Shameless political opportunism

Further evidence, if any was needed, of the dark heart at the centre of the government. Race relations minister, repeat race relations minister, Phil Woolas wades into the row over the suspended Muslim teaching assistant to say that she should be sacked.

To get the government to normally comment on matters pertaining to local authorities is not easy, there are protocols with this kind of thing. Sticking the boot further into Muslims allows it though.

Government attacks have left the Muslim community figuratively and literally battered and bruised. The adjacent picture is of the Glasgow imam who was attacked in a west end mosque on Friday. Falkirk mosque was deliberately set ablaze last week. The Independent catalogues an alarming number of other incidents. The bigots on the ground are taking their lead from the bully-boy antics of the government.

Personally I've got sympathy with Aishah Azmi when she complains that it is society that is now segregating her off when she is out there, holding down a job, helping bilingual kids. That she didn't wear the veil to her job interview has been reported as if it would have been legitimate grounds on which to not recruit her.

Woolas says that it's sexist of her to wear the veil in front of men. I presume he gets changed at the swimming baths in front of the ladies then. Don't know if they'd appreciate that equality of opportunity though.

Comments

[Sadat]

Evidently, she is a brave Muslimah.

But in a racist island like UK, she has no rights whatsoever.

I fear for her life.

[fugstar]

duas for the prompt recobhery of the pictured uncle.

excuse me while i dont lay down my life for the sake of the sister's haughty public appearance issues.

i habhe this odd prejudice that the young niqabis, for whom it is not ancestral custom, are just being haughty hijabis.

i hope i am wrong.

[kwilson]

The veil is inappropriate in a western country and impedes communication. This is an example of Moslem arrogance in failing to respect the country in which they are living. Moslems who wish to remain velied need to return to live in moslem countries. Their continued presence in the UK is undesirable.

[Farouq Taj]

Whilst I agree with your criticism of politicians I don't think you can defend the indefensible.

The fact of the matter is that the teaching assistant cannot teach children whilst wearing what is effectively a mask. She is a trouble causer pure and simple.

The face should not be covered if you are in a position where you have to communicate with others. It is a physical and psychological barrier that is designed to prevent communication.

I am disappointed that it takes a non muslim to start such a debate. Members of our own community should have the courage to question the wisdom (stupidity?) of covering yourself head to toe and the effect this has on the wider community.

[George Carty]

Can't we ban trolls like Sadat and kwilson (aka "naveen")?

[joe90]

I am sorry to hear about this attack,
and I agree, nobody is safe from New Labour these days - shocking!

Today's headlines on the BBC Radio news were about the Opus Dei extremist fanatic, Ruth Kelly, having some meeting about 'the dangers of extremism in the Muslim community', or other.

The propaganda is getting to the point where the brainwashing cliches just trip off the tongue. No need for human thought to intervene. Just a parrot-like robotic utterance.

Here is a little helpful discussion thread with link to Ruth's extremist CV, and reports on University lecturers being asked to spy on their 'Asian' students
Ruth Kelly, Extremist Opus Dei hypocrite

Here is an article about BNP terrorism
The terror plot you won't hear about on the nightly news

All the best folks!

[Osama]

George, I tend to give a lot of rope. Naveen got banned last time after making an OTT racist comment even by his/her standards. Rest assured he/she has not be de-banned though. We'll keep the situation under review.

Farouq, I know what you're saying, and it goes back to what I've said previously on the niqab. I've not normally been known to defend it, but in a society that demands freedom of expression, we have to defend everyone's right to it.

Now with Aishah Azmi, from what I can discern, no complaint has come from pupils or parents. The complaint has come from other members of staff.

In terms of making herself understood, I've seen her on TV a number of times now, and can definitely say that she gets herself across!

[Infidel & Kafir Watch]

In relation to Aishah Azmi it is correct that no complaint arrived from pupils or their parents it is also true that Aishah Azmi had been working in the same post, same school for the past 2 years and this had never been a problem. But when Jack Straw opened his indirect racist mouth to encourage a debate hopefully leading in favour of banning the veil Aishah Azmi was one of many women to feel the heat from racist uneducated British people.

