The UK government issued a review thingy back in March about diversity and cohesion and similar feel-good words that clash with each other. It makes for deeply weird reading because of its total failure to make clear what it’s talking about.

The theme is something it dubs “freedom-restricting harassment” or (wait for it) frh for short.

Victims of freedom-restricting harassment suffer devastating impacts yet are often not treated as victims or offered the support they need. The impact on the religious studies teacher at Batley Grammar School provides a harrowing example.

As an in-depth victim case study and for the first time since the incident occurred, we reviewed the case of the religious studies (RS) teacher at Batley Grammar School who was forced into hiding in March 2021 following accusations of blasphemy. Having delivered an educational lesson on promoting fundamental British values, he faced an online and offline campaign of intimidation and abuse. Threats and harassment included incitement to violence against both him and his family.

Notice anything missing?

The specifics. The specifics are carefully left out. The specifics are carefully hidden, kept secret, tacitly denied. Forced into hiding by whom? Accusations of blasphemy from whom? Blasphemy in terms of what religion? Who was behind the campaign? Who was threatening and harassing?

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that we are never told. The specifics are carefully concealed…which makes the whole report worthless. How absurd.

We know why they do it of course. They don’t want to incite “Islamophobia.” But that’s just it, isn’t it. That’s the problem. Islam has a bug up its ass about purported “blasphemy,” and way too many of its adherents are way too eager to murder people for what they consider “blasphemy.” Post-war UK governments seeking cheap labor encouraged immigration from former colonies which happened to have huge populations of Muslims. Not all of those Muslims gave up their ideas about “blasphemy,” as became all too clear when Salman Rushdie had to go into hiding.

But it doesn’t do to say so. Result: a report that tries to talk about intolerance and harassment without ever mentioning the elephant in the sock drawer.

It hints at it briefly, but still carefully without naming it.

There was a considerable lack of leadership by the agencies named above. They should have issued clear messages that threats, harassment and abuse would not be tolerated under any circumstances. Nor was there any clear condemnation of those engaged in such behaviour who were creating an intimidatory and threatening climate. There was a disproportionate concern for not causing offence to the religious sensibilities of those who, unaware of the facts, chose to engage in intimidation and harassment.

Yes but which religious sensibilities? Sssshhhh – we’re the government; we mustn’t say it.

We heard of more cases of self-appointed ‘community faith leaders’ aggressively interfering in everyday teaching at some schools in Batley and creating a climate of fear. This appears to suggest there is a wider cultural problem in the area that is not being adequately addressed.

Yes but what community? What faith? What culture?

It’s so pathetic that they refuse to say.