I would feel a lot more comfortable if Jack Straw were to take off his tie. I find it altogether too divisive, Anglo-Saxon and with its undertones of imperialist, colonialist superiority – intimidating and divisive. Moreover, I think he should remove his glasses. I find the reflections make it hard to maintain eye contact and are therefore a barrier to effective communication. In fact, if he were to don the niqab (see picture), I would feel a lot more comfortable talking “face-to-face” with him.
What on earth is it with the politicians and editors with the continual Muslim-bashing? Of all people, Jack Straw? I would find his comments quite reasonable as part of a debate, in an atmosphere that wasn’t so currently volatile. It’s his timing this is utterly absurd. As for all the racist sheep who are jumping on the meatwagon, I would like to know how quickly they would have been dismissed by their superiors (I mean dismissed right out of public office) if they were making such unnecessary, unhelpful and uninformed observations about Jews.
What’s next; pointing out that the colour of our skin is a barrier? It would only be stating the obvious – that the colour of our skin has become a barrier. With a Muslim-owned building under siege from petrol-bombing racist louts in Windsor (how symbolic) and other Muslim buildings, including mosques set ablaze or otherwise attacked, tension is already running high and the streets are, erm, white-hot.
I should point out that the Asians in Windsor seem to be holding their own, but boys, I gotta tell ya, in a fight between 1.5 million and 60 million, the smaller group tends to come off worst. It sounds like the police are handling that situation better than the Bradford riots, where they let racists kick the living shit out of a freshly stabbed Asian kid, but one stone thrown by a single Asian youth with no prior was punished with a 5 year jail sentence. Others were not so lucky. They got equally long sentences for spectating.
Have race relations moved on? No, I don’t think so. Racism now goes all the way to the top. To Tony Blair himself who is committed to fighting a Crusade against the Evil Ideology of Islam.
Many of these racist, bigoted, imperalist, post-colonialist hangover attitudes towards the veil are based on a perverted, inverted form of mysogyny. The facts are that Muslim women who wear the full veil, or niqab represent a small minority of a small minority of women in this country. For him to make political capital over a tiny minority issue is absurd, especially considering the abysmal record the West has in equality of the sexes where it counts – in the pay-cheque. People who buy into the absurd accusations of sexism against Islam could do worse than look at the fact that women still get anywhere from 15% to 44% less than their male counterparts. In Iran? No. In Britain.
Sort out the big problems Jack, then try and understand the community that represents 25% of your constituency before coming out with hatefully timed, political-agenda-laden whitewash (great word) at a time you know you’ll be getting lots of scared and racist support.
Gender equality in the workplace only became law in this country 30 years ago. Unfortunately, the reality shows that women don’t get paid the same as men 30 years later.
It speaks volumes of a society that thinks nothing of women selling their naked bodies to worldwde television audiences, but finds itself in uproar when women choose to dress modestly, or in the case of the niqab, ultra-modestly. We have become so accustomed to the sight of a naked woman, like a commodity, a piece of meat, that the image of a woman whose facial features are not visible is not just shocking, but actually strikes fear and hatred into the hearts of what used to be known as the “moral majority”. A motorcyclist with a full-face helmet on the other hand, is perfectly acceptable. Hmm….there’s a thought…
Personally, I don’t agree with the necessity of the niqab, but I respect the right of women to wear it and contrary to the pervasive myth, it is actually the choice of most Muslim women who wear it, to wear it. Thanks to insensitive and high profile outbursts from Jack Straw and his band-of-bruders in the political arena, more women will wear it in defiance. More than at any time, Muslims, realising that they are being overtly marginalised, will continue to re-affirm their faith through dress and their voice.
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The last 2 paragraphs of your entry perfectly reflect my thoughts on the subject. I just wanted to say, thank you for articulating it for me.
I continuously worry about where all of this is taking us. Where are we headed?
Rubb Rakha!
Muslims, realising that they are being overtly marginalised, will continue to re-affirm their faith through dress and their voice.
True. It’s also true today Islam is being read/researched/read/talked/accepted more due to anti_Islam forces rather preaching by Muslims.
