Mike,
Am not - as far as I can see, nobody is, in any way attempting to defend what we believe to be bad aspects of Muslim culture. What I question is Keith's attempts to suggest that it is that culture that is the cause of the sexual grooming and procuring of girls. If we were to accept that we would be suggesting that anybody of that culture is a potential groomer and procurer.
Keith's attemps to make racial/cultural capital from the Guardian article obviously without reading it fully and digesting its implications, and then rejecting it (except the bits that suit him), indicates, to me at least, that he has an agenda other than the one under discussion her.
I have asked, and received no reply, whether all nationalities brought up under a sexually repressed regime are potential sexual criminals. Many of my friends (and some of my family) were brought up in Catholic Ireland under what might be described a sexually repressed culture. Within living memory, arranged marriages and ones of convenience were a reality in rural Ireland, and in the Travelling community, it is even more recent, and may be still happening. Does this make them potential paedophiles?
I have repeated again and again that these reports of grooming and abuse are largely personal observations of what happens in small communities with a high percentage of immigrants - it is totally wrong to present them as Keith has consistently done:
"let us accept that this is a crime that the culture (not the religion) of the Pakistani community is largely responsible for."
If that is the case, then every member of that community/culture must be considered a potential sexual predator.
The opinions (that is what they are) of virtually all the people quoted come with a warning of the danger of misuse, which I believe has happened here and feel worthy of challenge.
"I am not behind any shadows....
A remark rising from my contempt for cowards who stand on the sidelines egging the bullies on.
"And I have no record of persecuting or denouncing or anything-elsing homosexuals"
And one referring to Akenaton's self stated homophobia.
"I have as you know great respect for you:"
There really is no need to repeat this; I have no doubt that your remarks are made honestly, and that you have read what I have written and given it unbiased consideration. Despite the fact that I disagree with you on occasion, here and elsewhere - of course I'll marry you and have your babies!
Jim Carroll