hursday 5th of
October was national ‘Muslim Bashing Day’ in Britain,
with the media dominated by headlines casting them in a
negative light. It began with a story about a Muslim
police officer who asked to be excused from his duty of
guarding the Israeli Embassy during the bombing of
Lebanon, for fear of reprisals against his family. He
was accused of getting preferential treatment. The
verdict of a Muslim honour killing was highlighted and a
segment was reserved for a Bangladeshi woman who hung
herself and her two infants in Birmingham.
A Muslim taxi driver was fined
£1,400 for refusing to take a guide dog in his cab, an
“unclean” animal and local youths clashed with Muslims
in Windsor because a Pakistani dairy owner planned to
convert a disused building into a mosque. His dairy was
firebombed, but still, the victim was made to look like
the protagonist. There were the usual reports of Iran’s
non-compliance, with the threat of sanctions, and the
hundreds who die every day from sectarian violence in
Iraq. Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Baghdad
to emphasise the point.
|
Jack
Straw (b. 1946) |
But
Jack Straw stole the limelight when he asked Muslim
women to disrobe and remove their burkas. You never know
what a veil could be concealing, apart from a pretty
face. He says the hijab is a visible statement of
separation and an obstacle to good community relations.
Straw’s statement was a visible sign of intolerance and
a deliberate provocation, but he has the backing of
millionaire society girl Jemima Goldsmith. Other ethnic
minorities who wear ridiculous hats, peculiar hairstyles
and distinctive clothing were not singled out for
condemnation.
It was inevitable that the U.K
would follow the French in outlawing symbols of faith.
Jack Straw was only laying the groundwork for future
legislation. Differences were supposed to enhance our
multicultural society, now they are perceived as a
problem. Africans have dark complexions, an obvious sign
of difference; does Straw suggest they bleach their skin
to fit in? The Goths draped in black garments with
satanic emblems are also different and intimidating, but
if the media is to be believed, Muslims alone are a
threat and all potential terrorists.
Jack Straw was probably hoping
to incite a furious reaction, like the Pope, but Muslims
are just saddened by this latest assault on their
culture. I guess they are becoming accustomed to it.
Although Islamic issues were the exclusive focus of the
news on Thursday, this is now routine, but the most
ominous accusation of the day was that they are
preparing a ‘dirty bomb’ for reprisals against the West.
This indicates that a chemical or biological attack on a
major city is imminent. The conditioning process has
begun, contrived to implicate Muslims.
Friday’s news kept up the
momentum, regurgitating Straw’s contentious comments but
he went further, saying he wants Muslims to stop wearing
scarf’s altogether. Finally, Saturday’s front page
spread on the Daily Express blared ‘BAN THE VEIL’ in an
effort to outrage Muslims, as Jack Straw wishes and
predictably, ignoramuses are pulling them off women in
the street. The Times cover story was about the need to
speed up terror trials to prevent a log jam and The Sun
lead with, ‘hero soldiers’ hounded out of Windsor by a
Muslim mob.
We get the message, fear your
Islamic neighbours, but it must be Muslims who are most
afraid in this climate of frenzied hate. If it was Scots
who were the target of this tirade of abuse, being
taunted and humiliated for wearing kilts, playing
bagpipes and eating haggis, I would be burning inside
with resentment and ready to explode, but that is what
they want. Whether or not this is the straw to break the
camel’s back, the Secret Service will ensure that we get
another terror attack and I pity Muslims living in this
country and abroad when that happens.