Apparently, telling adults what to wear now constitutes political debate for New Labour. Whatever.
Well, amid all the brown stuff flying around, the most creative attack I’ve heard against the niqaab has got to be the one I heard on Galloway’s Talksport show last night. It went something like this: the only reason these women wear veils and all the other clobber is to cover up all the scars and bruises! I mean where on earth do these people get off!
And, hey, while we’re all insisting these days on unveiling everything, why has the gutter press (at least to my knowledge) not mentioned the fact Jack’s brother was convicted not long ago for sexually assualting a 16 year old woman. Yeah, imagine juxtaposing those two stories on the front page of the Daily Mail?
Over and out
Sohail
Shahid, an impeccable post! Seriously qualifies as one of your best. I can’t thing of adding anything more to it as you’ve addressed the issue so aptly from all relevant angles..
Well done mate!!
Well done, well thought out and well written. Congrats on a wonderful article.
“A motorcyclist with a full-face helmet on the other hand, is perfectly acceptable”
Uhm. Try walking into a bank or other public place with one on. There are even signs telling you to take them off. And I don’t know of any teacher wearing one in class. There even used to be an advert for cold-sore remover that showed a woman wearing one in different situations – it made her look ridiculous.
Sorry but it’s a cultural thing. Western people like to see the face of the person they’re talking to and this is very deeply ingrained. Look at executions – the victim had their face covered to spare the feelings of the executioner/s. The KKK, cover their faces to illicit fear, criminals to do that and protect identities. And do you remember the furore about “hoodies”? There’s even books and folklore about the faceless man, this is how deep it runs. The only exceptions are the telephone and radio when there’s no physical presence of the person you’re talking to. But apart from these very special exceptions it is a big thing in this society that revealing your face is good manners. As a matter of course I take off sunglasses to talk to people – and yes sometimes my reading glasses aswell. It’s automatic. I couldn’t not do it.
Further the proud statement of religion, in Britain at least, is generally frowned upon. It’s seen as “earnest” and it’s not liked. Small religious symbols are allowed but huge “in-your-face” ones aren’t tolerated. So you see the full veil falls foul of two very strong rules in British culture. Now no doubt someone will mention Sikhs wearing turbans, but this for the British is basically (sorry about this) a hat. And for a long time all men wore hats so there isn’t realy the same problem. It does falls foul of one rule (religious earnestness) but not the other (concealing the face). And since very few Britons have any inkling of what Sikhism is, but think they do of Islam, the religious earnestness rule is only barely broken, where-as the full veil breaks it big time. Further the Sikh minority in Britain is generally seen to be less vocal than the Muslim one (thus complying with the unwritten rule of “guests shouldnt make a fuss”) and hence will not reap the same whirlwind of intolerance. Now I’m not saying this is a justified perception – but it DOES exist; and unfortunately Muslims at the moment are paying the same price for identifiable difference as did the Jews and Catholics in the past.
Stinks doesn’t it.
moflard – your response is the most sensible exposition on the veil in Britain that I’ve read thus far. Perhaps you should be Prime Minister – you’d get my vote!
There seems to be two polar views: one that says that it is okay for me to wear a niqab because I do not wish to reveal myself to strangers. One that says that the niqab is a foreign dress and is discomfitting to strangers.
Isn’t there a middle ground? It makes sense that a woman should be allowed to wear a niqab by choice in public, where communication with strangers is not necessitated. But, does it make sense for women to cover their faces while teaching? I think standards have to be set for professions that are based on communication, including teaching, which ban clothing that covers the face. Facial expressions are just as important as the voice in teaching children.
Just take the court ruling today on a teaching assistant, Aishah Azmi, who wears the niqab as an example. Azmi can’t be an effective teacher if she hides such important visual cues as her face from her students. If you disagree with this remark, consider this.
Extensive research on early child development has demonstrated infants develop their social skills by watching adults in their surroundings. Imagine that a day-care assistant covers her face while attending to a three or four-year old. The child’s social development is at risk. As a teacher, you accept partial responsibility for a student’s learning.
