By Lucy James

 

Over the last week a few complaints have been levelled against the invitation of Anjem Choudary, a founding member of the banned Islamist organisations al-Muhajiroun and Islam4UK, by How the Lights Get In, the philosophy and music festival at Hay. They have, unbelievably, invited him to speak at two of their philosophy sessions at the end of this month.

 

Originally published by Liberal Conspiracy

 

The first of these sessions, ‘States of Emergency’, examines the role of terrorism as a political tool. Step up terrorism-supporter Anjem Choudary, described with no apparent irony by the festival organisers as a ‘Sharia law advocate’.

 

This is a man who, only last week, led funeral prayers for ‘Sheikh’ Usama bin Laden outside of the American Embassy in London – the leader of al-Qaeda who has been blamed for the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians around the world.

 

The second of these sessions, ‘When Women Rule the World’, seeks to ask what a world would be like where women, not men, are dominant. Step up hard-line chauvinist Choudary, described in this instance by the festival organisers as a ‘controversial Islamist’.

 

This is an individual who has declared that women in the UK (whether Muslim or non-Muslim) should be forced to be covered, and who should be punished for adultery by being stoned to death.

 

This is what he said about women back in 2009:

 

Every woman, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, would have to wear a traditional burkha and cover everything apart from her face and hands in public. In matters to do with the judicial system and the penal code, one male witness is sufficient to counter the testimony of two females. People who commit adultery would be stoned to death.

 

Let us not forget that this is also a man who led the protests against the British troops in Luton back in 2009, where protestors called the returning soldiers ‘murderers’ and ‘baby killers’, and a man who has publically called for homosexuals to be stoned to death.

 

The festival’s director, Hilary Lawson, has defended their decision to invite him, saying:

 

Inviting controversial figures isn’t about selling tickets or causing outrage. Instead we aim to address current topics that are central to our lives.

 

However, it is unclear how inviting such a fringe loony, who supports acts of terrorism, wants to eliminate the rights of women under a male-dominated dictatorship and stone homosexuals to death, is helping to address current topics of interest in any meaningful way.

 

Of course, however vile Choudary’s beliefs, he is entitled to his opinion. In the name of free speech, he should also be entitled to publically air them (where they don’t incite violence – which many of his arguably do).

 

So far, the invitation has been challenged by a Welsh UKIP PPC and the father of a soldier who was killed in Afghanistan. But the lack of response from left-leaning groups and individuals is indicative of the levels of liberal paralysis that subsumes some left-leaning circles when it comes to Islamists.

 

However, his opinions do not deserve recognition by – and defense from – the Left. It is also patronising to the vast majority of Muslims who find the ludicrous rantings of Choudary and his ilk at odds with everything that they believe in.