It's interesting to see how pieces from people attacking the @MuslimCouncil, are full of vacuous statements or outright misleading nonsense.
The latest attack is from the Henry Jackson Society in Spiked - let's break this piece down.
spiked-online.com/2020/05/13/who…
The latest attack is from the Henry Jackson Society in Spiked - let's break this piece down.
spiked-online.com/2020/05/13/who…
The headline is related to misrepresentation of a 14 year old poll cited in the piece.
Whilst MCB only claims to represent our affiliates, here are 2 recent polls, where the MCB's approval rating exceeds all political parties.
Sources:
Whilst MCB only claims to represent our affiliates, here are 2 recent polls, where the MCB's approval rating exceeds all political parties.
Sources:
The beginning of the article tries to attack the MCB for its critique of Phillips.
What's so interesting is there is literally nothing substantive & no evidence laid out against our critique. For those interested, see my thread outlining concerns here.
What's so interesting is there is literally nothing substantive & no evidence laid out against our critique. For those interested, see my thread outlining concerns here.
Stott then focusses on some of my work - and that of our new project @cfmmuk, which is aimed at promoting fair and responsible reporting of Islam and Muslims in today's media.
He cites this as a complimentary puff piece on me - please do read :)
theguardian.com/news/2018/oct/…
He cites this as a complimentary puff piece on me - please do read :)
theguardian.com/news/2018/oct/…
He then devotes close to 3 paragraphs to the only real evidence he brings to the table to critique the MCB
This is a c. 2 page intervention by an academic within a 74 page report by @cfmmuk, which puts forward a subtle view on linguistics (his area of expertise).
This is a c. 2 page intervention by an academic within a 74 page report by @cfmmuk, which puts forward a subtle view on linguistics (his area of expertise).
The report covers major issues and more subtle issues - you may not agree with it all, but the broader theme (Islamophobia in the media) an issue of real importance.
This thread explains why.
This thread explains why.
If the only thing you can cite to attack the MCB, is disagreeing with an external intervention of 2 pages by a subject-matter expert in one of the many reports by the MCB, that shows a lot!
But as is usual with these right wing critics, they then try and slur the MCB with a link to external organisations, falling into conspiracy theory narratives about foreign forces pulling the strings of a UK body with UK affiliates.
The last time he personally tried to attack me and the MCB for apparent JI links was in this thread where he couldn't back up his claims with evidence.
This time the only evidence he brought, was based on the father of an external contributor to a report
This time the only evidence he brought, was based on the father of an external contributor to a report
He attacks MCB for equivocating for violence overseas 11 years ago, it appears because Abdullah defended the right to self-defence if foreign forces enter Palestinian territorial waters.
That seems an unusual basis for the claim?
And seems irrelevant now.
That seems an unusual basis for the claim?
And seems irrelevant now.
The final point notes that no single organisation represents all Muslims.
We agree.
But we do not claim to represent all Muslims.
We are the largest UK umbrella body & we represent our affiliates, who represent a diverse cross-section of Muslim society
We agree.
But we do not claim to represent all Muslims.
We are the largest UK umbrella body & we represent our affiliates, who represent a diverse cross-section of Muslim society
So we have an attempted attack on the MCB, lacking any evidence to support the broad claims made. Typical of this type of attack.
In response, I would note that the author has previously published unjustifiable and unevidenced nonsense
In response, I would note that the author has previously published unjustifiable and unevidenced nonsense
And he can't justify this claim when he was asked about it:
And the org he is a research fellow of, showed the quality of its research about Muslims, when it was used as the basis of the front page of the Telegraph (& elsewhere)
Shown to be a total fabrication - all outlets had to retract.
Still no apology.
Shown to be a total fabrication - all outlets had to retract.
Still no apology.
In reality, the MCB does - I'm sure - make mistakes. All of those involved are only human.
But these critics are either so old and irrelevant (and were wrong at that time too!) or superficial & twisted misleading critiques, that just don't stand up to scrutiny.
But these critics are either so old and irrelevant (and were wrong at that time too!) or superficial & twisted misleading critiques, that just don't stand up to scrutiny.
