English Defence League

This post continues the thoughts in our post four days ago:  Predicted in 2007.

The English Defence League has been out front since the London street beheading last week.   Here is a photo of the group in their masks:

 Who are they?  What do they stand for?  

Wikipedia:

The English Defence League (EDL) is a far-right street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the United Kingdom. At many of their demonstrations, EDL members have clashed with counter-demonstrators, including supporters of Unite Against Fascism (UAF).

EDL co-founder, Tommy Robinson, said yesterday:

We are at war!

What are your thoughts about watching a passionate, politically-incorrect speech on a street in a Western country?  Is this disturbing to you?  Do you call this 'hate speech?'

If you had only these two options, which would you choose:

1) Random beheadings on your neighborhood streets in the name of Islam, or
2) Street speeches denouncing the "poor armed muslims" and anger about soldiers butchered in the streets?

You probably would want a third choice, right?  We do!

But, if you were the victim from last week's beheading, wouldn't you want someone to be as angry as Tommy Robinson?  We would!

We don't know the full scope of EDL.  Many seem to want to paint them as fascist or racist.  Maybe.  Did you know Tommy Robinson's group has sub-groups for Jews, gays, and women? 

And listen at the 10:10 mark:

It is honorable to oppose terrorism.
It is honorable to oppose Sharia Law.
It is honorable to oppose Muslim [unintelligible]

One thing we do have to point out:

It is not honorable to shout out at individual Muslim women or attack individual Muslims.  Because at the same time, there are individual Muslims serving the British armed forces. 

We have to identify, and separate, Muslims from Islam.

When Hitler inflamed passions with angry speeches, he spoke to the very legitimate issue of the day regarding the terms of surrender forced on Germany after World War One.  The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to pay for damages at a level that could not be met.  Many historians credit the Allies' terms of surrender in WWI to guarantee the start of WWII.  The resulting mass inflation combined with national shame lifted Hitler to power.  But pulling out of the Treaty and restoring Germany as an economic powerhouse was a means to a very different and ugly end. 

If Tommy Robinson succeeds at leading a new political party in Britain that restores peace from radical Islam by peaceable (albeit unpopular) means, then there is only good to come of this movement.  Right?