Muslims & Multiculturalism
16-October-2006
permalink email thisJack Straw's entrance into the right wing debate on multiculturalism and Muslims has little to do with the veil and has the opposite impact is being pushed in terms of opening up the so called debate....
I have been intending to post my view in the recent media coverage of the wearing of the veil but time pasted... I struggle with the logic and Jack Straw (MP) should be far more aware of the situation (he is loosing the Asiam vote due to the war on Iraq/Afganistan and no voice on Lebanon so why kick even harder). The response seemed calculated from the Labour government and I guess to some extent well discussed way before the public comments from Jack Straw. Such comments increase the atmosphere of Islamaphobia and anti-Muslim racism in the country. The follow up in the context of wider issues of citizenship also has the potential of moving the country towards models being pushed in other European countries and away from what is still a more pluralist rather than secular approach here in the UK. In England we now see the situation of the Liverpool woman having a veil ripped off, woman suspended from working in a school for wearing a veil and racist attacks near many Mosques. I thought we had open views in the UK and legislation that is intended to protect from religious prejudice and the Race Relations Act. We should keep with the Multiculturalism and celebrate the diversity that it has enabled through positive anti-discriminatory action.... Northen towns such as Blackburn have no problems in community relations but have significant economic deprivation. This is the challenge not what people are wearing and the comments from many leading people in the Labour party are intrusive and discrimatory in attitude. For many women the veil is a sign of liberty and in the UK many more women have decided to wear the veil since the war on Iraq. For many more its part of there identity and a choice. In Europe typically it is a choice and a sign for many of controlling there own way of doing things. For others it is a central part of being a Muslim.. In other words for many women it is central to what they are and a choice in a free society that has no impact on others.....
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