We Need a Level-Headed Conversation About Muslim 'Others'

by: Muhammad Abdul Bari 

Poll after poll provides us with a consistent picture of Muslim loyalty to Britain, yet too many still seem to see the glass 'half full' when it comes to Muslims.

The narrative championed by these 'half fullers' is that Muslims are predisposed to all kinds of negative behaviour - grooming, crime, terrorism, mistreatment of women - and how incompatible Islam is in contemporary Britain. The problem arises when the positives of any community are lessened, and the negatives amplified, but not seriously scrutinised by those in government. When challenged by Muslims, accusations of hiding behind a charge of "Islamophobia" and "victim" mentality are thrown about.

UNISON survey reveals scale of secret stress among ambulance workers

Long hours, staff shortages and the mental demands of the job are placing an enormous burden on ambulance workers as nine in ten (91 per cent) say they are suffering with stress, according to a new UNISON survey published today (Friday) ahead of the union's annual health conference in Liverpool next week.   The survey - of 2,977 ambulance workers - reveals that three–quarters (74 per cent) are suffering with sleep problems, 72 per cent said they felt irritable as a result and experienced mood swings, and more than half (56 per cent) suffered with anxiety.   More than a third (38 per cent) said they had to take time off sick because of work related stress and a quarter (26 per cent) admitted they were close doing so.

LAS: Mid-Life Crisis!

by Eric Roberts - Branch secretary LAS Unison

The London Ambulance Service is 50 years old this month. In fact the 1st April marked the day (no jokes about April fool please!). It is fifty years since a number of smaller Services came together to form one unified Ambulance Service for the capital city.

The London Ambulance Service came into the world wide eyed and bushy tailed, innocent but full of hope. We should be celebrating but like most 50 year olds, the LAS has a mid-life crisis!

 

Fifty Shades Of Pay

by Eric Roberts - Branch secretary LAS Unison

Like a lot of people at the moment,  I have fallen out of love with the London Ambulance Service.  These last two years have been painful.

The recent Staff Survey results for the LAS read like divorce papers in a messy relationship break-up case.

A lot of time, energy and money has been wasted trying to force through ill-thought out changes that has only resulted in a) staff walking out the door and b) the rest of us losing heart and enthusiasm.

I think the Union had been lied to, misled and kept in the dark. Our concerns and warnings have been largely ignored, or, if not completely ignored, then pushed onto the 'back burner' to simmer away until the pan boiled dry.

The Union is still here. The previous Chief Executive is not.

National and Transnational Terrorist network within the Pakistan Army

by Noor Dahri

The history of terrorism in Pakistan is very specious and the implications of terrorism on the soul of Pakistan are very deep. There are many causes behind the origins of terrorist acts in Pakistan. One of the reasons is born and bred terrorism and terrorist network in a country which was stamped down by their own Army many times. Pakistan Army is fighting a war with insiders in the Army and outsider who were once children of the Army. There are many examples of the attacks on army, naval and air force bases which were carried out with the help of army personals who wanted to destabilize not only Pakistan or damage the infrastructure of Pak Army but to establish a so called Islamic State.

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid - The First Muslim Lady and Role Model

Narrated Abu Hurairah: Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Allah's Messenger! This is Khadijah, coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a palace made of Qasab in Paradise, wherein there will be neither any noise nor any toil, (fatigue, trouble, etc.)." [Al-Bukhari]

'Abdullah bin 'Abbas narrated that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) drew four lines on the earth and asked his Companions if they understood what these lines stood for. They respectfully replied that he knew better. He then told them that these lines stood for the four foremost ladies of the universe. They were Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, the mother of the Prophet Issa and 'Asia bint Muzahim (the wife of the Pharaoh).

She was the first person to have an abiding faith in the utterances of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to accept Islam as her religion and her way of life. She was blessed with the distinction of having been greeted with Salam (greetings) by Allah and the Angel Jibril.

How Britain spent £40 billion suffering humiliating defeat in Afghanistan

by Will Hutton

The Ministry of Defence and the military establishment are revealed as over-optimistic boneheads, says Will Hutton, and the amount of money squandered beggars belief.

A cortege carrying the bodies of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan passes through Wootton Bassett in 2010.

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The Ministry of Defence and the military establishment are revealed as over-optimistic boneheads, says Will Hutton, and the amount of money squandered beggars belief.

In Afghanistan, Britain has just suffered a humiliating defeat, the worst in more than half a century and, arguably, ranking with the worst in modern times. The truth is inescapable: we are no longer a great economic, technological or military power.

You And Whose Army!

What a magnificent turn-out for the four hour strike last Monday 13th October. All in all LAS UNISON organised 34 picket lines across the LAS. We attracted a lot of media attention around the stations in general and particularly at Waterloo HQ.

 

Thanks go to all our members. Whatever role you played on the day, you were all part of our action against the pay policy of this Coalition government.

 

The rain and the military did not deter us!

NO PROSECUTION OF GALLOWAY OVER ‘ISRAEL-FREE ZONE’ SPEECH

The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that Bradford West MP George Galloway will not be charged over a speech in made in Leeds in August declaring that Bradford was an ‘an Israel-free zone’.

Following the speech on August 2, which was posted online, several complaints were made to Yorkshire police that Galloway’s comments amounted to hate crime. These allegations have been comprehensively dismissed by the CPS.

“This has been an extremely expensive waste of police’ and CPS’ time forced on them by ultra-Zionists who were pursuing a vendetta against me,” Galloway said. “My comments were aimed at the state of Israel which – I repeat what I said at the time – is an illegal, savage and barbarous state, and had nothing whatever to do with race or religion. And they have the benefit of being true. That country has more censures against it by the United Nations than the rest of the countries in the world put together, refuses to abide by resolutions and continues to illegally grab land and persecute the rightful owners of it and uses its military to blockade and murder the people of Gaza. I take back not a word and I will continue to forcefully condemn Israel.”

Galloway described a visit by the Israeli ambassador to Bradford shortly after the speech as a “cheap and vulgar publicity stunt” and condemned the local Muslims who had met him as “willing dupes”.

He continued: “It remains the case that there is a worldwide boycott of Israel, its goods, its services, its academics. I hope the citizens of Bradford will join me in refusing to treat with the advocates of this hateful and oppressive regime and truly make Bradford an Israel-free zone.”

The tragedy that is Karachi

The cuts in development funds played havoc with the already poor state of jobs and infrastructure as the pressure of a forever rising population increased the misery of the people

One of the three truly metropolitan cities of the subcontinent, along with Mumbai and Kolkata, Karachi has the honour of being Jinnah's choice of Pakistan's Capital and his final resting place. Referred to as 'the city of lights' in the not too distant past and the commercial nerve centre of the nation, Karachi's dynamism provided hope to the country's aspirations. From Mai Kolachi's sleeping village on the sea to witness of the birth and engine of the early development of a new nation to now a bleeding and bruised metropolis of 20 million oppressed souls, is certainly a tragedy of great proportions for the city as well as the country.

Peaceful and progressive, Karachi was the gift of the generous Sindhis to the Quaid and it welcomed all with open arms; the refugees flocked from India and then the Pathans from the frontier and also the Punjabis and Baloch came, all to try their luck in the capital. The city grew from less than 500,000 people to over two million in no time! Due to the Korean boom speedy industrialisation was taking place in the city; jobs were being created so was an entrepreneur class coming into being. The nation was beginning to forget its painful birth and Karachi was leading it all.