# Let's welcome our newest bigot **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 12, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617 "2017-02-12T02:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/161 "2017-02-20T11:28:28Z")
> [@Jefferson](#): > > Just one example, bonehead, the esteemed Times Newspaper had the front page headline a while back, “Hundreds more UK Muslims choose jihad than army”. You know, you might come across as slightly less of a tool if you actually provided citations more robust than “this article I once read in the Times” or “that documentary whose name I can’t remember I saw one time by that guy whose name I can’t remember either but he’s definitely an expert”. Links would go a long way to help your cause too. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/162 "2017-02-20T12:37:19Z")
> [@Jefferson](#): > > Just one example, bonehead, the esteemed Times Newspaper had the front page headline a while back, “Hundreds more UK Muslims choose jihad than army”. Still making cite free assertions, eh, liar? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/163 "2017-02-20T12:43:02Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Still making cite free assertions, eh, liar? Perhaps he’s referring to the _Wigan Times_, tossed into his Mum’s front yard once a week… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/164 "2017-02-20T13:01:58Z")
He may be right in that the Times probably had some sort of article about ISIS recruitment numbers vs army recruitment numbers over a very specific period. For example, [this article](http://time.com/4319763/isis-coalition-war-iraq-syria/)suggests that at one point ISIS were gaining 2000 foreign fighters a month (a small minority of which were from the West) for a maximum of about 30,000 or so. So I’m sure that as long as you very carefully cherrypick your timeframe and metrics you might be able to find a point at which ISIS recruitment was larger than military recruitment, but such an approach would be easily debunked and make anyone using it look like a disingenuous tool. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/165 "2017-02-20T13:12:01Z")
Is the British military even recruiting? I mean, from what I understand, they’re fairly small and focus on long-term retention. How many fresh bodies do they even need? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/166 "2017-02-20T13:16:17Z")
Well, they’re still running ads for the various UK military branches so I assume they must be recruiting somebody. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/167 "2017-02-20T13:26:20Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Well, they’re still running ads for the various UK military branches so I assume they must be recruiting somebody. But how many? I mean, are they meeting recruitment quotas? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/168 "2017-02-20T13:28:57Z")
From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > The British Armed Forces are a professional force with a strength of 153,470 UK Regulars and Gurkhas, 35,200 Volunteer Reserves and 8,160 “Other Personnel”[nb 5] as of 2016 May 1.[2] This gives a total strength of 196,840 “UK Service Personnel”. With a population of about 61 million, that’s about 1 out of 305 citizens in uniform at any one time. Figuring a very generous ‘churn’ of 10%/year (many are 'regulars whom the military is a career), that’s about 20,000 new recruits, or 1 out of about every 3,000 people, needed to join the military. No opinion offered, just added for the info. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/169 "2017-02-20T13:29:51Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Still making cite free assertions, eh, liar? [Here’s his cite](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/defence/article4183684.ece). I can’t access the whole article, but the headline relies on a deceptive statistic: the number of people who **signed up for** a particular military organization in a given time period, not the number **enrolled in** a particular military organization. ISIS was fairly new when this headline came out, and yes, a terrible number of people signed up for it. It was a new opportunity for these terrible people to be terrible. Meanwhile, the British military has been around for…awhile, I don’t have an exact number. Muslims who wanted to enroll in the British military and who were eligible to do so were presumably already enrolled. But the first couple of paragraphs of the article don’t mention how many of them there are. Jefferson at this point is likely to dismiss me as a pointy-headed liberal trying to weasel out of admitting how terrible Muslims are, because it hurts his head to think that things might be complicated. [Here’s an article debunking this claim.](https://www.theguardian.com/news/reality-check/2015/dec/11/donald-trump-needs-check-facts-british-muslims-isis) ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/170 "2017-02-21T01:22:28Z")
> [@Jefferson](#): > > it was one of your “liberal” gang who brought colour into it. Typical bigot bait and switch. They say something bigoted or implies bigotry, but your the racist for calling them out on it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/171 "2017-02-21T02:27:25Z")
Well, like something that appeared on my FB feed a couple of days ago said; “There are more than a billion muslims in the world. If they wanted you dead, you would be.” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/172 "2017-02-21T07:58:23Z")
I do not understand the troll-friendly moderation on this board. I suppose I never will. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/173 "2017-02-21T10:35:51Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Meanwhile, the British military has been around for…awhile, I don’t have an exact number. 310 years. Before that they were the English, Scottish etc militaries. Current figures suggest there are about 650 serving Muslims in the British armed forces, mostly in the Army (roughly 50 each in the Navy and Air Force). Estimates suggest that 750 Muslims **total** went to fight for ISIS from the UK, but not all at the same time; a few hundred have returned for various reasons (including disillusionment) and of course several (50-60) have died. [Estimates I can find from a year ago](https://www.theguardian.com/news/reality-check/2015/dec/11/donald-trump-needs-check-facts-british-muslims-isis) suggest 430-440 British fighters in Syria, most of which will be in ISIS. Of course, when the Empire included more Muslim-heavy lands [there were many more fighting for Britain…](http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/forgotten-army-400000-muslim-soldiers-10325190) ---
**Author:** ![Jefferson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@Jefferson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jefferson)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/174 "2017-02-22T13:45:13Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Typical bigot bait and switch. They say something bigoted or implies bigotry, but your the racist for calling them out on it. > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Just stating a fact, pal. HE brought colour into it. ---
**Author:** ![Jefferson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@Jefferson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jefferson)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/175 "2017-02-22T13:49:18Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I do not understand the troll-friendly moderation on this board. I suppose I never will. Starry, starry night Paint your palette blue and gray Look out on a summer’s day With eyes that know the darkness in my soul Shadows on the hills Sketch the trees and the daffodils Catch the breeze and the winter chills In colors on the snowy linen land ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/176 "2017-02-22T14:33:58Z")
> [@Jefferson](#): > > Starry, starry night > Paint your palette blue and gray > Look out on a summer’s day > With eyes that know the darkness in my soul > Shadows on the hills > Sketch the trees and the daffodils > Catch the breeze and the winter chills > In colors on the snowy linen land Even I know that you’re supposed to credit the author when you copy his words. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/177 "2017-02-22T14:51:38Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > Even I know that you’re supposed to credit the author when you copy his words. Maybe its Melina Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/178 "2017-02-22T21:33:53Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > . . .but your the racist for calling them out on it. \*you’re ---
**Author:** ![Jefferson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@Jefferson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jefferson)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2017, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/179 "2017-02-24T09:06:05Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I do not understand the troll-friendly moderation on this board. I suppose I never will. Good point. You do know who started this thread don’t you? Then again, this site if full of Left-wing trolls. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2017, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617/180 "2017-02-24T12:53:27Z")
> [@Jefferson](#): > > Then again, this site if full of Left-wing trolls. If it? I don’t think it if. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-welcome-our-newest-bigot/779617.md?page=10)