Selective outrage over bigotry
Last week the Daily Mail splashed on a big story about a how a Muslim politician in Birmingham allegedly said another female candidate was “too white and Jewish” to be selected. The alleged point is important because nothing has actually been proven – but pretty much everyone thinks all Muslims must be anti-semitic so its taken as gospel. I’ve been emailed more about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans over this saga but for legal reasons I can’t publish any of that. If the guy did say that obviously he is a racist idiot. Anyway – the story is all over the press and blogs – OMG didn’t I tell you all these nasty Muslims are evilllll and racist!?
A couple of years ago, when the Conservative candidate Ali Miraj, was doing the rounds trying to get selected by a seat, he was told by senior Tories: “Good luck Ali, but I would be shocked if they didn’t pick a White middle-class male.” — at the time of course he was told off for embarrassing his own party by bringing up allegations of racism. Neither the blogosphere nor the media was that upset by the saga.
More recently, when the Telegraph ran a hatchet job on Channel 4’s Aaqil Ahmed because he is seen as a “front-runner” for the religion job at the BBC, the Daily Mail followed it up with an even nastier story implying he was only getting it because of his colour and that he would end up marginalising Christians. Wait, I thought the Daily Mail was against such racism?
Then, I also wrote an article for Guardian CIF pointing out that the group Christian Concern For Our Nation had actually sent out a blatantly bigoted alert to its readers and subscribers. Bizarrely, no one picked that up. CCFON isn’t an obscure Christian group – it funded and supported the campaign by high-flying Tory MP Nadine Dorries to reduce abortion limits. Complete silence from the mainstream press and other blogs.
Have a good weekend amigos!
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Filed in: Media, Race politics
OH FFS.
OMG didn’t I tell you all these nasty whites are evilllll and racist!?
The hypocrisy reeks!
So you think if a WHITE politician had said “you’re Muslim and too Brown” you think it would be fucking all over the media? ANY hint of racism is jumped upon and hyper beyond recognition of the original incident. WOw, it happens to brown people too! It’s a shocker because for so many years it wasn’t accepted so much as it is now amongst certain types that yes, wow, brown people can be racist too.
Get a grip.
“Christianity Marginalised Again: BBC Set to Choose Muslim or Sikh to Head Religious Programming”
I fail to see how that is ‘bigoted’. How about accurate? FFS!
AS usual, seeking to minimise racism if it comes from the Protected Group, and seek to condemn to the gallows anybody who questions to such pomposity!
Mr Hundal,
With respect, there has not been ‘complete silence’ from other blogs on this matter. Unless you are purposely ignoring His Grace because it is inconvenient to the integrity of your polemic.
A Muslim in this particular BBC job causes His Grace no problems at all, as he has made clear, a Muslim may well even perform better than the Christians who have occupied that position.
Perhaps you could reconsider the limitations of your own perception, and diversify your sources of information. Or at least acknowledge that not all blogging Anglican Christians are of the same Telegraph mindset as the Rev George Pitcher.
Selective Outrage!! Jesus christ on a bike, I have never come across a blogger with more Selective Outrage than thou!
Perhaps you’re trying to wind people up on purpose, as you did with the Sri Lankan post. Crazy mo fo.
Why would a Labour candiadte go to the Daily Mail!!!!!!!!
Did she complain at the time or after she wasn’t selected?
If she feels she can do a good job for the community then she could run as an independant.
That said if he said that then its sad and incorrect but highlights the need to have better cross community dialogue.
Community tensions are still high after the Gaza issue and this may be a factor in reluctance of either side to see the other represent them.
Anyway, I hope the BBC decision makers give the job to the best man, not slyly to stick too fingers up to their political foes!
The most obvious choice is surely an agnostic??? How can a religious person be objective about his own religion and other religions? With incredible difficulty I’d imagine!
Marvin – do you actually ever read what people say or do you just jump into a rage on demand?
What he is highlighting is how the mainstream press portray racism.
Oh dear marvin – don’t you look like a chump after even Archbishop Cranmer came out smelling better than you.
Cranmer – respect where it’s due, at least you’re not swallowing the Telegraph’s bile. But what’s your objection, on the same grounds, to Tommy Nagra producing Songs of Praise? I thought you right-wingers were all of this view that people shouldn’t have to be represented by their racial and religious bretheren? Just look at how marvin is producing babies above as example of hypocrisy to this view. Why does that maxim always fall down when it comes to your own attitudes? Why can’t a Sikh make Songs of Praise?
Marvin: So you think if a WHITE politician had said “you’re Muslim and too Brown” you think it would be fucking all over the media?
You sound illiterate as well as dumb. I actually highlighted that example above and you ignored it completely. Wow.
Eh?
You said
“Good luck Ali, but I would be shocked if they didn’t pick a White middle-class male.” — at the time of course he was told off for embarrassing his own party by bringing up allegations of racism. Neither the blogosphere nor the media was that upset by the saga.
How is that the same? I woudln’t be surprised if they take a white middle class male? How racist is that? Virtually not at all. Unless you think Greg Dyke is incredibly racist for saying the BBC is ‘hideously white’? Some people would, the BNP would.
I think the post should not go to any religious person at all. For my thinking that defies logic altogether.
You wouldn’t give a member of the Conservative Party or the Labour party the position of controlling Political Affairs.
Marvin – “I think the post should not go to any religious person at all. For my thinking that defies logic altogether.
You wouldn’t give a member of the Conservative Party or the Labour party the position of controlling Political Affairs.”
Thats nonsense and implies that sensible people can’t keep a neutral position.
Mr Hundal,
His Grace thanks you for your graciousness.
