An Ed Husain v Geert Wilders debate would be great for democracy

by Ed West
Telegraph Blogs
October 15, 2009

https://www.legal-project.org/519/an-ed-husain-v-geert-wilders-debate-would-be

Excerpt:

If Geert Wilders does visit Britain in the  next few days, as is being reported, I hope he takes up Ed Husain's offer of a public debate.

Husain, the co-director of the pro-liberal democracy Muslim think tank, the Quilliam foundation, has said:

"The Home Office was wrong to try to ban Geert Wilders from the UK given that he has not directly incited violence. We welcome the fact that this key principle of free speech has now been defended by the British courts.

However, it is also vital that Wilders' undoubtedly bigoted views are firmly challenged and subjected to proper critical scrutiny. No religion is monolithic and Wilders has evidently been convinced by the words and actions of Islamists and jihadists that Islam is inherently violent and intolerant.

"We therefore challenge Geert Wilders to an open debate in which we will argue that Islam is compatible with secular democracy and that, contrary to what he apparently believes, Muslims are not a threat to Europe and its values."

Read the complete original version of this item...

receive the latest by email: subscribe to the legal project's free mailing list