Blears justifies IslamExpo boycott

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Hazel BlearsIn Hazel Blears’ speech today to a seminar organised by the right-wing think tank Policy Exchange, she outlines “the Government’s strategy for engagement with different Muslim groups”:

“As a minister dealing with this every day, I can tell you there is no easy answer to the questions of when, who and how to engage with different groups. When my predecessor Ruth Kelly became Secretary of State, she made it clear that the Government would not do business with any groups who weren’t serious about standing up to violence and upholding shared values, and that has been our approach ever since.

“Take the Islam Expo at the weekend. I was clear that because of the views of some of the organisers, and because of the nature of some of the exhibitors, this was an event that no Minister should attend. Organisers like Anas Altikriti, who believes in boycotting Holocaust Memorial Day. Or speakers like Azzam Tamimi, who has sought to justify suicide bombing. Or exhibitors like the Government of Iran.

“Not because the vast majority of Muslims at the event were not decent citizens; they were. But because the organisers were trying to influence the audience in certain directions. And by refusing to legitimise the event for these specific reasons, we would hope to isolate and expose the extremists and ensure they were not part of the event next year. Our policy is designed to change behaviour.

“Our strategy rests on an assessment of firstly whether an organisation is actively condemning, and working to tackle, violent extremism; and secondly whether they defend and uphold the shared values of pluralist democracy, both in their words and their deeds. By being clear what is acceptable and what isn’t, we aim to support the moderates and isolate the extremists.”

So Blears is opposed to any official contact with representative Muslim figures like Anas Altikriti and Azzam Tamimi. But she will happily lead a seminar organised by Policy Exchange, a body headed by the raving right-wing anti-Muslim extremist Dean Godson.

Not content with imposing a government boycott of one of the most popular and mainstream Muslim events of the year, Blears chooses to announce her justification for this disgraceful decision from the platform of a Tory think tank notorious for its hostility to British Muslims.

It’s difficult to see this as anything other than a conscious provocation directed against the Muslim community. Either that, or Blears is even more stupid than I’d imagined.

Update:  Read IslamExpo’s response to Blears here.

French minister denounces burqa

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Amara and SarkozyA Muslim member of the French government has backed a court’s decision to deny citizenship to a Moroccan woman who wears the burqa. Urban Affairs Minister Fadela Amara said she hoped last month’s ruling would “dissuade certain fanatics from imposing the burqa on their wives”.

“The burqa is a prison, it’s a straightjacket,” she told Le Parisien. “It is not a religious insignia but the insignia of a totalitarian political project that advocates inequality between the sexes and which is totally devoid of democracy.”

Ms Amara, who is also a prominent women’s rights campaigner, said she made no distinction between the veil and the burqa, describing both as symbols of oppression for women.

BBC News, 16 July 2008

See also Reuters, 15 July 2008

As one critic notes about Fadela Amara:

“She says she speaks for women, but she only speaks for women who share her vision of what women should be. Does she speak for the Muslim sister? … The average French Muslim sister just trying to live her day? Like me? I mean nothing to feminists like Fadela Amara or anyone from Ni Putes Ni Soumises simply by dint of my belief that a woman in a headscarf, or a woman in a burqa, deserves the same presumption of free will and sound mind as some braless chick with a visible thong.

“I will never abide by the belief that headscarf=the patriarchy. In fact, men telling me what to wear=patriarchy. I know I have the free will to decide what I will wear in the morning, and I use that free will. I only wish people would ‘assume’ that Muslim sisters in fact are woman enough to have free will when it comes to dressing ourselves. We’re not toddlers….

“And regardless of how I feel about niqabs or burqas, the bottom line is that this sister met the requirements and they said no based on her clothes. You can’t tell me a man would be refused nationality for his clothes. For me, the decision is anti-feminist, unacceptable and sets a bad legal precedent….

“The reasoning behind the judgement alleges that this woman can’t possibly be thinking with her own brain, which is an anti-feminist insult in itself. Fadela calls herself a feminist but what she and the rest of the people involved in this decision are really doing is reinforcing the patriarchy in keeping this mother down. Shame on her. Shame on them.”

Mosque hope divides Brentwood

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A community has been left divided by controversial plans for a mosque in Brentwood.

The Gazette exclusively revealed plans by the Muslim community last week to purchase a commercial property for use as a permanent prayer and community centre at an unnamed location in Pilgrims Hatch. But while opposition is mounting against the plans, others have come forward to offer support to the Al Furqan Foundation – a 200-strong congregation which has outgrown the Sea Cadet Centre in King Edward Road, Brentwood, which it currently rents for Friday prayers.

