A series of actions from Prime Minister Tony Blair?s government has stirred a debate in the UK . After the UK came face to face with Islamic extremism in July 2005 and now faces renewed threats by al-Qaeda and others, the panic is growing and leading to implementations of regulations that a decade ago would have seemed far too drastic for the tolerant and charitable British society.
In September, the Muslim veil issue landed several government officials, including Blair and Commons leader Jack Straw, at the brunt of the Muslim community?s and civil rights groups? rage. The argument on whether Muslim women?s veiling hinders integration sparked an outcry and fierce dispute; however, it also met concurrence and backing from several EU states, some of whom already have imposed a ban on the veil and others who support the move. The veil row may lead to a ban of the veil in some public places such as educational institutions, a rule already seen in France . The government?s recent amendments to the Education and Inspection Bill, in which faith schools will have to offer up to a quarter of its places to pupils of other faiths, is another example of a unprecedented act taken by Blair?s government.
But, a more controversial issue came when the Guardian on October 16 (source) revealed that an 18-page report had been sent to universities nationwide outlining a proposal in which the institutions were requested to monitor ?Asian-looking? and Muslim students in order to detect and report extremism. The government believes that school campuses have become a fertile ground for recruiting and spreading violent Islamist propaganda. While freedoms of speech and thought may be compromised by implementing such drastic measurements as having teachers spying on students, the reverse is even more insupportable.
Extremism on campuses is not, by any means, a new phenomenon to have reached the ears of government authorities. In fact, educational institutions have long served as radicalization, preaching, and recruiting bases and even training and operation camps at times . The vulnerability of younger generations, especially those who seek a purpose and direction, are also well-documented and a problem most of Europe is struggling with. So, the question is how to fight these worrisome developments without overstepping basic democratic boundaries of freedoms. The critique that the government is singling out and demonizing an entire community does bear some validity if one looks at certain far-right government officials? agendas; hence, Blair?s administration has to walk a thin line. However, administrators do deserve some empathy in their overwhelming task in trying to strike a balance between preserving civil rights values and doing what is in the national interest because the alternative is absolutely intolerable.