Anti-racists need to wake up

We’ve had New Labour, the New Conservatives and now we have New BNP.

The country’s Nazis have apparently transformed themselves. Chairman Nick Griffin said in his recent retrial that the party could no longer be described as racist.

This is principally because they’ve moved on from racist abuse to attacks based on the religion and customs of their victims. Islam has become their fig-leaf for attacking minorities. Islamophobic blogs agree this means that the party is now post-racist.

Personally, I can’t see how labelling a group of people as “coakroaches” and saying “show these ethnics the door in 2004” isn’t construed as inciting hatred, but that’s me. That was Nick Griffin’s colleague Mark Collett, speaking at the same meeting where the BNP leader made his infamous “wicked, vicious” description of Islam.

Much has been made of these words, but taking the words alone, I’ve got no problem with people criticising Islam. I don’t agree with it, but am always up for the debate. What is important is not what people say in itself, but why they say it. In the same speech, Griffin cited the paedophile drug rapes that had taken place recently in Keighley and claimed that the “good book” of the Muslims had sanctioned it.

Now tell me, if someone told you that Group X was going to coming to rape your daughters, would it inspire anything other than loathing in you for Group X? If Griffin had been speaking about a handful of criminals in gangs then either he was on the money and these people should be arrested, or it was a libellous and slanderous. When he paints an entire community this way, he is inciting hatred.

If legislation has a loophole where talking about people of colour in this way is unacceptable, but talking about people of different faith like this is in the bounds, then I agree, legislation needs to be looked at. Existing laws have not stopped anyone criticising the culture or practices of ethnic groups (e.g. don’t like reggae music, can’t stand Chinese food), and I’m sure a team of sharp legal minds can ensure the requisite safeguards for similar freedom in speech when it comes to inciting hatred against religious groupings. Remember Jews and Sikhs have been covered by race hate legislation for decades and it hasn't brought free speech down.

This is vital as the BNP’s move into religion has been mirrored in society as a whole. As I was growing up the principal taunts I would receive would be of “Paki”, “wog” and other such racial abuse. In the new millennium this has turned into “Bin Laden” and “terrorist”.

They say sticks and stones and all that, but how people express themselves is indicative of a more deep malaise. To some extent, anti-racists have declared the war on overt racism as won. Most equality work in this area in recent years has been concentrated on making sure that structures are right in tackling more institutional forms of racism.

Meanwhile, the bigots have moved on. In the last few weeks, Falkirk Mosque was deliberately set ablaze and a Glasgow imam was beaten up in his own mosque.

Mosques around the country have been targets, but I’m not as worried about damage to buildings as I am about human toll. Muslim women identifiable by headscarves are hit particularly hard, while Islamophobia is a cruel phenomenon at schools. We heard that an eight year old was recently beaten up after thugs had verified he was a legitimate target – “Are you a Muslim?”.

In Glasgow last year a man was beaten up to such an extent that is seemed like the gang that attacked him were trying to scalpel his face off. They were shouting “terrorist”.

Prominent Jews have written on the parallels between attacks on Muslims now and anti-Semitism before the Holocaust. Attacks in the media are regularly directed at Muslims that would be unacceptable on any other group.  Newspaper columnist Jonathan Freedland recently wrote that if the recent attacks on Muslims had been about Jews, then not only would he be deeply alarmed, he would be reaching for his passport.

Which is exactly what Muslims have been doing. A Guardian poll found last year that two-thirds of Muslims were considering their future in this country. Anecdotally, I can confirm there is a thinking amongst Muslims that while matters have not reached a tipping point yet, this will come in just a few years time if current trends continue.

Too many antiracists have been found to be silent in recent weeks and months. It’s vital that they also move with the times, and recognise that attacks on people because of their faith are as unacceptable as attacks because of race. Some organisations like the 1990 Trust and Liberty have done exactly this. The TUC in England and Wales have made excellent statements. Too many others though have been AWOL.

We have to hold fast to the principle that everyone has the right to live their lives as they please as long as they don’t infringe the rights of others. This enriches us all, but has been all too quickly forgotten recently.

Comments

[.]

The BNP are not post-racist. Thinking that is utterly naive. They may be trying as hard as they can to project that image, but a quick look at their website, or the Stormfront forums, where many BNP supporters congregate (http://www.stormfront.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=39)
shows that even if the leadership desperately wants to drop its racist baggage, the membership certainly doesn't.

I mostly agree with you Osama, but it's not just Muslims; Sikhs as well, perhaps due to ignorance in some cases, are becoming targets, as the case in Edinburgh (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6159164.stm) has shown. Anti-racism is more important than ever, yet it needs to be led from the front nationally. The big political parties are too scared again to openly call the racist posturing of the tabloids as what it clearly is. It's time the Lib Dems spoke out, as they're the only ones who will.

[Sunny]

Well, well, well Osama. What a timely post. See the Guardian on Monday. I'll leave it that for now. Last point though, the 1990 Trust is useless and now also without credibility. It is in essence a Lee Jasper vehicle, hence its close proximity to Ken Livingstone. If you think they're going to change anything, you're sadly mistaken.

[Sunny]

Oh and another point. You're not really in a position to preach to anti-racists. Given the MAB's proximity to Hamas, the sort of dodgy imams that get invited over and the frequent alliances with Hizb ut-Tahrir... all of which I haven't really seen you argue against, means no one really sees the MAB is any position to preach to anti-racists.

