Following my post about the Bishop of Rochester's remarks about "'no-go' areas" in Britain, I found the following comments from Nick Clegg on the subject. It is reassuring that I find that I agree with Nick wholeheartedly on this one, particularly on the subject of the "call to prayer":
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg - who recently declared that he does not believe in God - strongly rebutted Bishop Nazir-Ali's claims.
Mr Clegg told Sky News' Sunday Live programme: "I strongly disagree with him. I don't think he has produced any evidence that there really are no-go areas - that is an extraordinarily inflammatory way of putting it."
He added: "I know our cities quite well and I don't think you can describe them reasonably as no-go areas for non-Muslims. That's what he is suggesting - he is suggesting the country is being carved up geographically according to religious identity.
"That's not to say that there is not a legitimate debate to be had within our Muslim communities about the identity of modern Islam in modern Britain. Clearly, there is a legitimate debate to be had there, because of the rise of extremism, particularly for young men in these communities.
"There is a legitimate debate to be had about the meaning of multiculturalism.
"But to suggest that somehow non-Muslims are not able to enter into a particular area seems to me to be a gross caricature of reality."
Mr Clegg said that the Muslim call to prayer was no different to the Christian practice of ringing church bells before services.
"The idea that a centre of worship, for whatever religion, advertises through chants or through bells that it is a time for prayer is a long-established tradition in world religions, which I think is a good thing and often a joyful thing," he said.
Update: Jock Coats writes hilariously about the actual situation regarding the "call to prayer amplification request".
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