Religious bigotry out of hand?

That bastion of liberal views and moderate opinion, The Sun, News International's comic for the masses, carries a typical hyped-up story on its front page, which will in no way, incite further religious intolerance, or underline the prejudices of Britain's intelligentsia.

The headline on the Sun exclusive, COP OUT, with the further explanation, Muslim PC is excused duty at Israeli embassy, is to my mind typical moronic nonsense, peddled by so-called professional journalists.

Now I think if you examined the facts, the PC in question Alexander Omar Basha, as I understand requested that he be removed from duties which involved the Israeli embassy, at the time of Israel's attack on the Lebanon, presumably due to fears for members of his family who live in the Lebanon, this to me, would show that this officer has acted with some honour and dignity for his post as a member of London's Metropolitan police force.

If one would like to cast their mind back, the few weeks during this, particular conflict, clearly this PC, acted in good faith, unlike perhaps our political masters, who seem to accept, Israel's aggression, even when Israel was dictating to the British Navy, when and how they could evacuate British citizens from Beirut.

As I say, with the basic facts, as I am aware neither the Metropolitan Police or Alexander Omar basher, have anything to apologise for, as to the journalist Mike Sullivan, I'm not sure whether he is up there on the moral high ground, or down there in the gutter (even with my diet I still can't always spot my feet).

Finally the fact that the PC in question happens to be a Muslim, is quite irrelevant, part of his family happen to be Lebanese, but then presumably Mr Sullivan, had to sex up, an otherwise non-story of someone, acting in a professional, and honourable manner. Something which presumably Mr Sullivan would not come across too often as the Sun's Crime editor. Surely the Sun have a religious affairs editor, who could distinguish between right and wrong.

Even big cheese, former editor, (I think) Kelvin Mackenzie, makes room for a joke, at the expense of the Muslim community on his page, at least that's what I assume it's meant to be.

There are, genuine concerns, between the various religious communities in Great Britain, but I think, the public deserve, better than the apparent schoolboy level of journalism, as practised by News International's Sun.