Dear All
We can be rightly proud of the men and women of our armed forces; they do the country credit by their dedication and bravery under difficult circumstances.
And there have been countless acts of bravery by them in theatres of war such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher is a hero in the true sense of the word.
The 26-year-old was awarded the George Cross after he flung himself onto a Taliban hand grenade to save his comrades during an ambush in Helmand Province in 2008.
He was serving with 40 Commando when his patrol came under fire but he miraculously survived because his backpack took the force of the blast.
I think the Victoria Cross would be more fitting as he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect others.
His bravery was acknowledged at a meeting of more than 100 councillors at Birmingham City Council attended an event where L/Cpl Croucher, was the guest of honour.
When the councillors stood to give him a standing ovation, two Muslim councillors Salma Yaqoob and Mohammed Ishtiaq remained seated.
This is another example of how multicultural Britain has failed.
Fellow councillors reacted with fury at the snub and have rightly branded the pair 'shameful'.
Conservative Cllr John Lines said:
“They should be ashamed of themselves. This was not the time or place to stage an anti-war protest - this man risked his life for his comrades. I was happy to give this hero a standing ovation and I have invited him to be guest of honour when we open new houses for ex-military personnel later this year.”
Conservative Cllr Peter Douglas Osborn added:
“As far as I am concerned it is no longer the Respect Party, but the disrespect party.”
Both Yaqoob and Ishtiaq yesterday remained defiant about their decision to snub L/Cpl Croucher, branding the gesture 'false patriotism'.
Cllr Yaqoob, Respect Party leader and head of Birmingham’s Stop the War Coalition, said:
'It was more about the politicians feeling good about themselves for sending our young men to fight for reasons that have proved to be false. I have every sympathy for our soldiers on a human level, they are only doing their jobs. But this ovation was just a big public show, it was false patriotism. Wrapping coffins in the flag and awarding medals does not make it right.”
Cllr Ishtiaq added:
“At the end of the day, if these so-called politicians want to give a standing ovation, why don’t they go and fight themselves? What we did was out of principle.”
I don’t think much of their ‘principles’.
The mother of L/Cpl Croucher expressed shock that two Muslim councillors snubbed her son.
Margaret Croucher said:
'It is a surprising thing to have happened. I don't think Matt expected to be caught in the middle of a row. I am disappointed but like Matt said after it happened, everyone is entitled to their opinion whatever it may be.”
Multicultural Britain 2011 is a political smokescreen to shore up a divided society.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
We can be rightly proud of the men and women of our armed forces; they do the country credit by their dedication and bravery under difficult circumstances.
And there have been countless acts of bravery by them in theatres of war such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher is a hero in the true sense of the word.
The 26-year-old was awarded the George Cross after he flung himself onto a Taliban hand grenade to save his comrades during an ambush in Helmand Province in 2008.
He was serving with 40 Commando when his patrol came under fire but he miraculously survived because his backpack took the force of the blast.
I think the Victoria Cross would be more fitting as he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect others.
His bravery was acknowledged at a meeting of more than 100 councillors at Birmingham City Council attended an event where L/Cpl Croucher, was the guest of honour.
When the councillors stood to give him a standing ovation, two Muslim councillors Salma Yaqoob and Mohammed Ishtiaq remained seated.
This is another example of how multicultural Britain has failed.
Fellow councillors reacted with fury at the snub and have rightly branded the pair 'shameful'.
Conservative Cllr John Lines said:
“They should be ashamed of themselves. This was not the time or place to stage an anti-war protest - this man risked his life for his comrades. I was happy to give this hero a standing ovation and I have invited him to be guest of honour when we open new houses for ex-military personnel later this year.”
Conservative Cllr Peter Douglas Osborn added:
“As far as I am concerned it is no longer the Respect Party, but the disrespect party.”
Both Yaqoob and Ishtiaq yesterday remained defiant about their decision to snub L/Cpl Croucher, branding the gesture 'false patriotism'.
Cllr Yaqoob, Respect Party leader and head of Birmingham’s Stop the War Coalition, said:
'It was more about the politicians feeling good about themselves for sending our young men to fight for reasons that have proved to be false. I have every sympathy for our soldiers on a human level, they are only doing their jobs. But this ovation was just a big public show, it was false patriotism. Wrapping coffins in the flag and awarding medals does not make it right.”
Cllr Ishtiaq added:
“At the end of the day, if these so-called politicians want to give a standing ovation, why don’t they go and fight themselves? What we did was out of principle.”
I don’t think much of their ‘principles’.
The mother of L/Cpl Croucher expressed shock that two Muslim councillors snubbed her son.
Margaret Croucher said:
'It is a surprising thing to have happened. I don't think Matt expected to be caught in the middle of a row. I am disappointed but like Matt said after it happened, everyone is entitled to their opinion whatever it may be.”
Multicultural Britain 2011 is a political smokescreen to shore up a divided society.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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