Last night Steven Emerson, a long-time “expert” on terrorism, explained to Fox News that Muslims were taking over Britain. For example, “Muslim religious people” were walking the streets of London, threatening to beat anyone with inappropriate fashion. And Birmingham — where EA WorldView is based — is a “no-go area” which is “totally Muslim”.
Needless to say, this came as a surprise to me as I, the son of a Christian preacher, sat in my front room in Birmingham with my non-Muslim wife and non-Muslim daughter. Muslim acquaintances — whom I don’t believe are part of any “religious police” — called us to congratulate us on our conversion.
I spoke with BBC West Midlands Radio this morning about both the black comedy and the serious consequences of Emerson’s remarks and Fox News’s provocation:
Listen to interview from 21:05
I will also be on BBC Midlands Today TV after 1330 GMT and on BBC Radio 4 between 1800 and 1830 GMT.
Meanwhile, here is Emerson’s “expert” commentary:
Emerson has now apologized for the Birmingham remark. He has not apologized for the comment about London’s “Muslim religious police” or the declaration that “Europe is now finished” because “the leadership of Muslim communities in Europe deliberately don’t want to integrate”.