Lets not forget that this country is and was built on Christian ethics (although declining at an awesome rate) which are almost identical to Islamic ethics. But it seems that whole British Christian ethics have been traded in for sex, drugs, alcohol and making money in anyway possible which contribute to nothing else but an increase in criminology. But at this moment in time the most important issue in British society which is the VEIL which for some bizarre reason overrides problems relating to NHS, pensioners, Education, University fees, Iraq, Afghanistan, BNP bomb making factory, bird flue, North Korea Nuclear tests, etc.

Can an average person in Britain not realise that this is just another smoke screen to avoid focus on other failed UK problems which include the above and the menace Tony Blair. It seems that Muslims are the new Jews (as some media reports have stated).

[Ted]

Those non-complaints in full -

" A MUSLIM teacher who insisted on wearing a veil in class has been suspended after children complained they could not understand what she was saying."

Evening Standard, October 13, 2006

"Aishah Azmi, 24, was asked to take it off in class after pupils said they found English lessons hard to understand because they could not see her lips move.

A council source said yesterday: "The children themselves were complaining. It is about what's best for the children."

The Mirror, October 13, 2006

" She was asked to remove the veil during lessons to improve pupils' communication skills because they were finding it difficult to hear what she was saying."

The Times, October 14, 2006

"Aishah Azmi, 24, was told she could wear the garment in corridors and the staff room but must remove it when teaching. Face-to-face communication was deemed essential during her work teaching English as a bilingual support worker. Children at Headfield Church of England Junior School in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, had said they found it difficult to understand her during lessons because they could not see her lips move."

Daily Mail, October 14, 2006

[Osama]

Ted, this is what has been leaked to the media. I understand that the grounds for suspension and the upcoming tribunal does not include what these sources have claimed.

[Jew90]

My thoughts are that if she is in class full of children and female staff then she should remove the veil (and she has said she is willing to do so). If there is a male member of staff there, then she obviously doesn't want to remove it. Solution? Attach her to a female teacher for the duration of her employment.

The media, government and Muslim groups have blown this out of all proportion. Let's have a little common sense.

[joe90]

Some articles that may be of interest -

Here is a survey of British Muslim attitudes carried out by 'The 1990 Trust'
Foreign policy to blame
- here is the link to the 22 page PDF formated report -
Muslim Views: Foreign Policy and its Effects

More on the BBC preference NOT to report on certain kinds of home-grown British terrorists extremists -
Largest Chemical Explosives Find Unreported::Helen Boaden Replies
- prefering instead, to concentrate on the complete and total non-existence of any terrorists plots involving 'Asians' or 'Muslim' types (you know what I mean) -

After all,
the BBC has to show it is integrated into the New Labour way of life, and doesn't want to be seen to be biased in favour of actual real crimes, such BNP terrorism at home or New Labour War Crimes abroad -
- the BBC doesn't want to be seen to be unduley lenient either, when it comes to important issues, such as the 45 minute threat of Iraqi WMD for instance, or British Muslim extremists etc etc blah blah hot-air

Ruth Kelly is The Equaliser!

[ainelivia]

"Lets not forget that this country is and was built on Christian ethics (although declining at an awesome rate) which are almost identical to Islamic ethics."

Terrible generalisations here, Christian? Or Protestant Ethic? responsible for the economic rise of the British Empire?

"But it seems that whole British Christian ethics have been traded in for sex, drugs, alcohol and making money in anyway possible which contribute to nothing else but an increase in criminology."

Pretty much the same happenning the world over, not limited merely to British or European Christian and/or other society.

"But at this moment in time the most important issue in British society which is the VEIL which for some bizarre reason overrides problems relating to NHS, pensioners, Education, University fees, Iraq, Afghanistan, BNP bomb making factory, bird flue, North Korea Nuclear tests, etc."

