My position, as I’ve said previously when writing on knife crime, is that schools should have the right to make up their own policy. In some cases a kirpan may not be of consequence, in other cases a school may be worried that knife crime is out of control. There may even be cases where Sikhs are running around stabbing people – in which case a school may like to step in and put in a complete ban. I’m in favour of local decisions based on local conditions, simply because there is a danger of some Sikhs abusing the rules that govern usage of the dagger.

Jako from Frank Owen’s Paintbrush says:

Insisting that Sikhs should have the right to walk around with their ceremonial daggers – even in schools – certainly suggests the man is possessed by a religious arrogance of such massive proportions that there isn’t room for any other considerations.

Pity the BBC Asian Network didn’t bother finding an opposing point of view. I’m sure there’s a sensible Sikh out there willing to say that some of the more eccentric teachings of their faith should not be given privilege over the law of the land (and of course basic common sense).

The chances of finding a Sikh saying that the kirpan is “eccentric” are as low as the chances of a Sikh saying that the Gurus were idiots. Not. Going. To. Happen. I’m not particularly religious (I don’t follow Sikhism but I do say I have a Sikh heritage) but I wouldn’t go that far.

But there is a point about religion in the public space, and I think Dave Semple is spot on:

This principle is not at stake in this case. Quite the opposite. Thinking secularists would surely defend the right of anyone to do anything, provided that it was unlikely to result in harm or the coercion of any individual.

When Jako claims that ‘the more eccentic teachings of their faith should not be given privilege over the law of the land” I am at a loss to explain such anti-religious nonsense, a parody, almost, of real secularism. Just because something is a law does not justify it.

If we take the incident of the Sikh girl and her kara from a few years back, where no health and safety issues were at stake, the courts quite rightly ruled that to exclude her for wearing something so connected to her beliefs was discriminatory. So the law is not so uncomplicated as Jako thinks anyway.

Dave’s whole article is very worth reading. But I want to make a wider point here: there is a strain on the left that is militantly anti-religion, and not just pro-secularist. I’ve pointed out in the past that the National Secular Society also makes this mistake of conflating secularism with atheism and represents the latter view that a nuanced former view.

Politically, this means is that many lefties ends up pissing off people, especially Christians, who want to retain their religious identity in public. I don’t think religious people should get special treatment or be absolved of discrimination – but this misunderstanding of secularism really is a political liability.

If the left becomes anti-religion then we’ll never be able to build coalitions on many issues like fighting poverty, sustaining welfare programmes and get near any sort of power.

The case of Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s involvement in terrorism and the alleged maltreatment at Bargam Airbase in Afghanistan has somewhat transformed into a cause célèbre amongst Muslim communities in particular British Muslims of Pakistani origin who share the same geographical and cultural origin with her.

Ironically, non-Pakistani Muslims, especially Arab Muslims do not appear to be much concerned about the alleged sole female Al Qaeda operative bearing in mind the roots of Al Qaeda run deep within Arab societies.

I too, was initially appalled at reading the plight of the short statured woman who was allegedly kept under illegal confinement in Afghanistan for over 5 years before finally being produced in a US court of law. To everyone’s relief, she was finally put on trial in New York on terrorism related charges, including one involving an attempted shooting of a US Army guard by his own M16 rifle. She has since then been found guilty of this charge.

The illegal abduction by intelligence agencies, allegations of rape and torture during her detention and the ordeal her three young children were put through, all need further investigation and those responsible brought before the law for scrutiny and as a deterrent in future potential cases.

There is an increasing media hype accompanying the increasing blind public support steered and spearheaded by hardline Islamists, supported by human rights groups and followed by the token support lent by the secular leaning Pakistani government for Dr Siddiqui.

Unsurprisingly in Britain, unconditional support for her has also been extended by British figures such as Lord Nazir Ahmed, and many other Muslim groups.

However, looking beyond the hype a different and alarming story attempts to break through. The steadfast mental barriers of anti-US-imperialism and pro-Jihadi tendencies with a not-so-subtle dash of anti-Semitism is not allowing the Muslim communities to even consider any alternatives to her innocence when forming their judgments about Dr Siddiqui, who has appears to have attained the status of Mata Hari and Joan of Arc of this century.

