Article: London voters appear ready to welcome first Muslim mayor

[Ultralight]

Is Sharia Law the next step?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/london-voters-appear-ready-to-welcome-first-muslim-mayor/2016/05/06/d69081fc-0e29-11e6-bc53-db634ca94a2a_story.html (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/london-voters-appear-ready-to-welcome-first-muslim-mayor/2016/05/06/d69081fc-0e29-11e6-bc53-db634ca94a2a_story.html)

[IshbelRobertson]

How rude.

[Ultralight]

Rude...?

[bae]

Rude.

[Williamsmith]

Brits have much more to contemplate....such as if they opt out of the EU will President Trump quickly sign a new trade agreement with them. We already know that Obama is going to drag his feet. How did he say it, "Go to the end of the line". But hey, we are friends.

[IshbelRobertson]

Yes, RUDE.

WilliamSmith. Yes, let's not forget our 'special relationship' (not!)

[Ultralight]

I don't think posting an article and asking about Sharia Law is rude. But hey, take it as you like.

Just remember that I did not say anything judgmental about the mayor or Islam.

[IshbelRobertson]

You're being what we Scots call 'sleekit'.

You just canae help yourself, son. You just have to needle folk, eh no?

[Ultralight]

I happen to think Islam is a very bad idea.

[iris lilies]

I happen to think Islam is a very bad idea.
But it's no more worse than Christianity or Judaism, right?

[LDAHL]

What did the WaPo mean by the office of Mayor not having as much power as in the US? Is it more a ceremonial than executive job, or does a council of some sort exercise a larger proportion of power?

[Ultralight]

But it's no more worse than Christianity or Judaism, right?

I think Judaism and Christianity have been moderated by time and other factors. But much of Islam has not been moderated. So pragmatically, I think Islam is a much worse issue of concern. This is a paraphrasing of what Sam Harris has said of the issue, which I agree with.

[ApatheticNoMore]

The belief that Muslims all want to implement Sharia law yea rude. Is that what the mayor ran on? I'm thinking no. But they plan to smuggle Sharia law in under a secret Muslim conspiracy right ... And the evidence for this is?


I think Judaism and Christianity have been moderated by time and other factors. But much of Islam has not been moderated.

I think many Muslims (in fact probably most Muslims) are moderate, Now you may not agree with how they live their lives with fasting for Ramadan, or praying several times a day, or whether their wives are veiled, but it really doesn't effect you at all does it? So live and let live.

Now if people are not peaceful after years of imperialist powers attacking their countries for resource dominance and so on ... well who would be? Western wars have actively created the situation in the middle east for years and we're supposed to believe the problem is "Muslims". In fact it overthrows every fairly secular government there there is pretty much. Now of course the west has actively promoted various fundamentalist forms of Islam and fundamentalism IS a problem (maybe even that fundamentalist Islam would have moderated if not for Western influence).

[Ultralight]

The belief that Muslims all want to implement Sharia law yea rude.

I never said this.

[IshbelRobertson]

Sadiq Khan will be Mayor of London. This is a political post. The Lord Mayor of London is more a ceremonial role.

[bae]

The "Sharia Law" meme, when applied to the voluntary interactions of Muslims in secular countries like the US, Canada, and Britain, usually reflects a lack of understanding of the structure/powers of our governments, and the civil liberties we possess. And generally is raised by someone trying to stir the pot.

[IshbelRobertson]

Hear, hear.

[JaneV2.0]

Ridiculous. Do some reading.

[LDAHL]

Sadiq Khan will be Mayor of London. This is a political post. The Lord Mayor of London is more a ceremonial role.

It wouldn't be the first time the WaPo got something wrong.

[IshbelRobertson]

Or some of its readers? :doh:

[Miss Cellane]

There were a great many people who thought John Kennedy should not be elected President, because then the Pope would be running the country through him. There were many people who thought that Kennedy would have to do anything the Pope told him to do, because he was Catholic.

I highly doubt the mayor of London has the power to change laws to the extent UA is proposing.

There are fanatic Muslims, yes. Can't be denied.

There are also fanatic Christians.

Both are a small subset of their respective religions.

[IshbelRobertson]

You would be ight in thinking Mr Khan's powers to be limited. He won't be insisting that all London pubs stop selling alcohol, nor that all female Londoners start wearing hijabs or even burkas. He doesn't have the statutory right to change the laws of the UK either.

[Miss Cellane]

His former profession? Human rights lawyer. His wife does not wear a veil or headscarf. He ran on a platform of more housing and stable public transportation fares.

Took all of five minutes on the web to find this out.

[IshbelRobertson]

Ah, yes, that would have been the sensible thing to do!

[JaneV2.0]

Not if your objective is pot-stirring. :cool:

[IshbelRobertson]

!Splat! Indeed >8)

[IshbelRobertson]

Bbc report on reactions from other countries to Sadiq Khan's win
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36233379

[ToomuchStuff]

nor that all female Londoners start wearing hijabs or even burkas. He doesn't have the statutory right to change the laws of the UK either.


:laff:
Thank you for the laugh. It made me think of him, giving the queen a burka, and saying go put this on.
I expect that the mayor of London, is similar to the mayor of Washington DC. You may have a city your running, but you have to deal with all kinds of getting permission from their federal government, since it has an effect there.

