Author Archives: Bob Pitt

‘Don’t succumb to Islamophobia’ – Mecca2Medina

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Mecca2Medina (2)The Islamic hip-hop and ragga group, Mecca2Medina, has urged black and other ethnic minorities not to succumb to what they described as the worrying trend of Islamophobia in the UK.

Abdul-Karim Talib and Rakin Fetuga told The Voice that prominent news items about British-raised Islamic extremists and media debates about whether women should wear the niqab (or face veil) have led to negative perceptions of the Muslim community.

They said prejudice has increased although only a minority of Muslims become extremists. They said blacks should be wary of jumping on these bandwagons because black people in the past have also been victims of stereotyping. “It is being blown out of proportion. The Muslim community feels as if it is under attack,” they said.

Mecca2Medina made their comments after their performance at the first staging of Eid in the Square.

The Voice, 24 November 2006

Muslims scared to go back to Cronulla beach

Posted on by Bob Pitt

CronullaMany young Muslim Australians are still too terrified to return to Cronulla, almost one year on from the riots, a spokesman said yesterday.

Independent Centre for Research Australia president Fadi Rahman said: “When we speak with them behind closed doors they’re quite afraid to go to Cronulla on their own. They believe that what has happened should have taught everyone a good lesson but they honestly believe it has not changed anything and that there are still racist elements in the community. They are scared that [tensions] will escalate again.”

It is almost a year since rioters invaded train carriages to set upon youths of Middle Eastern appearance. Yesterday trains to Cronulla were again the scene of commotion – this time in the name of peace. Youth workers from western and southern suburbs chartered the “peace train” to take hundreds of young people from Bankstown to Cronulla. Line dancers, African drummers and indigenous performers snaked through the carriages to promote cultural diversity. A parade and music workshops were held at Dunningham Park beside Cronulla beach.

Sydney Morning Herald, 25 November 2006

‘Veil Wars’ reveal Europe’s intolerance

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Europe’s traditions of secular tolerance appear to be haunted by the Islamic veil. Every week seems to bring new headlines announcing moves to crack down on the wearing of what critics appear to deem this most alienating symbol of Muslim faith, whether in French public schools, British government buildings or out in public in the Netherlands.

“But is European tolerance more threatened by hijab head-scarf, or even the face-covering niqab … or by the hypocrisy and low-grade xenophobia of those telling Muslim women that this attack on their religious practice is really for their own good? Beneath all the reminders of secularist tradition and progressive discourse cited in Europe’s headscarf debate lies the mean, provincial ‘not in our country, you don’t’ attitude – even when many of the women at whom it’s addressed to were born and raised in ‘our country’.”

Bruce Crumley in Time Magazine, 24 November 2006

Intolerance in Europe

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Washington Post examines “the blatant bigotry of many mainstream political leaders, journalists and other elites against Islam and its followers” in Europe.

The article continues: “Sometimes the bigots portray their crude attacks on Muslim beliefs and culture as a defense of freedom of speech – as when a Danish newspaper last year chose to publish gratuitously offensive cartoons about the prophet Muhammad. Sometimes they claim to be promoting better communication, as when British parliamentarian Jack Straw recently asked Muslim women to remove their veils when visiting his office. Luckily for the enemies of cynicism and disingenuousness, there is also the Dutch government – which no longer bothers to disguise its ugly prejudice.”

Editorial in Washington Post, 25 November 2006

‘We’re leaving the country after racists abused and spat at me’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A white Muslim mother who was spat at and abused by drunken football fans in front of her children today told of her humiliation at the hands of the “racist cowards”. Mother-of-five Michelle Idrees, 27, from Luton, said she had been too scared to travel to London or use public transport since the ordeal.

British-born convert Mrs Idrees was called a “f***ing Muslim slag” and told her son, then aged four, would be the “next suicide bomber” by a family of Arsenal supporters on a busy train. She is now planning to leave Britain because she feels her children have no future in this country.

Mrs Idrees said: “It was terrifying. All my children were crying hysterically, but these men wouldn’t stop. It makes me sick to think things have got so bad for Muslims that three men can say such disgusting things and threaten to punch a mother in the face, in front of her children, and nobody on the train does anything.”

One of the men had called her a “Paki-loving whore” and told her to go back to her own country. “They were big, aggressive men. I wouldn’t have answered back but I had to protect my children. Britain’s changed so much since 9/11 and 7/7 that people think we’re all terrorists.”

Mrs Idrees, who was wearing a headscarf, had been to London last August to attend an Islamic commemorative service for victims of the London bombings. She was travelling home on a Thameslink train with four of her children Stephen, 12, Chelsea, 10, Sharnia, six, and Shazan, five, as well as a friend’s two children and a neighbour, when the half-hour tirade began. Mrs Idrees, who converted to Islam after meeting her second husband, told the men that real Muslims did not support terrorism.

“They called the police and told them I had bomb in my handbag. Then they called a black woman on the train a nigger. They’re just racist cowards.”

