The west has come through a terrible history, the dark ages, inquisitions, wars and civil strife claiming the lives of millions, we know about that here as well. It has also brought forth the enlightenment, reformation, modern democracy and freedom with all its faults. The west props up dictatorships in the Middle East and wages constant wars. Saudi Arabia beheads criminals and Iran stones adulterers and hangs gays. Recent descriptions by the BBC of the Islamic terror group Al Shabab as “militants or extremists” fails to describe them as an organised terror group who murder and rape innocent people.
However, one of the problems we face in the west is that any criticism of Islam is regarded as racism and ‘Islamophobia’ and is quickly shut down by the media some of whom are rightly afraid of being murdered. Twelve Charlie Hebdo journalists were murdered in Paris because they dared to publish a cartoon of Mohammed and there have been many Jihadi inspired massacres in GB such as the ones in Manchester and London. There are no limits on criticising Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddism.
Most Christians do not want a return to the laws of the Old Testament and look to the New Testament and Jesus Christ for religious guidance.
So why are critics of Islam shut down? Citizens who are concerned and afraid about terror and mass unregulated immigration are denigrated and chastised by the media and politicians. We can see communities and health services in countries being overwhelmed in cities in GB and in Europe.
Author and women’s rights advocate Ayann Hirsi Ali who had to leave the Netherlands because of murder threats and seek refuge in the US, says that ‘Islamophobia’ is a myth.
A dagger was driven into the heart of her friend and on it was pinned a note stating that she was next. Ms Ali says that western cultures are intimidated by Jihadist apologists and by social justice warriors.
Ms Ali argues that a free press, women’s rights, equality, freedom of expression, democracy, are threatened by Islamists who want to impose Sharia Law.
Islam needs a reformation and we should support those who are working to do so and have an honest discussion.
MARTIN O'NEILL
Lurgan, Co Armagh
Education system top heavy with bureaucracy
Recently a school principal disclosed the disgraceful fact that he had to appeal to parents to apply basic needs ie toilet roll to school. While the education budget is restricted, a major problem is the number
of fists (more than fingers) in the money pie before the crumbs reach the schools.
There are six or more governing bodies for education in Northern Ireland. The Education Authority which replaced the regional education boards, the CSSC the council for controlled schools, NICIE council for integrated schools, CnaG council for Irish medium schools and other smaller groups, all of which have a total cost of millions of pounds. The Education Authority includes representatives from this plethora of education governing bodies.
To manage education in Northern Ireland all that is needed is as follows: Each school will continue to have a board of governors which is responsible for the management of the school, the Education Authority can manage the schools budget, estate and staff while the Department of Education can continue to monitor the standard of teaching and educational achievement in schools. Just as the governing bodies applied the Bain Report in the closure of small rural schools it is time to apply the same criteria to the top heavy bureaucracy in Northern Ireland education and pass the financial savings to schools. The priority is the education of all children, so the first allocation of finance should be to schools. The education authority can then allocate the remaining funds to the various management groups. If they have a deficit in funding then they can ask the public to donate toilet roll.
J DONAGHY
Dungannon, Co Tyrone
Brexit is a win-win situation for Theresa May
British prime minister, Theresa May continues to prevaricate, delay and stall all progress on Brexit, apparently in the hope that some of her colleagues in the Cabinet and the party at large will eventually come round to her way of thinking – that the deal she agreed with the EU is the only deal in town. But is that the only reason she’s doing it?
Consider this. Theresa May keeps going on about delivering Brexit for those who voted ‘leave’ in 2016 and not to do so would be a betrayal of the democratic process. Therefore is she secretly plotting just that by stalling the progress right up to the finishing line on March 29?
On that day the UK ‘crashes out’ of the EU – the hard way no doubt – but she can then turn around to all the Leave voters claiming she’s delivered Brexit. And who can argue that she hasn’t. She’s given the ‘leave voters what they wanted and her next move will be to call for a general election in the full knowledge that all those who voted Leave will back her to the hilt (well that’s what she’ll be hoping) and the Conservative Party is then sure to return to Westminster with a resounding majority. She can’t lose. I certainly hope it doesn’t pan out like that but that possibility grows by the day.
JOE KELLY
Magherafelt, Co Derry
SDLP is dead man walking
After reading Brian Feeney’s article – ‘FF merger would finally bury the SDLP’ (January 2) – where now for the SDLP? A previous columnist from your paper bemoaned the absence of a John Hume. A moot point. The FF notion of morphing itself from a 26-county party (laughingly describing itself as the republican party) into a 32-county entity is sublimely head scratching. What is FF’s cunning plan? My take is that as Mr Feeney alludes this as a party running out of political and philosophical space. On one hand it is holding up a Fianna Fáil administration on the other forging an alignment with a six-county party. Makes no sense.
The established are rattled about the republican movement whose party is Sinn Féin. My thought is that the SDLP is a dead man walking despite Fianna Fáil’s rescue mission.
MANUS McDAID
Derry City
Avoiding the issue of freedom
According to Michelle O’Neill (January 19) “The Good Friday Agreement provides a peaceful democratic pathway to Irish unity which has taken on a new dynamic because of Brexit.”
Whatever way it is dressed up, it would be wrong to force unionists into a united Ireland against their will. They hate the very idea of it.
More importantly, Irish people need to assert and exercise their right to national freedom as part of the Irish nation. Why are concerned ‘northern nationalists’ still avoiding the fundamental and crucial issue of freedom?
MALACHY SCOTT
Belfast BT15