I wonder what if teachers were allowed to wear hijabs, and not niqabs, to school? There is a line that can be drawn here because the former close off another line of communication and the latter does not. I think the Muslims must make it clear where it stands on this issue, because ultimately, the choice for change lies with them.
Sorry Irish citizen not British. And I can’t honestly say that power wouldn’t corrupt me. Oh but it could be fun finding out. Blair on trial for high-treason with “hang-drawing and quartering” brought back just for him! Blunkett and Reidf in holding cells for years without charge and “non-torture” interogations. Milliband eating agricultural waste-products. Oh and closing ALL American military bases in the isles. Ah happy thoughts.
But seriously there’s a great book out “Watching the English” by Kate Fox which is an anthropological examination of English culture. Absolutely fantastic and a must-read for anyone trying to figure this weird lot out.
Also look out for “Conformity and Conflict” another anthropology text with a great examination of the dynastic/quasi-royalist structures behind American “democracy”.
TO MOFLARD, LISSEN LOVE TO ME AT THE MOMENT UR GOING ON LIKE A BLOODY PEICE OF LARD SO FRANKLY SHAT IT!!…WOULD U LIKE IT IF I TOLD U TO GET NIKKED ONLY BECUZ I HAVE TO SEE A MAN COCK ITS CALLED GOOD MANNERS IN MY COUNTRY!!..THE ONLY REASON JACK STRAW WANTS VEILS OFF IS SO HE CAN HAVE A GOOD LOOK AT WHAT HE CANT HAVE THE FUCKING PERV!!!!, I DONT LIKE THE WAY NUN’S DRESS IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IM LIVING IN 1765!! IM SORRY BUT UR ALL JUS STARTING 2 PISS ME OFF!. THE TRUTH IS YES WE EAT THE SAME FOOD AS U OURS IS JUS SPICY, WE DRIVE THE SAME CARS AS U- FINE THEY MAYB NISSANS, AND WE BREATHE THE SAME AIR AS YOU!! U PEOPLE HAVE GOT RID OF UR OWN MORALS AND FAMILY VALUES WHAT SO U WANT US 2 DO THE SAME! U AVIN A LAUGH!!
if you scum want to wear your fucking veils piss off back to your own country.
England has done alot to make you shits feel accepted here, your allowed to wear your robes, weve built you mosques etc and you still fucking moan.
If I went to a muslim country id have to dress your way so you should do it over here.
Quit your moaning you paki bastard and feel grateful that you live in a country where women arnt stoned to death and made to feel inferior by males.
If your not happy here fuck off back you bastards
I must agree with Combat18 to a certain degree. He states that he feels this country is being overrun by you muslims. You do not own this country, it is not your country, the reality is you are our guests & as such you sould abide by our rules. You will probably say ‘I’m British, I was born here’ so, by that definition, if a dog is born in a stable, does that make it a horse? No. The rules of society do not have to be stated, per se, as they are evident in the cultural norms & behaviours constantly surrounding us all constantly. When in rome do as the romans, & you are welcome to stay, try to bring your native culture (incidentally, the culture you/your parents left their home country to GET AWAY FROM) over here & you are not welcome & would be advised to leave this land immediately. There is a growing sense of uneas & injustice on the part of native Britons & a growing sense that (& this may or may not be own belief) that there is a purge coming in which the majority may be compelled to destroy the minority. Respect our ways & we will respect you. Disrepect our ways & you will most likely reap the wirlwind, the seeds of which you sow with your disrespect. I have said all I need to say, but it wouldn’t surprise me if you delete this text because I know you lot (along with the pathetic white liberals that permeate the corridors of power in this country) can’t take criticism.
@ Mariah
So explaining WHY something causes offense, trying to have a reasoned debate, is now offensive? You do know don’t you that one of the main charges being leveled by racists against Muslims is just that, don’t you – an inability to join debate in the larger society without screaming “RACIST!” and burning flags? Taking offense at the slightest excuse, and proudly proclaiming hatred of a society that’s taken them in? Well done – you’ve just proved them all right, at least in your miserable case. Oh you must be so proud.
