Tag Archives: sarah saleh

Taking The Myth – 30 Jan Edition

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight and A Scotsman Abroad discuss the big topics with guest callers. We talk about: The man arrested at Disneyland with two guns and a Qur’an, ‘offensive words’ and my open letter to St Andrew’s Primary School. We’ll also be talking about Maajid Nawaz’s peculiar Australian TV appearance. And of course, The ASLAN Awards.

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Maajid Nawaz On Australian TV

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On the heels of a joint speaking engagement down under with Sam Harris, Maajid Nawaz appeared on Australian talk show ‘The Drum’. Non-Australians can now watch this online here.

Firstly, I think it’s great to see liberal, progressive Muslims like Maajid granted a platform on mainstream TV – rather than the usual rent-a-loons that are invited in the service of controversy, rather than discussion.

Nawaz, as always, shared some articulate views on extremism, secularism and the Islamist narrative. This brings me to another guest and ‘Human Rights Campaigner’, Sarah Saleh.

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Keep in mind what Maajid Nawaz stands for and speaks clearly about on this TV appearance: anti-extremism, freedom of expression, human rights and secularism. Saleh’s response? She summarises Nawaz’s position as ‘extreme’. She also appears to have a hard time accepting that theocracy is a bad idea. “Surely you agree theocracy is wrong?” asks Nawaz. “Do I need to?” responds Saleh. At least she was helpful insofar as demonstrating the problem we have with so-called ‘moderate Muslims’.

Stephen Knight is host of The #GSPodcast. You can listen to The Godless Spellchecker Podcast here, and support it by becoming a patron here.