The rise of anti-Muslim sentiment in Britain
2. Introduction
In recent years, the anti-terrorist sentiment among Britons has been attaining clearly defined anti-immigrant undertones. The New Labor government has been widely perceived as too soft on Muslim immigrants and too willing to allow Britain’s rapid Islamization. This paper will explore how these perceptions have manifested themselves in public discourse and how they are impacting British Muslims.
3. Historical context
In order to situate the current problem, it is necessary to provide some historical context. Following World War II, Britain experienced an influx of Muslim immigrants from its former colonies. These immigrants were generally welcomed as they were seen as hard-working and contributing positively to the economy. Over time, however, tensions began to emerge as Muslims began to assert their cultural and religious identity more openly. For example, the introduction of Islamic dress for women was met with resistance from some quarters who saw it as a sign of ‘backwardness’.
The problem of terrorism in England:
The terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 and July 7th, 2005 have served to exacerbate these tensions. The reaction of the British public has been one of shock, anger and fear. The fact that the perpetrators of these attacks were British-born Muslims has led to a sense that Muslim immigrants are not integrating properly into British society. There has also been a feeling that the government is not doing enough to protect the public from the threat of terrorism.
The reaction of English civilians to terrorist Situation in Their Country:
The reaction of English civilians to terrorist situations in their country can be characterized as fearful and angry. Many people feel that the government is not doing enough to protect them from the threat of terrorism. There is also a sense that Muslim immigrants are not integrating properly into British society and that they are responsible for the rise in terrorism. These perceptions have led to an increase in anti-Muslim sentiment among the British public.
There have been a number of surveys conducted in recent years which sought to gauge public opinion on Muslims and Islam. One such survey was conducted by Ipsos MORI in 2006. This survey found that 42% of respondents held negative views of Islam and Muslims. This was up from 34% in 2003. Another study conducted by YouGov in 2007 found that 37% of respondents believe that there is a ‘natural clash’ between Islam and Western values. A further 30% believe that Islam is a ‘threat to the West’.
These studies suggest that there is a significant level of anti-Muslim sentiment among the British public. This sentiment is likely to be one of the factors driving the rise in support for far-right political parties such as the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and the British National Party (BNP). These parties have capitalized on public fears about immigration and terrorism to gain support for their anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim policies.
Conclusion:
There is a clear negative reaction from English civilians against terrorist situations in their country. This reaction is driven by fear and anger towards Muslim immigrants who are seen as responsible for the rise in terrorism. The government is also seen as being too soft on Muslim immigrants and not doing enough to protect the public from the threat of terrorism. This negative reaction has led to an increase in support for far-right political parties who are capitalizing on public fears about immigration and terrorism.