Is Pat Condell a racist?

mario_c · Oct 26, 2008

Hi. For those of you not familiar with his work, he's a stand up comedian turned avid critic of religion (kind of a British Bill Maher). His Youtube campaign turned wildly popular and (whoda thunk?) ticked off lots of people.
He was recently banned, but was reinstated, because of these videos: the first video is his recount of the banning and reinstating, as well as a moderation of his inflammatory comments; this vid leads immediately into the offending episode, or click the book icon to go back one.

Is it fair to judge a nation this way? If you'll forgive the expression, Lord knows everyone around the world offers judgement on us as a nation, not a nation of individuals.
That said, apparently Sharia law is a bigger problem in the UK than it is here in the USA (where a candidate is called "Arab" and "muslim" as a smear, simply because of his African name). Is political correctness running amok? Or do we owe Islam equal time?
I am an agnostic, and so I guess I'm closer to someone like Maher who simply says "I don't know" than the Dawkins/Condell camp who adamantly don't believe. Is that just fear of the Rotisserie of Eternity? If so isn't that cowardice, or worse, is it indeed a mental defect?

Go.

odocoileus · Oct 26, 2008

Or do we owe Islam equal time?

Sure.

As soon as the Saudis allow Christians and atheists to proselytize freely in their country.

People who want sharia law always have the option of emigrating to a country where it is traditionally practiced.

Bravo · Oct 26, 2008

are we comparing ourselves to saudi arabia right now?

why not demand that we will give women the right to vote as soon as the saudis do?

ricetalks · Oct 26, 2008

No, I don't believe he is racist. I thinkhe is fighting racism and oppression. You can believe anything you want, but you don't have the right to push the values of those beliefs on me or on the values that the laws of my country are founded on.

All people who are citizen in my country have the right to be protected by those same laws no matter what you are and what you believe.

If you want to live in an Islamic theocracy, go to a country that is ruled by a Islamic theocracy. This is a democratic free country with a bill of rights that include freedom of speech and equality and freedom of the individual.

My ability to live my life free from teh dictates of religion, not matter what religion it is, is paramount and must be defended. I think this guy is right. This is not about the nature of Islam, but about the more extreme people who have taken over Islam and preach a philosopy that is against the philosophy of civilized western society.

Sharia law, a system of law that is dictated and founded on the principal of a religion, cannot co-exists with equal legal standing in a society that is based on the separation of church and state. To want the laws dictated by religion to be dominate over your community is in direct conflict with western values.

odocoileus · Oct 26, 2008

I don't favor the establishment of sharia law in the US. I think it's a really bad idea for the Brits to allow its establishment even in a minor way.

The French and Mexican justice systems differ significantly from the US system because they derive from the Napoleonic Code. I don't want either French style or Mexican style justice systems established in the US, and I will fight vigorously any attempt to do so.

There may be immigrants from Mexico who would prefer that California establish a justice system more like that of Mexico. I don't have any respect for such a preference. By choosing to emigrate to the US, they have made an implicit agreement to live under the US justice system as it stands.

By the same token, should I emigrate to France, I have no standing to insist on the establishment of Fourth or Fifth Amendment style protections in French law. When I choose to live in France, I have made a choice to live under a justice system which has no Fourth or Fifth Amendment type of protections.

Captshady · Oct 26, 2008

odocoileus said:
There may be immigrants from Mexico who would prefer that California establish a justice system more like that of Mexico. I don't have any respect for such a preference. By choosing to emigrate to the US, they have made an implicit agreement to live under the US justice system as it stands.

A good way to make that message clear is to make English the recognized language of the U.S.

mario_c · Oct 26, 2008

For the record, I never said the US was anything like Saudi Arabia - far from it. What got Mr C in trouble was dismissing the whole nation as mental, which is unfair to those Saudis who don't like it's government or hardline views. And there is a few of them.
This was brought home when I was watching a travel show about Saudi Arabia where the guide is a Saudi woman (who lives alternately in Saudi Arabia and Nebraska :Wha:

). There's also at least one blog by Saudi women. There is hope out there, but it's going to take a whole lot of deprogramming of the male population.

We can't tell Saudi Arabia how to run it's government, so why should they tell England or any other country how to run theirs? That is the question.

mario_c · Oct 26, 2008

Captshady said:
A good way to make that message clear is to make English the recognized language of the U.S.

English is still the primary language, and that isn't going to change. Each generation of immigrants that arrives stubbornly clings to some vestiges of their heritage, or struggles with our language, but their kids adapt. Just like children raised in different faiths here learn to play ball and participate in the culture you chose, or accept life as a outsider.

Bravo · Oct 26, 2008

mario_c said:
For the record, I never said the US was anything like Saudi Arabia - far from it.

i was actually responding to odo.

odocoileus · Oct 26, 2008

mario_c said:
English is still the primary language, and that isn't going to change. Each generation of immigrants that arrives stubbornly clings to some vestiges of their heritage, or struggles with our language, but their kids adapt. Just like children raised in different faiths here learn to play ball and participate in the culture you chose, or accept life as a outsider.

Not everywhere in the States, no. In practice, there are large parts of Miami and LA where you can't function without Spanish.

Phoebe H · Oct 26, 2008

mario_c said:
There is hope out there, but it's going to take a whole lot of deprogramming of the male population.

And the female population.

mario_c · Oct 26, 2008

Oh, OK Bravo.

Well it's still true...

Also true? Phoebe. Although I'd suggest women and others oppressed by these kinds of groups would need less deprogramming.

Inkdaub · Oct 27, 2008

I agree with pretty much every word Condell said in the two videos I watched.

Sharia courts in Britain? Holy shit! That's absolutely horrible and Parliament should be ashamed.

Bartholomew · Oct 27, 2008

Inkdaub said:
I agree with pretty much every word Condell said in the two videos I watched.

Sharia courts in Britain? Holy shit! That's absolutely horrible and Parliament should be ashamed.

Why? Don't other religions have have similar courts in Britain?

Inkdaub · Oct 28, 2008

Bartholomew said:
Why? Don't other religions have have similar courts in Britain?

Good grief.

Is Pat Condell a racist?

mario_c

Your thoughts are not real...

odocoileus

Bravo

Socialitest

ricetalks

odocoileus

Captshady

What happened to my LIFE?!

mario_c

Your thoughts are not real...

mario_c

Your thoughts are not real...

Bravo

Socialitest

odocoileus

Phoebe H

mario_c

Your thoughts are not real...

Inkdaub

wrapped in plastic

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Inkdaub

wrapped in plastic