There is a reasonable difference between a Muslim being appointed to head the BBC’s Religion and Ethics department, and a Sikh producing Songs of Praise.
Songs of Praise consists of inter alia prayer and worship: it is a context which requires an authentic spiritual appreciation of (if not paricipation in) an act of devotion to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.
British Sikhs are possibly the most tolerant and broad-minded of minority faiths, but most would find it unacceptable for a Christian to be appointed to a position of responsibility which purported to ‘praise’ the Guru Granth Sahib or in any sense to ‘produce’ worship of Waheguru in a gurdwara.
Mr Ahmed will be commissioning others to make documentaries and other programmes. But it is not remotely likely that he would appoint a Sikh to produce a programme about the Qur’an, for it would be unpalatable to a majority of Muslims. Neither would he commission a Hindu to produce a programme about Islamic worship, let alone appoint one to communicate the meaning of participation in a corporate expression of such an act of worship.
This is not an irrational bigotry, but the reality of a totally acceptable discrimination, for Sikhs do not worship in churches any more than Christians do in a gurdwara.
Inculturation and multi-faith ecumenism have limits. For His Grace, a Sikh producing devotional Christian worship touches that threshold.
Frankly Cranmer you talk nonsense. Most of the right wing produce programmes on Islam and do you complain? No you don’t.
Often these programmes are quoting Islamic law and matters of faith out of context. Do you complain? No as you regard this as free speech and importanbt for religious dialogue.
Did you complain about your Christian brethren producing Fitna?
But no you come here to complain about a Muslim leading the BBC on Religious programmes and Muslim who has done no favours to Muslims at Channel 4.
Some context!
If you bothered to do your research you’d know that some of the best programmes about another faith are produced by people of another faith. Many have won leading awards.
Also this whining is a departure of your own words when supporting the production of a film about the Qur’an by your Christian brother:
“There is great importance in the provision of freedom of expression. Without it, there would be no political or religious dialogue that would be meaningful or in any sense credible. There were references to Cranmer yesterday on a number of websites and prominent blogs, and the link from ConservativeHome referred to it being ‘a tribute to the UK that Fitna is freely hosted here’.”
So tell me why its ok for Christian to produce out of context work about Islam but Muslims can’t be relied upon to produce religious programmes for Christians?
Tell me why someone who Muslim who has a well established track record in religious programmes isn’t fit to produce religious programming for the BBC and some bloke with no such track record is to be supported in producing a work of extreme unbalance and you suggest that is important for religious dailogue?
So are you saying only your selected right wing friends are suitable for producing religious films? We’ve seen the quality of film you promote as a basis for religious dialogue!
If your sensibilities are touched by other people producing your religious content then why are they not touched by the nonsense spewed out by thy brethren about other faiths?
Here is a similar story that isn’t making Daily Mail headlines because its someone insulting Muslims:
http://www.24dash.com/news/Local_Government/2009-05-01-Conservative-councillor-facing-disciplinary-action-over-offensive-to-Muslims-and-women-email
Rather ironic that we have people whining but here is the evidence. a muslim alledgedly says somethign and its front page news. A tory councillor admits offensive email about Muslims and women and its all quiet on the right wing front!
Hey Cranmer did you cover this story? Did Dale? Did anyone – hell no!
LOL, is the Weekend Wind-up Marvin and see him go thread !?!
sikh songs of praise on the telly sounds like a good idea.
fug@15
Yes, why not? It would be intersting to see how the viewing figures went that sunday tea time too.
(I mean with alll the regular christians expecting the christian service and getting a Sikh one).
I have a cousin who stood for election as a councillour. He was told by people in his constituency that they would not be voting for him as he was a Paki and a Muslim. This was in a middle class suburban area.
There is still underlying racism in our society unfortunately.
Imran I don’t see what’s ’sensible’ about believing in magic and a supernatural being which is like everywhere all the time, which knows everything, who created everything, but is actually quite angry with his creations. He also watches them put millions of his creations in to ovens to gass them to death, and does nothing.
Oh yeah, and there’s also a bad version of this supernatural being, which tries to trick you and and is like really naughty.
It’s a kind of madness. Thankfully, in this day and age, for the vast majority of people don’t take this guff too seriously anymore. It’s largely benign, occasionally malignant, but mostly I’d say it’s just a kind of mental support system.
Buddhism is pretty cool, though. One day I might shave my head and go in live in a Shaolin monastery.
LOL, is the Weekend Wind-up Marvin and see him go thread !?!
I did wonder… :p
Archbishop Cranmer:
Mr Ahmed will be commissioning others to make documentaries and other programmes. But it is not remotely likely that he would appoint a Sikh to produce a programme about the Qur’an, for it would be unpalatable to a majority of Muslims. Neither would he commission a Hindu to produce a programme about Islamic worship, let alone appoint one to communicate the meaning of participation in a corporate expression of such an act of worship.
In fact at Channel 4 Tommy Nagra produced the Muslim programme Shariah TV for them – so it has happened
Furthermore, the point is that as an exec producer you get other specialists to do more specific and religious stuff… while you focus on the bigger picture. He’s not suddenly going to start taking SOP in a different direction is he, based on Sikh principles? Giving a programme religious direction is different to exec producing it.
Isn’t this post itself a selective outrage over bigtory? I fail to see a single line actually condemning the remarks!
This is getting a bit like CiF where the Guardian writers are clearly out of touch with the readers.
I fail to see a single line actually condemning the remarks!
You do indeed fail. Here’s a line in the first frigging paragraph of Sunny’s post:
If the guy did say that obviously he is a racist idiot.