Mick Hartley

As Stephen Daisley in the Spectator points out, we already have a blasphemy law here in all but name:

Anyone outraged by Labour MP Tahir Ali calling on the government to introduce blasphemy laws has clearly not been paying attention, for there are already blasphemy laws in this country. All Ali wants to do is make them official. When he urges Sir Keir Starmer to prohibit the desecration of the Qur’an and other Abrahamic religious texts, as he did at Prime Minister’s Questions, he will be aware that people are already punished for desecrating the Muslim holy book, including children.

In March 2023, a 14-year-old boy was suspended from school in Wakefield after a copy of the Qur’an was ‘scuffed’. So great was the indignation that his mother eventually went before the local mosque, her sinful hair covered, and pleaded for her son’s safety.

In this country, we’re tough on blasphemy and tough on the causes of blasphemy. Just ask the Batley Grammar School teacher who faced protests from Muslims in March 2021 after he included an illustration of the Prophet Mohammed in a religious studies lesson. Well, you could ask him, except he’s apparently rather fond of his head and so has been in hiding ever since.

In fact, such is our zero-tolerance approach that we even punish Muslims who say or think the wrong thing about matters theological. In June 2022, cinemas across the UK pulled screenings of The Lady of Heaven, a historical epic telling Islam’s story from a Shia perspective, which did not go down well with elements of Britain’s overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim population. Mosques lobbied cinemas not to show the film, crowds of Muslim men gathered outside movie theatres, and Islamic website 5Pillars published a review denouncing The Lady of Heaven as ‘pure, unadulterated sectarian filth’ and warned of ‘tensions’. (I always wondered what Pauline Kael would have sounded like from behind a burqa.)

While it might be jarring to secular ears to hear a British-born Labour MP propose the re-introduction of blasphemy laws, Ali is simply representing a section of his constituents.

A poll in March found that 52 per cent of UK Muslims favour ‘making it illegal to show a picture or cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed’ at some point in the coming 20 years. Reassuringly, the same poll showed a stout 23 per cent opposed to the implementation of sharia. If nothing else, it would save on the hassle of finding a new Archbishop of Canterbury.

Elements like Ali are an embarrassment for secular progressives, who are full-throated in their imprecations against Christianity but rather quieter when it comes to Islam. Note the Prime Minister’s response to Ali’s suggestion that English criminal law was needed to protect the god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Sir Keir said:.

‘I agree that desecration is awful and should be condemned across the House. We are, as I said before, committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including Islamophobia in all its forms.’.

Not a word about ancient British liberties, freedom of expression, or indeed any indication whether or not Sir Keir is minded to bring in such laws. The Prime Minister is too progressive to allow himself to disagree with a religious reactionary….

Ouch.

From the Daily NK:

North Korea is enforcing strict secrecy around casualties among its troops fighting in Russia. A source within the Korean People’s Army’s 11th Corps revealed that internal protocols exist to quietly handle soldier deaths, with families receiving limited details and the public kept entirely in the dark.

“Even when troops perish during training, they are interred on a hill close to their base or cremated, with their families merely informed of their death in the line of duty,” stated the source. “Similarly, troops dispatched to Russia are treated the same way. If a soldier sustains injuries in an accident that render them unfit for combat, they are sent back to North Korea instead of receiving medical care in Russia.”

Daily NK recently reported that the North Korean authorities have conducted intensified indoctrination classes for Storm Corps personnel to prepare them to “give their lives for the supreme leader (Kim Jong Un).” This is to say, the authorities view the soldiers as nothing more than “tools to protect the leader to the death.”

The source told Daily NK that “when North Korean soldiers are unscathed, they are warriors who can fight for the leader and earn funds for the state (as mercenaries), but when they are wounded or killed, the government thinks of them as useless.”

"The public kept entirely in the dark". As ever. 

Further to that call for a blasphemy law, from UnHerd:

The MP for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley asked Keir Starmer if he would “commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions”. Speaking in the Commons, Ali added that “November marks Islamophobia awareness month,” and that “last year the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning the desecration of religious texts, including the Quran, despite opposition from the previous government.”

The Prime Minister replied that the Government is “committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division”, including Islamophobia and antisemitism. Ali said that “mindless desecration only serves to fuel division and hatred,” with the Prime Minister adding: “desecration is awful.” A video of Ali’s question has gone viral on X, receiving much criticism.

The Prime Minister might have pointed out that we live in a secular society in which a blasphemy law has no place, and that no religion and no belief is above criticism or ridicule. But, of course, he didn't.

In response to Ali’s comments today, the National Secular Society said it is “deeply alarming that an MP is calling for the introduction of new blasphemy laws”. The organisation added: “Concerningly, the Prime Minister offers no defence of free expression. MPs should uphold values which are foundational to our society — not seek to dismantle them.”