Curiosity about this case led me to news articles and other stories about Dr Siddiqui which has presented a rather disturbing set of facts. Muslims across the world and in particular those who are campaigning for her release including Lord Nazir Ahmed and human rights groups must also bear in mind the following facts:

1. She was married to a person who bought night-vision goggles and body armour worth $10,000 allegedly for “big game hunting” in Pakistan. He himself subsequently narrates Aafia’s violent personality, extremist views and concerns over her involvement in Jihadi activities.

2. Her second marriage a mere 6 months after her divorce, was to Ammar al-Baluchi, also known as Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali who happens to be the nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (the 9/11 Conspirator) and a cousin of Ramzi Yousef who was convicted of the 1993 WTC Bombing. Al-Baluchi will be put on trail in New York for his involvement in mass terrorism.

3. During her stay in the US, the charities she was involved with were subsequently linked to the 1998 US Embassy bombings such as the Mercy International Relief Agency (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/24/aafia-siddiqui-al-qaida). She herself ran an Islamic Charity called Islamic Research and Teaching from her flat. These activities gained her access to criminals in local prisons (http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/whos_afraid_of_aafia_siddiqui/)

4. During the jury selection process Dr Siddiqui insisted on having all the jury members “DNA tested” to ensure that there were no Jews on the jury bench. Her similar statements in court are equally anti-Semitic.

So many coincidences do point towards an alarming and questionable trend associated with the Aafia’s past and personality, which should not be easily ignored when lending her unconditional support.

Perhaps her zeal for religious piety prompted her to take ill-conceived steps in support of fellow Muslims across the world. Due course of law certainly do not appear to have been followed whilst apprehending and interrogating her.

Such flawed processes must immediately be rectified if moral high ground has to be retained by those who claim to uphold values such as democracy and freedom.

Nevertheless, the treatment she has received in the form of an open trial and access to lawyers is most certainly a thousand-fold more humane than that suffered by the victims of Al Qaeda and Taliban’s actions, which results not only in loss of life, amputated limbs but also shattered personalities left scarred for life.

It’s time for Muslims to review their loyalty towards anyone and everyone who takes the name of Islam and who appears to be a victim.

The MP Shadowing Scheme is looking for 25 BME individuals from across the country to gain an invaluable insight into the roles and responsibilities of an MP. MP Shadows will spend six months shadowing high level MPs from the three main political parties.

In their role as Parliamentary Ambassadors, participants will also play a vital role helping to raise awareness amongst Black and minority ethnic communities about our democratic institutions.
Check out: http://www.obv.org.uk

Plan for anti-Muslim march blasted
Five men have been arrested after a Facebook site was set up declaring “all Muslims should be thrown out of Wales”. Around 150 people joined the group on the social networking site claiming they would march through the Rhondda Valleys to make their feelings known. The proposed march has been described as “mindless bigotry” by racial equality groups. But South Wales Police have now stepped in and arrested five men for religiously aggravated public order offences.

Sarah Palin fires up Tea Party faithful
My view – please, run Sarah run! I remember when her spectre first came up and Tories warned she was formidable while fake lefties warned us she was formidable too. She is – at energising Democrats and turning off Independents. She is among Obama’s best Republican weapons.

Sikh judge criticises banning of Kirpan
Sikhs should be allowed to wear their ceremonial daggers – known as Kirpans – to school and other public places, Britain’s first Asian judge has said. There have been a number of cases of Sikhs being refused entry to venues because they wear the Kirpan or other religious artefacts

Some fantastic official clips of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s huge UK concerts last October in conjunction with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in tribute to his late uncle, the great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, have finally surfaced on Youtube, so a selection is presented below along with a few more videos I thought it would be constructive to include. You can also read some reviews of the concerts at the end of this article.

”Jhoole Lal”, a tribute to Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (1177 – 1274), the most famous historical Sufi from Sindh and a friend of Baba Farid (the Punjabi Sufi whose hymns were later included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scriptures of Sikhism). Lal Shahbaz Qalandar was renowned for his message of mutual religious tolerance and friendship between Muslims and Hindus, and is still venerated by members of both groups in the subcontinent (video here).