Absolutely, I agree. And particularly in that order; now how about spending some of energy of your obvious passion here lobbying the government on those said issues, and by so doing you would render the "veil issue" background noise.

[ainelivia]

"Lets not forget that this country is and was built on Christian ethics (although declining at an awesome rate) which are almost identical to Islamic ethics."

Terrible generalisations here, Christian? Or Protestant Ethic? responsible for the economic rise of the British Empire?

"But it seems that whole British Christian ethics have been traded in for sex, drugs, alcohol and making money in anyway possible which contribute to nothing else but an increase in criminology."

Pretty much the same happenning the world over, not limited merely to British or European Christian and/or other society.

"But at this moment in time the most important issue in British society which is the VEIL which for some bizarre reason overrides problems relating to NHS, pensioners, Education, University fees, Iraq, Afghanistan, BNP bomb making factory, bird flue, North Korea Nuclear tests, etc."

Absolutely, I agree. And particularly in that order; now how about spending some of energy of your obvious passion here lobbying the government on those said issues, and by so doing you would render the "veil issue" background noise.

[Muslim Apple]

Muslim women account for about half of the Muslim population and niqaabis in western countries are about 1-2% of the hijabi population considering that most Muslim women do not observe hijab in western countries. Disclaimer: Those stats except the last one are unscientific.

So, even if all the niqaabis removed their face-veil would that make them more integrated and what about the other 98% of Muslims who do not wear niqab? Those that focus on niqab in the integration debate are not serious about real integration because niqaabis are statically such a small segment of the population.

[joe90]

You mignt find these articles interesting -

The Guardian - Comment us free
If this onslaught was about Jews, I would be looking for my passport
by
Jonathan Freedland
18 Oct 2006

(here is a comment thread at MediaLens.org regarding this article
If this onslaught was about Jews)

And,

21st Century Socialism
Veiled ambitions
by
by Hilary Keenan
17 Oct 2006

[Andrew Bartlett]

The most disgusting thing about this whole affair is that this was the case of a young woman, integrating into society, working at a school of a different faith to her own, teaching English to bilingual children. She is was the very model of an integrated - rather than assimilated, and if we want to go down that path we tread dangerous ground - young person.

And then, with leaping on the back of a wave of ignorance and xenophobic disgust of the other, she is suspended, Labour - Labour! mark you, the party of working people, the party that ought oppose sackings, never mind those inspired by popular prejudice - ministers come out to say that she ought to be sacked. A 24 year old integrated woman has been made a villian, a symbol of segregation and apart-ness, a process of Wonderland-logic that would be fascinating if it were not so appalling.

So integration and cross-faith education are segregation, opposed by members of this government even when to do so is to verge of breaching employment law - and this is Labour! - all the while proposals for semi-privatised single-faith schools are government policy?

I am no fan of the veil, and do think that it objectively works to prevent the equality of the sexes. But I am no brute, I do not think that the course of action to be taken upon coming to this conclusion is to destroy the lives of women who have chosen to wear the veil. To do so seems to be the practice of pseudo-feminism, and the question is; what lies behind this 'liberal' front?

After trading blows with some at Harry's Place, I decided that there is a category of thought that we ought to call national feminism.

[joe90]

Great points Andrew -
- I particularly liked your separating out 'integration' and 'assimilation'!

Also your points about New Labour are bang on. I believe New Labour is a completely different political party than the old Labour Party, which was eaten away from the inside by a Thatcherite cancer and destroyed, eventually morphing into an 'entity' more vicious and extreme than Thatcher could ever dream of. I think this is also Tony Benn's view as well.

As for the workplace - I am sure you know that we are forced to give up about 90% of our human rights as soon as we cross the threshold into our places of work, hence the struggle for industrial democracy.

It isn't just about this British Muslim woman's right to her own ideas and rights to freely express them, whether religious political, etc - but is also about the totalitarian nature of the way people are treated just because they have to earn a crust!

Great stuff Andrew - please keep it up mate - all the best!

[Ted]

"Ted, this is what has been leaked to the media."

Fair enough.