.@TahirAliMP asks the Prime Minister to “commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of Abrahamic religions”.
No, that would amount to a new blasphemy law: people must be free not to revere what they choose to reject. pic.twitter.com/mdlFd0kaza

— Adrian Hilton (@Adrian_Hilton) November 27, 2024

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Presumably "Abrahamic religions" so he can hope for Christian support and won't be accused of antisemitism – and it won't be too obvious that he's just pushing for a blasphemy law to protect Islam. Too bad for the Hindus and Sikhs though.

You live in a democracy that believes in free speech. You cannot prevent others from mocking your beliefs, saying flat out they’re nonsense, spoofing them

Those of the Christian faith live with this reality as part of the secular free society in which we live

You should too

— Rebecca Marian (@RachelWilde13) November 27, 2024

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Seth Frantzman in the JC on the symbiotic relationships between the UN organisations UNRWA and UNIFIL, and the terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah:

In both Gaza and Lebanon the UN was supposed to play a positive role, yet in each place massive UN bureaucracies have ended up shielding terror groups and enabling their growth. Unrwa has not worked against Hamas in Gaza, and Unifil has not fulfilled its mandate to prevent Hezbollah turning southern Lebanon into an armed camp.

Unrwa and Unifil are both massive organisations. Unrwa has more than 150 facilities in Gaza with thousands of personnel, and in Lebanon Unifil has more than 10,000 soldiers and dozens of posts and bases in the south of the country….

Hamas grew exponentially more powerful after 2007 by outsourcing civilian needs to Unrwa and various NGOs. While those groups fed and educated people, Hamas built command centres under Unrwa facilities and infiltrated hospitals. Despite Hamas bringing war on Gaza every year or two after 2007, the international community never acted to weaken Hamas and prevent it exploiting the presence of Unrwa and other humanitarian bodies. Instead a symbiotic relationship was enabled. While the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank had to take responsibility for civilians, in Gaza Hamas prepared for war while Unrwa and others took care of civilians. This enabled war, rather than reducing the incentive for Hamas to carry out attacks such as the October 7 massacre.

In Lebanon a similar process unfolded after 2007. Unifil was supposed to work with the Lebanese army to make sure Hezbollah did not return to southern Lebanon. Instead Hezbollah grew ever more powerful. Hezbollah expanded its arsenal from around 13,000 rockets in 2006 to 150,000 by 2023. All this occurred under the eyes of Unifil. Instead of fulfilling UN Resolution 1701, which was supposed to prevent Hezbollah returning to threaten Israel, Unifil appears to have done less after 2006 than it did before the war.

In essence, the UN took control of southern Lebanon and Gaza as two colonies on the border of Israel and in each an Iranian-backed proxy force emerged as a powerful army. Hamas on October 7 and Hezbollah on the same day were more powerful than many nations. Most countries don’t have 150,000 rockets. There is no other conclusion that can be drawn from the disastrous experience of 2006-2023 than seeing the UN’s role in Gaza and Lebanon as being directly entwined with the rise of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Not only does UNRWA perpetuate Palestinians as refugees; it educates them in Jew hatred.

Has chancellor Rachel Reeves yet put a foot right? From the Telegraph:

Tens of thousands of terminally ill pensioners have lost their winter fuel payments ahead of what is likely to be their last Christmas, campaigners warn.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves sparked furious backlash after stripping the annual payment, worth up to £300, from some ten million pensioners in order to save the Government £1.4bn.

Figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request by charity Marie Curie show an estimated 44,000 retired people in critical condition will lose the allowance.

Winter fuel payments will continue to be paid to those in receipt of pension credit under Labour’s reforms. However, those who claim benefits under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness will not….

Energy costs can double for those with a terminal illness, due to the need to constantly heat homes to provide relief from pain, washing and drying clothes, and to charge and run life-sustaining medical devices.

Sam Royston, executive director for policy and research at Marie Curie, said: “For people who claim benefits under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness, this may very well be their last winter and Christmas. We know that energy costs can increase dramatically after a terminal diagnosis, yet the decision to restrict the winter fuel payment only to people receiving means-tested benefits takes no account of this.

“The festive season is meant to be one of warmth, joy and celebration. No one should have to face their final days worrying about money or whether they can afford to heat their home or even switch on Christmas lights.”

Helen van Bueren, 77, from Derbyshire, diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer, is one of those who has lost her winter fuel payment and described the cold as “crippling”.

Ms van Bueren said: “It seeps into your bones and sits there. It consumes you. With each year that passes, I feel myself fading a little more. I’m just over the limit for pension credit so I won’t get my winter fuel allowance anymore and I do wonder if I will see the other side of this winter.”

Critics warned that the NHS, which experienced an acute winter crisis last year as a result of strikes and missed targets, could be overwhelmed by pensioners made ill by the cold.

Campaign groups and charities have warned that thousands more elderly retirees are at risk becoming ill due to Ms Reeves’s decision.

