Why do Atheists defend Islam?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I definitely think there is a problem on the left in the Uk (currently) with progressive anti-progressiveness, akin to what Dawkins seems to refer to in his tweet. The 'respect' card has been played far too much without any sense as to what needs to be respected.

The U.K. a left has always had that fringe anti-semetic pro-totalitarian wing which has dominated the Labour Party when they begin to split (Corbyn, Livingstone, fucking George Galloway of all people). It's quite hilarious really. You can go back a couple of years and see Galloway lambasting Cameron for wanting to be involved in Syria, then as soon as Russia begin campaigns there you can see him supporting Russia as an example of what the west failed to do. Corbs et al. Are just the tip of that particular pro-extremist Trotskyist narrative which has now unfortunately infested the labour party. I'm ashamed as a liberal that Syrians themselves are barred or heckled out of meetings that anti-war campaigners invite them to when they express their support for ousting ISIS and Assad using military means.

It's the new and supported MO. Shut down conversation with accusations of intolerance and offence, or sign a petition looking to ban someone because they're said something you don't like.

Please don't read this as a position in support of Trump et al, or those who want to turn away refugees or literally kill people because of their religion. Fuck that. But people need to be reminded it seems that banning something, or shouting down people who may hold a contrary view, does not in fact solve things. It exacerbates them more often than not. I don't come at this as a layman in British politics at least. I spent the better part of 8 years studying and assessing community and political relations in British cities and nationwide as a whole. I've had to turn my back on the Labour Party and support the liberals, which effectively leaves me party-less.