[iris lilies]

I wasnt aware of this issue until the Rev UL posted it.

I think it is great that a moderate Muslim guy is in a position of prominence. We need to see more of that.

[IshbelRobertson]

Yes, moderates of all stripes should be welcomed, anywhere in the world.

Perhaps the USA will vote for a woman, or hispanic, or Jew or Muslim or Mormon some time in the future?

[iris lilies]

Yes, moderates of all stripes should be welcomed, anywhere in the world.

Perhaps the USA will vote for a woman, or hispanic, or Jew or Muslim or Mormon some time in the future?

In the future?
Jews and Hispanics and women got plenty of votes in the Presidential primaries, yes indeed.

[IshbelRobertson]

Yes.... But as President? Maybe someday?

[iris lilies]

Yes.... But as President? Maybe someday?
Doesnt our African American President trump your Disraeli?

edited to add: oh wait, I forgot about Maggie thatcher.

did you vote for her?

[Williamsmith]

Doesnt our African American President trump your Disraeli?

edited to add: oh wait, I forgot about Maggie thatcher.

did you vote for her?

Our President is biracial of English and Irish ancestry as well as African decent. So technically, we have still not elected an African American President. No?

[catherine]

Our President is biracial of English and Irish ancestry as well as African decent. So technically, we have still not elected an African American President. No?

Oh, so you're asking if he's "black enough"?

Come on! He has already proven he's black enough--he was on CPT for the Correspondent's Dinner, wasn't he?

http://www.mediaite.com/online/watch-barack-obama-joke-about-black-people-being-late/

[ApatheticNoMore]

Well I'm not sure he's culturally African American as he's not the descendant of African American slaves on either side of his family, which is what being African American is (nah I'm not some arbitrator of blackness, why would I be - I'm not black, just saying history maybe is important). That's a historical experience he just doesn't have, though his wife does I believe.

[bae]

Yes.... But as President? Maybe someday?

We already elected someone from Columbia U., how much more diversity do you demand?

[IshbelRobertson]

OK.... I am wrong, you are a nation that embraces all stripes!

[IshbelRobertson]

Hahaaaaaaaaaa!

[IshbelRobertson]

edited to add: oh wait, I forgot about Maggie thatcher.

did you vote for her?

Absolutely NOT.

[Alan]

Perhaps the USA will vote for a woman, or hispanic, or Jew or Muslim or Mormon some time in the future?Conservatives have voted for women and Mormon's the last several Presidential elections. Liberals, not so much! :cool:

[IshbelRobertson]

But.... When will you ELECT someone from a minority, Alan?

One catholic and one African American is hardly dipping into the minority pool, is it?!

[Alan]

But.... When will you ELECT someone from a minority, Alan?

One catholic and one African American is hardly dipping into the minority pool, is it?!
Oh, it has to be done in order as we have a tendency to rate folks by their sexual and ethnic backgrounds. We currently have an African American President which trumps all. Next time we'll go with a woman and then we'll probably move on to a trans-gender. After those milestones have been met, we can hopefully move on to someone based upon lesser qualities such as experience and ability. ;)

[IshbelRobertson]

That'll be the day.... For all western democracies, including my own!

[bae]

But.... When will you ELECT someone from a minority, Alan?

One catholic and one African American is hardly dipping into the minority pool, is it?!

The Supreme Court currently has 5 Catholics, 3 Jews, and one...empty seat. Not a Protestant in the bunch.

One African-American, one Hispanic.

Three of the 8 current slots are held by women.

Unelected positions, of course.

[IshbelRobertson]

I think that is admirable as it appears that religion has no influence in the process, but as they are unelected......

I like Alan's take on election processes!

[Williamsmith]

Oh, it has to be done in order as we have a tendency to rate folks by their sexual and ethnic backgrounds. We currently have an African American President which trumps all. Next time we'll go with a woman and then we'll probably move on to a trans-gender. After those milestones have been met, we can hopefully move on to someone based upon lesser qualities such as experience and ability. ;)

Yes but we just can't decide what kind of "experience" and "ability". Our current two candidates have a lot of both.

[LDAHL]

From what I've read, Khan ran on the promise of 80,000 additional housing units in a city considered among the most expensive in the world. I understand that this will largely depend on how effectively the Mayor can lobby the central government.

[IshbelRobertson]

Even Boris couldn't keep promises on housing, despite him being a Tory, so I think a Labour mayor is on a hiding to nothing looking for extra govt funds.

[Miss Cellane]

Well, it is interesting to look at what other countries have elected a female head of state, when the US hasn't even managed to have one female Presidential candidate in a Presidential election. (It's almost as if each party now knows they have to have a women in the primaries, but that's as far as they gotten.) And some of these countries are not what I'd consider bastions of equal rights for women. (Although some of these women were elected a few decades ago, when politics in their countries might have been less conservative than now.)

United Kingdom
Germany
Israel
India
Ceylon
Portugal
Yugoslavia
Norway
Central African Republic
Pakistan
Turkey
Rwanda
Sri Lanka
Dominica
Bangladesh
New Zealand
Peru
Mozambique
Jamaica
Ukraine
Haiti
Croatia
Iceland

And there's more, but I got tired of typing.

[IshbelRobertson]

The UK's Head of State is QEII, as well as HoS for various Commonwealth countries! Hence our elected leader's title is Prime Minister.