The idea that entire regions in the UK have become “no-go zones” because they’ve been overrun by Muslims is such a terrible lie that Fox News actually apologized for spreading it, but Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal didn’t get that memo.
Jindal referenced the “no-go” zones during a speech in London today and then proceeded to tell CNN all about it.
“I’ve heard from folks here that there are neighborhoods where women don’t feel comfortable going in without veils. That’s wrong. We all know that there are neighborhoods where police are less likely to go into,” he told CNN’s Max Foster.
When Jindal says he’s “heard from folks here,” I think we can safely assume he’s referring to pundits or columnists who themselves probably heard it on Fox News.
Pressed to offer specific examples of such areas, Jindal demurred, saying only “I think your viewers know absolutely there are places where the police are less likely to go. They absolutely know there are neighborhoods where they wouldn’t feel comfortable.”
He “heard from folks here” but he can’t say where here is?
“I know the left wants to make this into an attack on religion and that’s not what this is. What we are saying it’s absolutely an issue for the UK, absolutely is an issue for America and other European and Western nations,” he added.
Given that there’s no such thing as a “no-go zone,” I’m not convinced this is absolutely an issue for the UK or any other country.
While there may be need to have a conversation on assimilation, what it means to assimilate, and to what extent assimilation should be expected or not expected, that is a difficult conversation to have while demagogues like Bobby Jindal inflame the situation by making outlandish, unfounded claims (read: lies).
It clearly isn’t “the left” that is intent on making this an attack on religion because that is exactly what the right has done; attack religion. But with that said, even some on the left have attacked religion following recent events.
As someone who is agnostic, I find myself feeling like the “blood-sucking lawyer” of Jurassic Park who unexpectedly sides with wealthy park owner John Hammond against the scientists. I find myself defending religion from attacks from the left and the right because I don’t view it as an attack on religion; I view it as an attack on Arabs.
It would be dishonest to say that attacks on average Muslims who have done no harm isn’t invariably fueled by racism. It’s not as if every single Muslim wears an ID tag that says “Muslim.”
In many cases, people who simply look like they might be Muslim (but aren’t) end up as victims.
Now that I’ve gone way off tangent, let’s be clear that Jindal is saying exactly what it looks like he’s saying.
“It is startling to think that any country would allow, even unofficially, for a so called ‘no-go zone.’ The idea that a free country would allow for specific areas of its country to operate in an autonomous way that is not free and is in direct opposition to its laws is hard to fathom,” he added.
That may be startling if it were actually true, but it isn’t.