From the Times – BBC staff urged by union to wear Palestinian flag colours and a keffiyeh:

Jewish members of BBC staff have raised concerns after their colleagues were urged to dress in the colour of the Palestinian flag and wear a keffiyeh as part of a “workplace day of action” for Palestine.

I hope it's not just Jewish members of staff who are concerned.

The event, which is scheduled for Thursday, has been organised by the umbrella union organisation the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to call for a permanent ceasefire, the cessation of violence in Gaza and the release of all hostages.

As part of its recommendations, the TUC has suggested participants could “wear something red, green, black or a Palestinian keffiyeh to visibly show solidarity” to their workplace.

The call to action was shared by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) with its members last week as it condemned the Israeli government’s attacks, which it said have led to the deaths of at least 135 Palestinian journalists since 7 October 2023.

“The NUJ is urging branches and chapels to show support on the day and amplify the union’s calls,” it said….

One journalist said that they were reconsidering their NUJ membership after the “hypocritical and antisemitic” action. “BBC journalists, who pride themselves on impartiality and who fought to keep their NUJ free of politics, are being encouraged to break the BBC’s editorial guidelines by supporting a political cause,” they added.

“It is also a shocking attack on Jews. Where is the day of action to support the journalists being killed by their own governments across the Middle East, including by Hamas? Where is the NUJ support for Russian journalists that are being held behind bars on trumped up charges by Putin’s regime, those dying or working in perilous conditions in Ukraine?”

Another staffer added that they were “dreading the thought of walking past anyone protesting at work”.

Charlotte Henry, a freelance journalist who runs The Addition, a media and tech newsletter, said that she had quit the union over its stance. “It has become a hostile environment for Jews, and I can no longer be a part of that,” she said.

No other conflict, of course, would be granted such a partisan "day of action". But where Jews are involved…well, it's different. And the BBC has plenty of form.

Last month North Korea abruptly abandoned its Juche calendar system:

North Korea appears to have discontinued the use of its Juche calendar system, a move that experts suggest reflects Kim Jong Un’s goal of reinforcing his legacy as leader.

The Juche calendar, which had been in use since 1997, designated 1912, the birth year of North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung, as Juche 1. The system had been used alongside the Gregorian calendar in official North Korean documents and media for 27 years.

The Juche ideology, often translated as “self-reliance,” has been a cornerstone of North Korean state philosophy since its introduction by Kim Il Sung. 

References to the Juche year abruptly disappeared from a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), from the sister of North’s leader Kim Yo Jong about threatening to “destroy’ Seoul on the evening of Oct. 12. The statement was released with only Gregorian style dates and  “Pyongyang” at the end.  

It may be part of the same ideological shift that now has South Korea as a hostile state, instead of Kim Il Sung's view that the two Koreas must eventually reunite. Again, a break from the Great Leader's legacy.

But it's not to be talked about. From the Daily NK:

North Korean authorities have arrested a woman for questioning the suspension of the “Juche” calendar system that honored founder Kim Il Sung. The incident in North Hwanghae province highlights growing but suppressed public concern over the policy shift.

The woman, identified only by her surname Choe, was widowed early and had formed close bonds with other widows in her neighborhood, according to a source in the province recently. She ran a shop in Rinsan county, and the informal group met monthly for dinner and conversation.

As trust grew within the group, the women began sharing private thoughts they wouldn’t express publicly. During a recent gathering, Choe remarked on the suspended Juche dating system, saying, “It’s odd that Kim Il Sung’s revolutionary deeds and achievements seem to be disappearing.”

Other women noted the system’s disappearance came without official explanation. One said, “The Juche dating system must have disappeared after some order from the central government, but people are suspicious because they don’t know why it’s gone.”

A woman helping in the kitchen reported the conversation to the Ministry of State Security.

Ah yes, there's always one, lurking in the background.

The ministry arrested Choe for initiating the discussion and questioned other group members around Oct. 20. Officials are treating the matter as political, accusing Choe of forming a “reactionary organization.”

Choe is undergoing a preliminary examination by state security officials. The source said she may avoid severe punishment because her son serves in Unit 974, the bodyguard unit protecting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The incident has intensified public questioning of the calendar system’s suspension. “As people learn about this, they say they too wonder why the Juche dating system disappeared,” the source said. “People think it’s even stranger that no explanation was given, and someone was arrested just for mentioning it.”

Strange is the least of it. There's already no culture in North Korea outside of Kim worship. At this rate it'll soon be illegal to even talk of anything but the glories of the great leader.

Ooh, more trees. Probably the last batch of autumn photos, as the leaves fall and winter takes its turn.

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“Go to hell, Zionist occupation.”

In Oslo, Norway, a Jewish tourist was harassed and forcibly removed from Oslo Central Station by security guards.

It’s terrifying to see those meant to protect passengers becoming the perpetrators of antisemitic harassment. pic.twitter.com/3msGye4tm6

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) November 26, 2024

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