SHOT DOWN

The recent furore surrounding the archbishop of Canterbury's lecture on Sharia Court/Law once more exposes the shallowness of British media, some religious leaders and Politicians. His predecesor, Dr Carew's comment was not of much help either. The Archbishop's comment was supposed to engender important debate about the role of the Sharia (if any) in a multicultural society not stifle it. The negative reaction in some section of the public, media, religious groups and politicians really questions the oft quoted civilised society's freedom of speech. Or is the archbishop not allowed to express his views? Many have not even read his comment - except reading the newspaper version of his comment and then jump to the wrong conclusion. In An Average Man, we were reminded that "one man, after a glance at a fragment of bone, will reconstruct Hercules; another, after the entire skeleton stands before him, will even then question whether it is Hercules at all". My understanding of this quotation is that we must have facts first and explanations afterwards. It'd appear that our so called media and leaders have done the reverse!!