Ashraf Choudhary, a prominent Muslim lawmaker who serves in New
Zealand's Labour government,
has condoned the stoning executions of homosexuals and
adulterers as prescribed by strict Islamic law. Laughably, New
Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark responded:
Clearly Ashraf is a devout Muslim and he will have his own views. But for the record let me spell out the Labour Party does not support capital punishment. It does not support flogging. It does not support stoning. We have very strong views about that.
How very reassuring.
Local media in New Zealand reports that Choudhary's views are considered mainstream among New Zealand's growing Muslim population and that "Labour's Muslim MP is representing the majority of the Muslim community."
This situation, of socialists downplaying Islamic-fundamentalist hate, isn't unique to New Zealand. Recently London's leftwing mayor, "Red Ken" Livingstone, embraced radical Islamists as part of his coalition, as bemoaned by one appalled gay Muslim, here.
Meanwhile, Sir Elton John laudably
called on his government "to ensure that ending violations of
gay people's fundamental human rights around the world becomes an
explicit issue in its diplomatic relations with other countries."
He added, in reference to London's gay pride celebration:
There are many parts of the world where such a celebration could not take place, because basic human rights are not respected and people face threats, attacks, prosecution and even possible execution just because of their sexuality.
And there are clearly many who are willing to bring that very
culture to the West if they think it may serve their own political
purposes.