”Kinna Sohna [Tenu Rab ne Banaya]” – “How beautiful God has made you” (English translation of the lyrics here)

”Jism Dhamakta”

BBC Asian Network presenter Nikki Bedi interviewing Rahat

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan singing “Sanu Ik Pal Chain Na Aave [Sajna Tere Bina]” – “I cannot find a moment’s peace, my beloved, without you” (English translation of the lyrics to the “Mustt Mustt” album version here)

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan singing a Sikh hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib promoting tolerance between people of different religions, sung in the Sufi ‘qawwali’ style; an English translation of the lyrics is displayed during the video, and can also be read under the expanded ‘Information’ section on the top right-hand-side, which contains a further explanation of the message and ideals involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWvEYprV7kI

Review of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s UK concerts in October 2009

From the Guardian: “The applause surges while the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra are still playing the final pages of Dum Mast Qalandar. By the close of this extraordinary concert by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, nephew of legendary Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, everyone is on their feet and cheering. “This isn’t just a concert,” says my neighbour. “It’s an act of worship.” She’s right.

Nusrat, who died in 1997, attained a level of success equal to that of Pavarotti, the Beatles or John Coltrane. Rahat (born, like his uncle, in Faisalabad, Pakistan) has the tough job of performing some of Nusrat’s best-known songs without coming across like a tribute act. He proves his suitability for the task within seconds, with a dazzling vocal cadenza that follows the epic orchestral opening of Kinna Sohna.

This is the first time that Nusrat’s music has been performed with an orchestra, and artistic director Tim Pottier throws everything into his orchestrations. He and fellow arranger Andrew Peggie keep the CBSO and conductor Michael Seal busy with bombastic brass, wayward woodwind, thundering timpani, Philip Glass-like repetition and lush romanticism. Rahat’s performance is similarly larger than life.

Pottier’s orchestral score for Yeh Jo Halka, Halka references both John Adams and Beethoven, while Peggie’s version of Jhoole Lal, Jhoole Lal is reminiscent of 1960s “big pop”. Some arrangements cry out for more space, however – such as the moment in Allah Hoo where the orchestra cuts out to leave Rahat’s syncopated vocals gloriously exposed.

Two songs feature Rahat’s band without the CBSO – a stomping Afreen Afreen and Akhiyan Udeek Diyan, which have the excitement and subtlety of a great jazz performance. But this is not a night for small gestures: the ecstatic response to the widescreen version of Dum Mast Qalandar is entirely deserved.”

A transcript of an interview with Rahat by The Asian Today a month before the concert tour, when he discussed his family background and his motivations for performing the concerts, can be read here.

Liz Jones makes a reasonable point about the sort of woman society idealises (ignore the article’s headline).

The Home Secretary is to reduce the number of student visas after continuing worries about abuses.

Concerns over the BBC Asian Network’s performance and cost has led to renewed calls for a change in which the channel is run. Campaigners want to see the network become more relevant to younger British Asians, with more features on things like homosexuality and mixed relationships.

Laura Woodhouse at The F-Word highlights the plight of asylum seekers who left their children behind, and who now want to be reunited with them.

Gracchi discusses the overlap between the Spanish and British empires.

Given the ongoing discussions about niqabs, burkhas and so on, along with some of the scaremongering caricatures of Muslims which are being promoted in some quarters, this may be a good time to mention Pakistan Fashion Week. It’s a major annual event involving Pakistani designers and high-end fashion shows in major cities such as Lahore and Karachi, where such fashion shows occur on a regular basis.

The most recent Pakistan Fashion Week was held last autumn, and was partly motivated by a deliberate decision on the part of the participants to defy the recent attempts of Islamist extremists & militants to “Talibanise” the country. Hopefully the information below should further challenge stereotypes about Muslims in that part of the world, at least where the more affluent and/or progressive sections of Pakistani society are concerned.

Along with the designers, all of the models are also Pakistani.

A short documentary segment by CNN:

And a slideshow by Time magazine.

Interested readers can find detailed articles about the event here and here.

