In a conflict that pits two politically correct minority "victim" classes against one another, which one will win out? That's a fun parlor game to play, and today across the Pond it seems the answer is observant Muslims when the conflict involves the aforementioned and gays, even if the gay person in question is, himself, a Muslim.
Breitbart London managing editor Raheem Kassam has the story of how BBC Three refused to entertain discussion of a gay Muslim drag queen's question -- "[W]hen will it be right to be Muslim and gay?" -- during a forum for the program entitled, I kid you not, Free Speech (emphasis mine):
A short clip was broadcast, featuring Asifa Lahore, Britain's "first and only" gay Muslim drag queen. The topic had "the most comments on the audience questions page", but this was still not enough for the BBC 'Free Speech' programme to force the issue with its venue hosts, the Birmingham Central Mosque.
As the clip ended, host Rick Edwards announced, "We were going to debate that question but today after speaking to the mosque they have expressed deep concerns with having this discussion here... so we'll move on to our next question".
No one batted an eye-lid. Even amongst the predominantly 'liberal left' panel, no one said a word. Not the Liberal Democrat peer, not the Huffington Post editor, not the left-wing comedian, and not even the transgender rights activist.
Twitter users expressed their anger, with one claiming: "So the mosque hosting #FreeSpeech are "uncomfortable" with a question about gay Muslims? Kind of defeats the point of a show with that title".
Stephen Evans, campaigns manager at the National Secular Society said: "After agreeing to allow a programme on free speech to be filmed at the mosque, it is absurd and wholly counterproductive to then censor the topic being discussed.
It's difficult to imagine this happening at say a Catholic or Anglican church and the BBC exhibiting the same sensitivity and deference to the officers of the corresponding religious institution.
It's virtually impossible that were a BBC host to express such deference to Christian clerical sensibilities that the liberals on a panel would not register their protest.
To read the rest of Kassam's March 13 story and to watch the relevant video, click here.
