UK Muslim Soldiers Counter Islamophobia
Amid efforts to stem growing Islamophobic attacks, the British government is planning to send Muslim servicemen and women to address school assemblies as part of the suggestions’ of the taskforce formed by PM David Cameron to counter anti-Muslim attacks.
“This is an opportunity for men and women in uniform today – Muslim and non-Muslim – to go into schools and show that people of all faiths are serving alongside each other in our armed forces,” Asenior Government source told The Independent.
“It’s sends a really powerful message post-Woolwich – mainly because it was an attack on soldiers, but also because it condemns the extremist narrative that you can’t be a practicing Muslim and a loyal British citizen serving your country in the armed forces.
During these visits, Muslim soldiers will be giving speeches to school assemblies to counter Islamaphobia in the wake of the killing of Lee Rigby.
The plans will be discussed next week at the second meeting of the Government’s taskforce on tackling extremism and radicalization.
The number of anti-Islamic attacks has increased as much as tenfold in the days that followed the Woolwich murder of Drummer Lee Rigby.
Around 650 Muslim soldiers are currently serving across the armed forces, including many in frontline roles.
The idea was to dispel myths from far-right organizations such as the EDL and from radical Islamic preachers that being Muslim was somehow incompatible with being a patriotic British citizen.
“We have got to defeat the argument that the West is at war with Islam,” the senior government source said.
“Everything we do has to challenge that misconception.”
Britain is home to a Muslim community of nearly 2.7 million.
Source: On Islam
“It’s sends a really powerful message post-Woolwich – mainly because it was an attack on soldiers, but also because it condemns the extremist narrative that you can’t be a practicing Muslim and a loyal British citizen serving your country in the armed forces.
During these visits, Muslim soldiers will be giving speeches to school assemblies to counter Islamaphobia in the wake of the killing of Lee Rigby.
The plans will be discussed next week at the second meeting of the Government’s taskforce on tackling extremism and radicalization.
The number of anti-Islamic attacks has increased as much as tenfold in the days that followed the Woolwich murder of Drummer Lee Rigby.
Around 650 Muslim soldiers are currently serving across the armed forces, including many in frontline roles.
The idea was to dispel myths from far-right organizations such as the EDL and from radical Islamic preachers that being Muslim was somehow incompatible with being a patriotic British citizen.
“We have got to defeat the argument that the West is at war with Islam,” the senior government source said.
“Everything we do has to challenge that misconception.”
Britain is home to a Muslim community of nearly 2.7 million.
Source: On Islam