With the continued growth of white-racist and Islamist groups, this is sadly not surprising. I suspect that better and more comprehensive reporting of anti-semitic incidents has played a part in the long-tem rise in recorded incidences, given that previously it has been more difficult to identify hate crimes (as distinct from crimes not motivated by things like race, religion or disability), and people might not have known about the CST. A greater focus on the internet also contributed, with the CST recording a 431% increase of abusive e-mails/blog comments.

Yet even with all these statistical caveats, the situation still paints a grim picture. Morons, bigots and the rest of their ilk still feel the need to attack people based on their religion. Some of the attacks are doubtless down to plain old bigotry (they are different from us, and are weak); others due to the inability to separate out an eight year old Jewish girl from the Israeli army; then there are those that are motivated by the special place that the Jews occupy in the conspiracy theory world.

I just hope 2010 is a better year.

A reader emails in to say:

Hi there Sunny
Love the ad for The Inde to try to prevent the ghastly Liddle being inflicted on us. Thank you for this campaign. I am very impressed that a possible donation may be made to victims of domestic violence and abuse.

May I suggest an addition to the reasons why he shouldn’t be editor and to the list of his vile statements, please? I haven’t seen anyone pick up on something he said at the same time as the ’smoking at Auschwitz’ quote, which reveals him to be not only grossly racist, sexist and misogynist, but bigoted against disabled people.

He remarked that the concentration camp was ‘festooned’ not only with no smoking signs, but with disabled access ramps.

Irony, or what? Given the fate of countless disabled people at the merciless hands of the nazis … there was equality there, for sure – being considered equal to other categories of humanity deemed worthless – ‘useless eaters’ – and therefore unworthy of life.

This man is so stupid, so arrogant, so egocentric – words fail me. Keep up the good work!

Sincerely
*******

Fair comment I’d say… no?

A secularist group has lodged an official complaint against Cherie Booth QC after she spared a man from prison because he was religious. Shamso Miah, 25, of Redbridge, east London, broke a man’s jaw following a row in a bank queue.

Sitting as a judge, Ms Booth – wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair – said she would suspend his sentence on the basis of his religious belief.

His religion is completely unimportant in this sense and this is a completely idiotic decision that will only further give the impression that Muslims are afforded special rights that others are denied. Cherie Booth must either hate Muslims or smoking something. What a fuck up.

Update: MTPT has a more measured and legalistic view. He makes a good point that the custodial sentence and the unpaid work punishment is along the lines of what is legally handed out anyway.

But the point isn’t that. The point is that for the likes of the Daily Mail and right-wing blogs – this is an easy to way to further the narrative that Muslims get special treatment. And so it feeds into existing prejudice and frankly I’d have hoped our judges had more braincells to realise how this may be interpreted by others.

A roadside bomb killed three U.S. soldiers and partly destroyed a girls’ school in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday in an attack that drew attention to a little-publicized American military training mission in the al-Qaida and Taliban heartland.
…
The blast also killed three schoolgirls and a Pakistani soldier who was traveling with the Americans. Two more U.S. soldiers were wounded, along with more than 100 other people, mostly students at the school, officials said.
…
The explosion flattened much of the school, leaving books, bags and pens strewn in the rubble. “It was a horrible situation,” said Mohammad Siddiq, a 40-year-old guard at the school. “Many girls were wounded, crying for help and were trapped in the debris.”

Siddiq said the death toll would have been much worse if the blast had occurred only minutes later because most of the girls were still playing in the yard and had not yet returned to classrooms, some of which collapsed.

Completely sickening, but then this has been happening for a while in Pakistan and the media hasn’t really noticed. This is also the reason why I support forcing the Pakistani establishment to confront the menace that is Al-Qaeda and the Taliban – and withdraw institutional support.

Even if the Americans leave the terrorists will still want to take power and they will continue to bomb schools and kill innocent people until they get their way.

After watching last night’s Newsnight, I can only come to one conclusion: the BBC has become this country’s most pernicious climate-change-denying media outlet in the UK.

There is simple reasoning behind this grand statement. While the assorted commentators who regularly spout ill-informed propaganda across the media are usually taken with a pinch of salt, the BBC is broadly trusted as an impartial and trustworthy reporter of news. It sets the agenda. Which makes the rubbish it has been producing lately on climate change even more dangerous.

