Bondi Beach and an abomination of desolation

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

There was a certain dissonance about the way I picked up on the news today.  We were setting up for our Carols by Candlelight service and there was much joking and laughing as we worked out where fairy lights and candles were going to go. I stepped out of the room to see a news… Continue reading Bondi Beach and an abomination of desolation

Is the Quran antisemitic? Evaluating Tim Dieppe’s (Christian Concern) argument

Photo by Murad Khan on Pexels.com

Tim Dieppe of Christian Concern argues that Islam is inherently antisemitic because the Quran is.  He sets out his argument in a series of articles for Christian Concern.  In this article, I’m going to focus specifically on his article that claims the Quran is antisemitic.[1] He first cites Surah Q2:61 “And [recall] when you said,… Continue reading Is the Quran antisemitic? Evaluating Tim Dieppe’s (Christian Concern) argument

Why I’ve changed my mind on hate crime and Islamophobia

Photo by David McEachan on Pexels.com

If you had asked me, even just a few years ago about hate crime and particularly Islamophobia, you would have met with some scepticism.  My general outlook is that we should not overburden people with laws and regulations. I also would have argued generally speaking that the police and courts had all the powers they… Continue reading Why I’ve changed my mind on hate crime and Islamophobia

Why do we find ourselves reasoning with antisemitism?

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Something struck me recently. Antisemitism seems to be the only form of racism where people feel under a pressure to respond to it not simply by stating that it is antisemitism, is evil and that the antisemite should not say it. Rather, the pressure/compulsion seems to be to seek to reason with the antisemite and… Continue reading Why do we find ourselves reasoning with antisemitism?

The response to the Maccabi Tel Aviv game was not a success

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

This will probably be my last post on this. I realise that this won’t be the most important topic for a lot of readers. However, as a resident of Birmingham living close to Aston and with Jewish friends, this has been a topic that has mattered much to me personally. I wasn’t going to say… Continue reading The response to the Maccabi Tel Aviv game was not a success

Maccabi Tel Aviv,  links to the IDF and why attempts to explain their ban from Aston Villa have made things better not worse (updated)

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

One of the reports circulating is that the police intelligence for the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was that significant numbers 200-500 had “links to the IDF.  This is an example of institutionalized/implicit or hidden bias.  Note two things 1. We tend to use that kind of language to suggest something sinister eg “links to the… Continue reading Maccabi Tel Aviv,  links to the IDF and why attempts to explain their ban from Aston Villa have made things better not worse (updated)

Police intelligence and the Maccabi Tel Aviv ban

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I see that a rumour is doing the rounds which seems to have originated from an unnamed source in the Guardian, that the reason for the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ban at Aston Villa was not to do with the safety of Israeli and Jewish fans at the game but police intelligence that the fans… Continue reading Police intelligence and the Maccabi Tel Aviv ban

Anti-Zionism, crowd safety -myths and the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

In this article, I want to deal with two types of response to the Aston  Villa decision to ban away fans for their game against Maccabi Tel Aviv. I’m dealing specifically with those responses here.  I believe that the original decision was wrong, gives space to and rewards antisemitism but I’m happy to believe that… Continue reading Anti-Zionism, crowd safety -myths and the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban

More thoughts on the football fan ban

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Since the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from their game with Aston Villa, there has been much debate online. Some people have reacted strongly against the decision and even gone further, demanding that the communities in Birmingham linked to petitions and protests against the fans coming be deported.  I’ve responded to that argument… Continue reading More thoughts on the football fan ban