In 1930s Germany the Jews were in the early stages marked out by having to wear a yellow star. Today UKIP MEP Gerard Batten has just demanded that all Muslims sign a charter saying they denounce violence. Go on fellows just form an orderly line. My stomach turns.
Who does UKIP describe as a Muslim? Is the utterly non-believing but Muslim born (public school and Cambridge educated) husband of my dear cousin Heather going to have to sign the charter? What about their kids, brought up by their devoutly Christian mother and non-believing (but Muslim born) father? What about their kids? The Nazis used to get terribly worked up about these sort of issues. Will UKIP give an exemption to Muslims who have fought for this country just as the Nazis initially did for WW1 Jewish veterans?
Will this stop one act of terror? Of course not. A Muslim who wants to chop off heads will do anything he or she can to hide his or her intentions so will be first in line to sign. But the resentment that such a demand would cause will merely act as a recruiting sergeant for the mad men of violence.
To stigmatize a whole community in this way is not the act of a civilized society. It is all very well saying "no Christian would have a problem signing" but it is not the Christian community that is being demonised because of the actions of a few Christians, it is the Muslims who are rapidly becoming the "new Jews". This cheap stunt might win a few votes but it makes me ashamed to be British to think that an elected representative can make such a demand.
The party of Nigel Farage becomes more nauseating by the day.