Let me start by saying I believe that man-made activity is the prime driver behind global warming. I don’t have time for tinfoil-hat-wearing conspiracy nuts who think it is one big plot by scientists across the world. I do believe CC deniers are no different to 9/11 Truthers. But that point is moot while we focus on the country’s biggest culprit.

Read the rest here. Predictably the comments followed in four strands:

1) WTF? Don’t you know global warming is bullshit?
2) WTF?! BBC showing right-wing bias? You’re smoking crack
3) Why do you deranged, lunatic, tax-raising, commie loving, hippy-loving, oil company-funded bastards use such nasty, polarising language against us? Why??? You should be strung up!
4) Me and my tinfoil-hat wearing commenter mates think your credibility is shot to pieces. No one will ever employ you again!!

I was baiting them all evening but unfortunately the CIF crew closed the thread. Perhaps we can continue here?

Update: Mehdi Hasan at New Statesman piles in:

There is nothing more infuritating than the BBC’s earnest and often misplaced quest for “balance” on settled issues like climate change, which often has the effect of tilting its coverage to the right.

Yup.

Dr. Mitu Khurana is a brave woman. She struggled against her husband and her in-laws years ago when she was pregnant. They slipped eggs into her food, knowing she was allergic to them. Other times they denied her food and water. Her crime? To have become pregnant with two daughters and refused to abort them. In August 2005 she gave birth, but the pressure did not stop. It was suggested that she give her children up for adoption, while her mother-in-law once shoved her then four month old daughter down the stairs.

In March 2008 Dr. Mitu was thrown out of her house by her husband, who is also a doctor. The next month she went back to their home only to discover that while ill (and in hospital), doctors had illegally performed a test to determine the sex of the foetus. Sex determination tests are illegal in India, as a response to the major imbalance between the sexes. There are 107 men for every 100 women in India, which translates to a gap of tens of millions. This is largely the result of abortion and the killing of female children. Many women go along with these tests, or even instigate them, but Dr. Mitu did not stay silent. She spoke out and filed a complaint with the Women’s Commission and various NGOs, and became the first woman to file a complaint under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act in Delhi.

Her case soon became a cause celebre and was widely covered in the Indian media. Yet she still fears for the safety of her daughters. As Rita Banerji, the founder and chief administrator of The 50 Million Missing: A Campaign Against India’s Female Genocide (an NGO) pointed out to me:

It is interesting that when the media in India covers Mitu’s case they hover around the hospital gates or her in-laws house. The logical thing to do would be to go to the courts and the government offices for those are the offices with authority to implement laws and book violators. But the media does not approach them — and the reason I am told is that the government does not want to answer to cases like this!

Since Dr. Mitu launched her case, she has been harassed and has had to fight every step of the way in order to get the authorities to do what they are supposed to. When she spoke to a senior official he tried to stop her:

Before filing the case I had met Dr Puneet Bedi, a member of the Core Monitoring Committee. He did not take me seriously. Also, he warned me that if I file a case, the concerned hospital, where the sex determination was done without my knowledge, would threaten and offer me bribes and I would be forced to settle the case with my husband and close it.

Some politicians in Delhi are sympathetic, but she still has to struggle against a mentality that values boys over girls. Her husband and his family have yet to be charged with anything, and her daughters are still at risk. A high court judge even tried to get her to reconcile with her husband, despite the threat of violence against her children. Other people, including some workmates, have also encouraged her to drop the case. One person told her to continue to get pregnant until she has a son for her husband.

Now her husband and in-laws are after her daughters. For a long while they wanted nothing to do with the young girls, but late last year her husband filed a custody case. Dr. Mitu believes that they only want custody as a way of putting pressure on her to drop her other cases. Her daughters currently live with her, and the case will be decided on 20th February. If the court rules in favour of the father, Dr. Mitu fears she will never see her daughters alive again.

To support Mitu, please contact the Indian embassy to make your views known, or leave messages on this website.

