record of taking action. What more can you ask for?
posted by John Hemming
¶ 4:21 pm 
Channel 4 have contracted with Hard Cash productions to place secret cameras and bugging devices in the mosque and an attached school (called Darul Uloom).
In 6 months of recording they picked up amongst other things one of the sixth form students criticising Hindus. They are publishing this tomorrow in the Depatches programme.
Well before the school was aware of the secret recording they had decided to expel this student from the school. A copy of the letter (edited to remove his name) is attached below.
I think it is misleading of Channel 4 to critise the organisation for the comments of someone who was expelled from the school for his comments. This is not the only explusion from the school over a number of years.
What is clearly the truth is that the organisation acts toward encouraging people to work together and for cooperation between people of all faiths and none. The mosque is also criticised for encouraging students to "hate the sin, but not the sinner". The mosque discourages attendees from being involved in drinking, drugs and gangs.
I think it is good for society for people to be discouraged from getting involved in drugs and gangs. Hence I think Channel 4 are wrong to criticise this.
However, what Channel 4 are doing in demonising this organisation is to create a unsafe situation for the 130 children that go to the school. The school is being closed early for the safety of the children following a discussion with the police about safety. If Channel 4 had produced a more balanced programme this would not have been necessary.
What we need are organisations committed to unity rather than segregationist ones. We also need organisations which take action against people who argue for division. JMIC and Darul Uloom are committed to unity and take action against people who argue for division.
The following letter proves that they don't tolerate racism. They have a track record of taking action. What more can you ask for?
posted by John Hemming
¶ 4:21 pm
Comments:
<< Home
Did you have access to tapes in advance? I ask because it looks as if you've made these comments before you even saw the proggie.
Was the letter released to you unredacted? I know the mosque and it isn't a hotbed of radicalism, but to accuse C4 of endangering children when their programme showed clear evidence of unacceptable behaviour towards pupils is just ridiculous.
On the other hand, I remain concerned that Dispatches does seem to have a particular fixation with the darker side of Islam.
On the other hand, I remain concerned that Dispatches does seem to have a particular fixation with the darker side of Islam.
I'm not entirely sure how you can state that:
"The following letter proves that they don't tolerate racism"
The documentary quite clearly shows the indoctrination of hatred to all other faiths, and even to other Muslims who don't follow the same cultural values.
To say that it is unbalanced is irrelevant. That would be like saying that the coverage of a murderer is unfair because he only did it once or twice in his life. Some things are totally unacceptable; indoctrinating hatred to fellow men who do not share your beliefs is one of them.
Do your views stand within your political party, will you be supported in these views by Nick Clegg?
"The following letter proves that they don't tolerate racism"
The documentary quite clearly shows the indoctrination of hatred to all other faiths, and even to other Muslims who don't follow the same cultural values.
To say that it is unbalanced is irrelevant. That would be like saying that the coverage of a murderer is unfair because he only did it once or twice in his life. Some things are totally unacceptable; indoctrinating hatred to fellow men who do not share your beliefs is one of them.
Do your views stand within your political party, will you be supported in these views by Nick Clegg?
I watched the proggie. At the beginning, Anne Cryer makes the apposite point that this wouldn't be tolerated at Sunday Schools attended by White kids.
>> On the other hand, I remain concerned that Dispatches does seem to have a particular fixation with the darker side of Islam.
Dispatches is produced by a cadre of professional journalists and documentary makers who investigate a wheen of subjects, only some of which deal with Islam in Britain.
A fortnight or so ago, a newspaper article showed Steven Green - a man so reviled that he failed to get a cheer on Newsnight when he denounced the invasion of Iraq - to be a wife-beater. If his views were as common in contemporary Christianity as such scenes shown last night are in Islam, I am sure there'd be an interest.
>> On the other hand, I remain concerned that Dispatches does seem to have a particular fixation with the darker side of Islam.
Dispatches is produced by a cadre of professional journalists and documentary makers who investigate a wheen of subjects, only some of which deal with Islam in Britain.
A fortnight or so ago, a newspaper article showed Steven Green - a man so reviled that he failed to get a cheer on Newsnight when he denounced the invasion of Iraq - to be a wife-beater. If his views were as common in contemporary Christianity as such scenes shown last night are in Islam, I am sure there'd be an interest.
"The following letter proves that they don't tolerate racism."
It proves nothing of the sort.
There is clearly a serious problem at this school which, thanks to Channel 4, has been brought to light.
The documentary brought into sharp focus the insidious danger that faith schools (and not just Muslim ones) represent for the future cohesion of our society. Channel 4 deserves thanks for this, not laughable accusations of endangering children!
Post a Comment
It proves nothing of the sort.
There is clearly a serious problem at this school which, thanks to Channel 4, has been brought to light.
The documentary brought into sharp focus the insidious danger that faith schools (and not just Muslim ones) represent for the future cohesion of our society. Channel 4 deserves thanks for this, not laughable accusations of endangering children!
<< Home