Residents bombarded the Gazette website with comments vowing to fight the proposals, but secretary of the Foundation, Brentwood-born Mohammad Edoo urged:

“I think, or should I say hope, that the people of Brentwood are more intelligent than to make judgements based on the actions of a few radicals and sayings of people who claim to represent the whole Islamic faith. We welcome people who want to know more and our doors are not closed. Please don’t brand us before you know us.”

He admitted he was saddened by some of the negative reaction but added: “I know we have some very strong stereotypes to fight.”

But amid the negative response from the community, others have embraced the Foundation’s plight and backed their plans. Labour leader Mike Le-Surf, ward councillor for Brentwood South where Muslims currently meet, told the Gazette:

“I know the Muslim community has been in discussion with the council for some time but they’re not getting anywhere. I am happy to support and represent them within the council. I went down during Friday prayers and to be honest I wouldn’t have even known they were there until I opened the door. It’s not causing any problems for residents at all.”

A representative of the Hutton Community Centre also contacted the Gazette to offer their facility for use.

Evening Gazette, 16 July 2008

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Posted in UK

So what is this threat Martin? Do tell us

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Martin Bright 2Martin Bright responds to Soumaya Ghannoushi. According to Mart, the UK media have generally been very fair in their coverage of Muslims, which will certainly come as news to the overwhelming majority of Muslims.

He concludes: “It is true that not all Islamists are violent. Nor should al-Qaida be put in the same category as the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian parent organisation of Hamas. There are important distinctions to be made here. But the Islamist ideology promoted by the British manifestations of the Brotherhood, such as the Federation of Student Islamic Societies, the British Muslim Initiative, the Muslim Association of Britain and IslamExpo itself brings its own dangers. These do not threaten British democracy but they do have a pernicious effect, especially on young Muslims in this country who fall under their influence. This is where the danger lies and the threat is very real.”

Of course, Bright doesn’t feel under any obligation to spell out precisely what that danger and threat might be. As Inayat Bunglawala observes in the comments:

“The Muslim Brotherhood have good and bad points but I am curious to know what you identify here as their negative influence on UK Muslims. Whenever I have spoken with their members they always seem to encourage British Muslims to play an active role in British society and also to learn more about their own faith. Please do expand on your own views.”

Answer came there none.

Update:  Over at Harry’s Place, in an attack on Demos for agreeing to participate at IslamExpo, the inimitable Nick Cohen helpfully provides an explanation of the threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood. It is “a far right movement”, according to Cohen, “which was founded by the admirers of European fascism, which propagates the theories of Adolf Hitler, and wishes to suppress the women, murder the Jews, homosexuals, socialists and apostates and establish an inquisitorial dictatorship”. So, thanks to Nick, next time you meet a member of the British Muslim Initiative or FOSIS you’ll know what their objectives really are.

Rowan Willams welcomes A Common Word

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Rowan_WilliamsThe Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has welcomed A Common Word and provided a substantial reflection on it in a letter sent to Muslim religious leaders and scholars. The Archbishop’s letter, entitled ‘A Common Word for the Common Good‘, comes after a period of world-wide consultation within the Anglican Communion and across the Christian denominations, most notably in last month’s meeting of Church representatives and scholars in London.

Dr Williams has announced that, in collaboration with Cambridge University, he is inviting a group of Christian and Muslim leaders and scholars to a conference in October that will mark the anniversary of the publication of A Common Word. In a context of scholarly engagement with the issues the gathering will seek to consider a programme of practical steps to deepen mutual understanding, action and friendships.

In his letter Dr Williams said “We are deeply appreciative of the initiative you have taken and welcome A Common Word Between Us and You as a significant development in relations between Christians and Muslims”. He reflected on what he calls “the hospitable and friendly spirit” of the original letter, acknowledging it as a timely initiative “given the growing awareness that peace throughout the world is deeply entwined with the ability of all people of faith everywhere to live together in peace, justice, mutual respect and love.”

The Archbishop explores how the Christian understanding of love of God and love of neighbour – seen as a response to God’s love for humankind and his creation – provide the basis on which Christians and Muslims can take practical steps together for a “radical, transforming, non-violent engagement with the deepest needs of our world and our common humanity”.