The Monk Exchange
Strutton Ground
London
SW1H 0HW

Guido Fawkes; Jonathan Isaby of Conservative Home; Sunny Hundal of Liberal Conspiracy & Mick Fealty of Slugger O’Toole

… will join mainstream media journalist Nick Cohen to discuss whether political blogging is actually making any difference to the course of political events.

Moderated by Jack of Kent. Hosted by the Westminster Sceptics posse!

By constantly criticising their traditions and beliefs and insisting they be more like the rest of us, aren’t we breaching our own hallowed principle of live and let live? Far from Muslims failing to be good Europeans, isn’t it Europe that is acting illiberally and giving a raw deal to its Muslim citizens?

You can sign up for the free event here.

Speakers for the motion:
Tariq Ramadan: Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University whose work concerns the position of Islam in the modern Western world
Petra Stienen: Dutch former diplomat with long experience in the Arab world

Speakers against the motion:
Douglas Murray: Author and Director of the Centre for Social Cohesion

Final speaker to be confirmed
Chair:
Zeinab Badawi: BBC World News presenter

Britain needs a U.S.-style national security adviser to report to Prime Minister Gordon Brown on terrorist threats, a committee of lawmakers said Tuesday in a report that made unusually sharp criticisms of the country’s approach to security. Parliament’s Home Affairs select committee said Britain’s government had been too slow to adapt to an evolving threat from terrorism and complained that key strategic decisions are often made in informal meetings, rather than by a publicly accountable security panel.

The bizarre thing is that I’ve not seen any of this coverage here. But yes, I think that’s a good idea. The committee is led by Keith Vaz, believe it or not. He’s not just sitting around looking for the next video game to ban.

In its report, the committee said it had until recently been unaware of the weekly security meeting. “The lack of public awareness of its existence is troubling,” the lawmakers said. “The public have a right to know who is protecting them from terrorist threats and in turn, those protecting the public should expect to be accountable.”

Britain’s system of control orders, a system of curfews used to curtail the movements of terror suspects who can’t be brought to trial without revealing sensitive intelligence, is no longer appropriate, the committee said. “It is fundamentally wrong to deprive individuals of their liberty without revealing why,” the panel’s report added.

In fact I can’t disagree with any of those recommendations. Interestingly, the Tories plan to set up a US style department of Homeland Security here – which may be the only useful idea in their manifesto. There are several reasons, mentioned above, why such a specific dept would be useful. Now. Any thoughts on why it may not be a good idea?

One dancer said it all: “I tried to watch. I don’t mind them being critical of ‘Incredible India’, which does not look after its poor. But these guys were clueless, flying in and taking over our stories and realities. I object to that.”
…
We now have black and Asian newsreaders but note that after 30 years Newsnight has had no black interrogator. Multiracial casting in soaps and drama is now common and top roles do now go to black and Asian actors – Adrian Lester in Hustle, Nina Wadia in EastEnders. Yet watch The Bill and Midsomer Murders – two very different worlds – and almost all the actors are white.
…
Black and Asian Britons are still not considered good enough when it comes to witty shows. The same old, same old white comedians appear on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Argumental, QI, Mock the Week. Omid Djalili, Shappi Khorsandi and Shazia Mirza do gain entry and maybe a couple of others, but night after night after night, like Alan Davies? Of course not. Go on the comedy circuit and you get the many faces of our laughing nation, from hilarious Sikhs to outrageously un-PC Muslims and Zimbabweans.
…
Why are we still having to bang on about the obvious? Laziness, nepotism, a self-limiting circle of contacts and information, lack of curiosity and humility and most of all the hubris that defines and holds back British TV.

The last bit is true, and applies to the media industry as a whole, but it is also what will kill the industry. So while Y A-B is spot on about most of the stuff in that article, she still has too much regard for the TV industry in a way I don’t.

I sometimes watch news television, which is now also very formulaic – but the idea that the next generation is going to be defined by this closed industry no longer holds true. Oh and the bit about the Indian Winter is bang on too.

