After watching Dispatches and reading articles and news in the Independent newspaper (04/07/08) I concluded that Muslims are oppressed an vulnerable in our British Society.
Once Catholics, Jews, Irish and other immigrants were singled out for hatred and discriminiation because they were regarded as a threat to British identity. Anti-semitism is recognised as an evil and noxious. Its followers are barred from mainstream society. Why is Islamophobia not regarded as an evil ideology?
It is clear that there is no social or political protection for Muslims. It seems to me that Muslims should be given the same protection as the other minorities. They should not be inslulted or abused.
I was shocked to read the statement and the views of Britain's first Muslim Minister, Mr Shahid Malik, MP for Dewsbury, Mirfield and Heckmonwike. He had been the target of a string of racist incidents including the fire bombing of his family car and an attempt to run him down at a petrol station in his home town of Burnley in 2002.
I think when he says that Muslims feel like the Jews of Europe or that Muslims feel like aliens in their own country, this shows that Islamophobia is on the rise in this county. The Government, mainstream society and Muslims should work together to address this issue.
As a community British Muslims are relatively powerless. there are few Muslim MPs, Ministers and peers in the House of Lords. Surveys show that Muslims have the highest rate of unemployment, the poorest health and fewest educational qualificatiions of any faith group in the United Kingdom. This means they are vulnerable and oppressed.
Since 9/11 and particualrly 7/7, the BNP has started malicious anti-Muslim propaganda. They are now rebuked for discussing the Holocaust and anti-semitism and are asked to focus on terrorism and Islam and scare stories of Britain becoming an Islamic state. They have changed their tactics to get electoral success by spreading hatred about Islam and Muslims and dividing British citizens.
It seems to me that British Muslims, particularly the youths should get a proper education. Education is a basis of economics and the key to employment. Muslim youths should take an active part in sports and stay away from anit-social behaviour and extremism, because Islam is a balanced religion.
There is no need for Muslims to fear in Great Britain because, in my long experinece in the Community Relations Council, Kirklees Racial Equality Council, Kirklees Equality and Human Rights Agency, NKEM Police Fourm etc, shows that the vast majority of British people and officers believe in the British values of tolerance, respect, solidarity and equal opportunities for all.
History show that those who discriminate on the basis of blood, colour, or race will perish. Peopl ewho hate others harm themselves more than the persons they hate. Let us all work together for an anti-Islamophobic and just society.

Dr K. H. Khamas
Former president of the Muslim Association of Batley, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Savile Town.