Anglican Communion News Service, 15 July 2008

The Daily Telegraph reports this under the heading “Christian doctrine offensive to Muslims, says Archbishop of Canterbury”, while the Daily Mail has “Archbishop of Canterbury: ‘Christian doctrine is offensive to Muslims'”. This is based on a single phrase in the letter in which Williams refers to Muslim disagreement with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

Predictably, this misleading right-wing spin on Williams’ letter has been taken up by the BNP.

Watch Islamophobic video rant by fascist leader Nick Griffin here.

Pensioner rips veil from Muslim woman’s face

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A pensioner ripped a veil from a Muslim woman in a South Tyneside supermarket. The 79-year-old approached the woman as she shopped in Asda, in Ocean Road, at around 11.45am yesterday.

She asked her to remove her veil and started to question her religion. When the 45-year-old refused to take off her veil, the pensioner ripped it from her face.

The pensioner, from South Shields, was detained in the store and police were called. She received a police caution for racial aggravated assault.

Shields Gazette, 15 July 2008

‘Dangerous company’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Osama and Alex“This is Alex Salmond, First Minister of the devolved Scottish Executive embracing Osama Saeed, CEO of the Scottish Islamic Foundation (recent recipient of £215,000 from the Scottish executive) and SNP candidate for Glasgow Central.

“Mr Saeed is also an Islamic fundamentalist (read: EXTREMIST)…. Mr Saeed suggests that there is no reason the West should oppose the creation of a united Islamic state – the caliphate….

“It’s no surprise that Mr Saeed’s choice of political party is the SNP. What do the SNP want? To name but a few – Unilateral disarmament, pacifism (read – appeasement beyond ridicule) and the breaking of the greatest Western democracy, the only one in Europe that stood alone against Fascism, survived and won – the UK. From the mind of an extremist – it must make complete sense….

“Scotland has a First Minister that embraces a person whose very intention is to oppose Western Power.”

SNP Watch, 15 July 2008

And, disgracefully, this right-wing drivel is partially reproduced over at Labourhome, under the heading “Alex Salmond and Islamic Extremism“. As one critic points out in the comments: “this is politics of the gutter and gives our party a bad name…. It’s disgusting and I’m ashamed to see it on a Labour website”.

Nor is the “politics of the gutter” restricted to Labourhome. Over at Chris Paul’s Labour of Love blog the SIF is described as a “Salmond-funded ginger group for the Caliphate”. See also Glasgow South Labour MP Tom Harris’s blog, which approvingly quotes raving right-wing Islamophobe Dean Godson’s attack on Osama Saeed.

Update:  It has since been claimed that SNP Watch is run by one Ricky Simpson, who stood as a Labour candidate in Aberdeen in the 2007 council elections. Simpson himself has objected to our describing his attack on Osama Saeed as “right-wing drivel”, stating that he is in favour of “social democracy and redistribution”.

Is the New Yorker’s Muslim Obama cover incendiary or satire?

Posted on by Bob Pitt

New Yorker coverThe cover of this week’s New Yorker magazine depicts Obama in one-piece Muslim garb and headdress fist-bumping his booted, Afro-wearing wife Michelle in camo clothes with an AK-47 and ammo-belt slung over her shoulder beneath a portrait of Osama bin-Laden while the American flag burns in the fireplace – in the presidential Oval Office.

It’s got everything incendiary except a vest bomb. Which is what should telegraph to most people that it’s way over-the-top and, therefore, satire.

Obama declined comment today, seeking not to elevate its importance. But, in a move that certainly drew more attention to a commercial decision with no hope of changing it, his campaign issued a statement by Bill Burton which Mike Allen of Politico.com reported as, “The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Sen. Obama’s right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree.”

Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2008

Posted in USA

Swedish magistrate wrote anti-immigrant letters to Prime Minister

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Swedish magistrate wrote anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim letters to Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt during a period in which she was judging in criminal cases involving immigrants, it has been revealed.

Bodil Schibli, who was a lay judge in Ystad District Court until February, wrote several letters to Reinfeldt imploring the government to “protect its own people” against “these fanatical immigrants, who really have no reason to be here, other than to be supported by taxpayers.”

According to Skånska Dagbladet, she also wrote that Islam should be “forbidden from further spreading itself in our country.”

Contacted by the paper on Thursday, Schibli was unrepentant. She claimed that 90 percent of lay judges in Sweden shared her views. “There has never been a multicultural society that worked – only in the minds of politicians,” she said.

The Local, 11 July 2008

Via Islam in Europe