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Far-right Islamophobic party makes gains in Dutch elections

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Once a country renowned for tolerance of minorities of all stripes, the Netherlands now risks being known for an ugly debate over its growing Muslim population. As preliminary results emerged from general elections on Wednesday November 22nd, it became clear that a previously insignificant far-right party, the Party For Freedom, may claim as many as nine seats in a parliament of 150. The party had campaigned for a halt to all immigration, and in particular was hostile towards Muslims, calling for a ban on the building of religious schools and mosques and for a ban on veils worn by Muslim women.

At its head is Geert Wilders, a man seen by some as the heir to Pim Fortuyn – a populist politician and outspoken critic of the 1m-strong Muslim population in the Netherlands, whose anti-immigrant party won 26 seats in parliament shortly after he was murdered in 2002. On Wednesday Mr Wilders told Dutch television that “we need more decency in this country, more education and less Islam”. He is unlikely to form any part of the new coalition government, which will be led by the moderate Christian Democratic Alliance. But he may yet influence policy.

Economist, 23 November 2006

‘Riot mosque gets the go-ahead’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Thus the headline to an article in today’s Daily Express, reporting on the latest developments concerning the Medina Dairy in Windsor. The article begins: “Plans for a mosque at the centre of race-hate clashes were given the go-ahead by John Prescott’s office yesterday. Residents of Windsor, where only 500 of the 30,000 population are Muslim, reacted with fury after a planning inspector overturned a local council ruling. They accused the government of political correctness and warned the decision could lead to more violence.”

British Muslim Initiative no different from BNP, says Charles Moore

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Charles Moore 2Charles Moore’s column in this week’s Spectator features an attack on the rally against Islamophobia at Central Hall, Westminster, on Monday evening. The main object of Moore’s ire is shadow attorney-general Dominic Grieve, who was one of the platform speakers at the meeting.

Moore completely omits to mention that Liberty was a joint organiser of the rally, as that would rather undermine his case that the event was promoted by “Islamist” extremists. The other co-organiser of the rally, the British Muslim Initiative, is laughably described by Moore as “an offshoot of Respect, the party represented in Parliament by George Galloway”. And his characterisations of other Muslim bodies who provided speakers are equally ignorant.

Moore castigates the Tory party for believing that “it has to turn up to anything which calls itself Muslim”. Pursuing the theme common to rabid right-wingers like Melanie Phillips, pseudo-leftists like David T of Harry’s Place and “liberal” supporters of torture like Nick Cohen, that mainstream Muslim organisations represent a variety of fascism, Moore demands: “Would Mr Grieve attend BNP rallies on the grounds that one must hear the voice of white people?”

Aishah Azmi sacked

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Muslim teaching assistant who was suspended for refusing to remove her veil in the classroom has been sacked.

Aishah Azmi, 24, of Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, west Yorkshire, was suspended on full pay earlier this year by Kirklees council and has now been sacked, sources said.

Last month, an employment tribunal dismissed three of Mrs Azmi’s claims of discrimination and harassment but found that she was victimised by Headfield Church of England junior school in Dewsbury and awarded her £1,000 for “injury to feelings”.

Mrs Azmi said she was willing to remove her veil in front of children – but not when male colleagues were present. Her case sparked a national debate on multiculturalism in Britain.

The prime minister, Tony Blair, said the veil row was part of a necessary debate about the way the Muslim community integrates into British society and said the veil was a “mark of separation” which makes people of other ethnic backgrounds feel uncomfortable.

The intervention by a series of politicians, which culminated in Mr Blair’s remarks, were criticised both by the tribunal and Muslim community leaders. The tribunal report said it was “most unfortunate” that politicians had made comments on the case which were sub judice.

The debate was sparked by the leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw, when he said that the wearing of full veils – or niqab – made community relations more difficult.

The government’s race minister, Phil Woolas, demanded Mrs Azmi be sacked, accusing her of “denying the right of children to a full education” because her stand meant she could not “do her job” and insisted that barring men from working with her would amount to “sexual discrimination”.

The shadow home secretary, David Davis, launched a stinging attack on Muslim leaders for risking “voluntary apartheid” in Britain, and allegedly expecting special protection from criticism.

Press Association, 24 November 2006

We must display ‘our’ religious symbols like other faiths, says Express

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Let Christians Wear the CrossWith a front-page article carrying the strap “Why we must display our [sic] religious symbols just like other faiths”, the Express continues its campaign to utilise BA’s foolish and indefensible ban on one of their employees wearing a visible crucifix in order to incite bigotry against Muslims:

“The right of Christians to wear the cross was defended last night by the Leader of the House of Commons. The row over the British Airways’ ban grew as MPs heard that all Britons should be able to display their faith.

“Jack Straw, the Commons Leader, said the airline’s controversial dress policy was ‘inexplicable’. And he demanded fair and equal treatment for all religions. His Commons outburst made him the most senior Government figure yet to wade into the debate over the airline’s ban on visible Christian and Jewish symbols while allowing female Muslim employees to wear headscarves.

“Passengers around the world are joining a growing boycott of BA over the company’s treatment of check-in worker Nadia Eweida. She is refusing to work after bosses ordered her not to wear a cross the size of a five pence coin that was visible to passengers. The ban has fuelled criticism that non-Muslims are being treated unfairly by ‘politically correct’ busybodies who pander to perceived Islamic sensibilities.”

Daily Express, 24 November 2006