POLICE have arrested a bus driver who allegedly called a woman passenger a Muslim terrorist and asked her if she had put a bomb on his bus. An investigation was launched by First Buses in Leeds after Turkish-born Hatice McGraffin, 29, claimed a driver made the inflammatory remarks as she boarded her bus on Thursday morning.
…
Mrs McGraffin, 29, from Otley, who is married to Englishman Ian, said the incident had left her horrified and devastated. Cafe worker Mrs McGraffin claimed he said: “You are an Islamic terrorist – you have put a bomb on the bus’. I asked people on the bus ‘are you listening to this’ but they ignored me.

“I am not even a practicing Muslim and I am married to an Englishman. I got off the bus and went to work but I couldn’t work. I was crying so much and my hands were shaking, I had to go home.”

Bizarrely enough, none of the national newspapers thought this story merited any attention. Imagine if the religions were reversed however.

British Muslims for Secular Democracy (bmsd) and the British Council invite you to: ‘Free Muslims: Autonomy and Creativity‘
SOAS Brunei Gallery, Thornhaugh Street, London
Tuesday 16th February 2010
10am to 2pm

We know that in certain Muslim homes, children are strongly discouraged from partaking in drama, art and music. This message is reverberating in schools across Europe. Fourteen hundred years of Islamic contributions to art, culture, literature, and history have been pushed aside in favour of a hardline interpretation of religion that denies the legitimacy of any form of artistic expression whatsoever.

So far, the debate on extremist ideologies has focused on politics and theology, but the cultural side has been ignored. BMSD are organising a half-day open conversation to explore this in further detail, with support from the British Council. It is hugely stifling to deny so many people – especially children – access to the arts and humanities, and this has serious implications for their personal and social development.

Various artists and cultural commentators will be invited from Britain and other parts of the world. BMSD Chair Yasmin Alibhai-Brown will chair the event, working alongside Catherine Fieschi, Director of Counterpoint at the British Council.

Confirmed speakers include:
Razia Iqbal, special correspondent, BBC News, and former BBC senior arts correspondent
Tahmena Bokhari, professor, social worker and activist who won the Mrs Pakistan World title in 2010
Saira Khan, businesswoman and former Apprentice star
Ayesha Tammy Haq, corporate lawyer and organiser of Pakistan’s Fashion Week
Joan Smith, novelist and human rights activist
Anwar Akhtar, Director of new online culture and politics magazine “The Samosa” and former Director of the Richmix Cultural Centre in East London
Salman Siddiqui, Co-Chair of the Muslim-Jewish theatre company MUJU

The report cites interviews with rightwing extremists to try to prove a link between what is published in the mainstream media and the anti-Muslim views held by extremists.

It says: “An experienced BNP activist in London explains that he believes that most BNP supporters simply followed the lead set by their favourite tabloid commentators that they read every day. When these commentators singled out Muslims as threats to security and social cohesion, he says that it was perfectly natural for BNP supporters to adopt the same thinking.” The report says the extreme right are directing their violence more against Muslims than black or Asian Britons.
…
It cites other cases of rightwing extremists preparing hate campaigns and of serious attacks on Muslims in Britain.

These included: “Neil Lewington, a violent extremist nationalist convicted in July 2009 of a bomb plot; Terence Gavan, a violent extremist nationalist convicted in January 2010 of manufacturing nail bombs and other explosives, firearms and weapons; a gang attack in November 2009 on Muslim students at City University; the murder in September 2009 of Muslim pensioner, Ikram Syed ul-Haq; a serious assault in August 2007 on the Imam at London Central Mosque; and an arson attack in June 2009 on Greenwich Islamic Centre.”

I wish someone spent more time documenting examples of far-right attacks in the UK because the media constantly plays them down.

Amusingly, Melanie Phillips, in responding to the study, is annoyed that it doesn’t mention Jews!

Conversely, the authors make no acknowledgement of where truly false and irresponsible reporting has indeed inflamed violence against a vulnerable British minority. The way the British media reports the Middle East incites irrational hatred not just of Israel but also Jews in general. This reporting takes the form of false claims about Israel’s aggressive and illegal behaviour, medieval-style blood libels that Israel deliberately kills Palestinian children, and conspiracies between Israel and America to put the world’s security at risk.

… note how she conflates Israel and Jews generally. There is of course a significant Muslim/Arab minority in Israel.