Oh and BTW – we don’t eat the same foods; I just had a full english breakfast – consisting mainly of pork, a mainstay of European diets for thousands of years.
hahahahahah ur a fucking nerd then aint ya… all im saying is we dont owe u ppl jack shit, our parents have payed back this country fair and square, anyway i really dont care what u guys think, coz at the end of the day its still me living in this country and thier aint much u can do about it other than bloody moan, so just carry on doing what ur good at coz really it isnt having any kind of affect on me. The reason y we we scream racism out is , coz thats just it ur a bunch of fucking racists, u go on about livivng in this very much developed country the way u think r still like ur living in the 70’s, i mean come onnn i can understand y it was a problem then, but for it 2 b a problem now is just way beyond me. ooo just coz im bit tanned compared to the average pink man yes ur not white mate ur pinkkkkkkkk, means ur better than me- bull shit. the way white ppl go on im looking into converting to the nation of islam!! coz i definatly agree with thier theory on THE WHITE RACE ..oh as for combat 18 women being stoned to death!! them days r long gone the same way their long gone in this country. so dont make it out as if this country gives woman equality – does it bollocks!, this country aint done jack for women thats y their still fighting to get equal pay…lmao, In somewhere like pakistan ur bound to come across more women in parliament jobs then ther r in britain, what does that tell you?…
ps: The West talk of women’s liberation, is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her honour and degradation of her soul. The Western society which speaks of upgrading the status of women in Islam, have actually reduced her status to concubines, to mistresses, to society butterflies, which are mere tools in the hands of sex marketers and pleasure seekers, which are disguised behind the colorful screen of art and culture.
@ Mariah the troll
You’re realy just a stupid little racist aren’t you. Goodbye.
yeh i just joined ur club
to all anti-Viel guys, if this verbal masturbation can produce some sperms of intellectuality then we must all support you.
There are many comments in your article which will have your regular readers in some kind of non-alcoholic stupor, but will not make a slight impact on any rational, non-muslim reader. For example, you claim:
“I would like to know how quickly they [Jack Straw] would have been dismissed by their superiors (I mean dismissed right out of public office) if they were making such unnecessary, unhelpful and uninformed observations about Jews”
First, only Jack Straw’s constituents have the right to dismiss him from public office. Second, as a matter of culture, Jews, atheists, Christians etc generally don’t present such blatant differences between themselves and the rest of British society by wearing things like balaclavas or veils. For religious, cultural or individualistic reasons, the veil simply present a barrier to communication and integration that glasses do not present; many people feel uncomfortable with this and have the right to say so.
And lets face it. its not as if racism and bigotry, especially religious bigotry is not restricted to the UK or the West… lets not forget that the gov’t of Afghanistan was going to sentance a man to death for nothing more than worshipping Christianity
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1734776,00.html
Accusing Tony Blair of racism for describing Al Q’aeda’s brand of Islam as an evil ideology, is simply wrong. He was referring to the fact that Al Q’aeda is prepared to target innocent civilians most of whom would NOT have supported things like the Iraq war. The UK military does not target civilians in such a way.
I am sick of you fucking non white go back to where you came from if you are not happy. Moaning fucking load of idiots. If you were back in your country you would be loving in a mud hut.
Fuck off you muslims are racists!!! Go home if you are not happy. Asking people to wear veils get to fuck back to your shit hole country’s. We are British if you don’t like it get to fuck!!!
Niquab where the whole body of the female (not the male, as they deem themselves superior and okay to wear modern hairstyles and whatever they want on the body and they canfreely expose the face and head etc). Total control of women and should be outlawed in civilsed countries If men cannont deal with it then they need to move back to where they came from. I dont want this in my country.
Juliette! what do you know about the Niqab!?! Learn to learn before you learn to write.
you know nothing. ‘dont want this in my country’..unfortunately, no country has a racial identity no more. Britain is as much ‘theirs’ as it is ‘yours’. They pay their taxes as much they you do. The ones that dont, dont pay like the white british dont. fair and square.
plus, think about it, the more women covered up…the less competition you face. LOL. stupid i know, but about as stupid as your stupid comment.
a weak statement. weak.
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