That is beside the point that the new acceptable face of racism has become demonising Muslims. I accept that. There has been a slow move to accept this position because of the people who have previously articulated it: people such as Inayat Bunglawala, Faisal Bodi and your other friends. Again, they have no credibility with anti-racists other than the little SWP clique, which is why no one has been in a hurry to jump on that bandwagon.

But as I said, grab a copy of the Guardian, Monday.

[Osama]

If you think they're going to change anything, you're sadly mistaken.

Not entirely the point. Was any organisation clearly the one that made racism taboo? Not really, but it was society as whole standing up where they could, some in big ways, others in smaller ways.

I've been with MAB for a while, wasn't aware of its proximity to Hamas. Think I'd know if it was the case. As for HT, never been any alliance with them, as a person, and I'm not aware of MAB being in love with them either. I know you're into your whole damning by association thing, but I'd hope you could do a bit better than that.

I'm loath to accept that anti-racists have been slow to accept Islamophobia as a form of discrimination because of Bunglawala, Bodi et al. Not just because I don't think the hatred of them is as widespread as you'd want it to be. But because while they may have talked about it, they don't own the issue in anyone's imagination. Rather I think a large part of the problem has been with anti-racists who have a lot of questions about Islam themselves to be seen standing shoulder to shoulder with Muslims.

[joe90]

Hamas is racist is it, prove it?

I can easily prove the current Israeli regime is racist to the core but their Ambassadors still get invitations to come up to Scotland and preach their race-hate politics.

The victims of Israel's decades of racist war crimes, butchery and misery however, receive no such warm and considerate sympathetic hearings but are, in fact, given the blame of what it is that Isreal itself is guilty of - blame the victims!

What next I wonder,
- Saddam has WMD perhaps,
- there is an Axis of Evil still,
- Israel is democratic
- George Blair and Tony Bush aren't war criminals responsible for butchering 100s of 1000s of innocent Iraqis

Still, lets all crouch with fear in our homes knowing that Hamas is racist!

[ainelivia]

Why, oh why could that court not have found those guys guilty.

What a sickening sight to see them justify themselves on tv after the verdict.

This group feeds off the disaffection of the working-class, and others in this country. At least Kriss McDonald's family would not countenanced being "used" by them. That to me proves that there is hope and that the real people of this country sees this unpalatable bunch for what they really are.

[Yusuf Smith]

Why, oh why could that court not have found those guys guilty.

Because there were enough people on that jury who actually agreed with what the scumbags had said, perhaps?

I recall the whole fuss over Peter Buck who was acquitted despite several witnesses testifying to what happened on that plane. The only explanation I can think of is that none of them wanted to see him sent to jail. Even the prosecution barrister was praising REM's music in court!

[ainelivia]

So jury selection works? or not depending on the perspective?

[John Palubiski]

Which is exactly what Muslims have been doing. A Guardian poll found last year that two-thirds of Muslims were considering their future in this country. Anecdotally, I can confirm there is a thinking amongst Muslims that while matters have not reached a tipping point yet, this will come in just a few years time if current trends continue.

Osama, if muslims engaged in less provocative behavior, if they would stop making so many unreasonable demands on the host society, if they could demonstrate a greater ability to evolve, change, adapt and compromise, then they wouldn't be scouring the horizon for the "tipping point".

I've no doubt you were insulted when growing up, and I've no doubt that a sector of british society engages in vulgar racism, but if it was only a question of race and skin-colour, then why have other groups of South Asians done a much better job of integrating? Why is their story different, and why do they complain so much less and why is their comfort level so much higher?

You know the leadership of Britian's Muslims often have no other role to offer their community or their youth but that of *victim*.

It seems, at times, that the only reason they open their mouths is to utter the term "islamophobia" and to ratchet up the tension and hostility as a means to sever the community off, as much as possible, from the larger society.

They sow division and discord; showing up just breathless with the latest news of some inconsequential "islamophobic" event.

They then hold the *injury* up high for all to see and procede to pick away at the scab.

What do they do, exactly, apart from pointing out the faults in the "other"?

Such tactics promote separation and undermine integration, so instead of looking for another country in which to live, why not stay put and try to find a new set of responsable leaders who will actually work on behalf of the community and not for some hoakey ideological agenda of "slow-creep" sharia.

[Osama]

"if muslims engaged in less provocative behavior,"

Which Muslims do this? You speak as if it's all of us.

"I've no doubt you were insulted when growing up, and I've no doubt that a sector of british society engages in vulgar racism, but if it was only a question of race and skin-colour, then why have other groups of South Asians done a much better job of integrating?"

I'm pretty well integrated thanks, but that wasn't my point. Thanks for introducing it as an interesting aside anyway.

"inconsequential "islamophobic" event"

John, my friend in the Glasgow who I referred to above as almost having his face scalpaled off would baulk at your loose language.

So you think Islamophobia is not a problem, and if it is, then it's the fault of the victims. Let's move on.

[ainelivia]

John, plain speaking. In general, I believe this to be the view, (a lot less well articulated) held by a majority in this country.

John wrote: "It seems, at times, that the only reason they open their mouths is to utter the term "islamophobia" and to ratchet up the tension and hostility as a means to sever the community off, as much as possible, from the larger society.

They sow division and discord; showing up just breathless with the latest news of some inconsequential "islamophobic" event."

My reading of these two paras, is that it may not be so much a media hungry for the next "Muslim" issue, as some who seek to keep Muslims on the agenda for their own purposes. And that some may well be inside the Muslim community?

Interesting.

[John Palubiski]

Ainelivia, there are most certainly some who see any signs of nanscent harmony and integration as a mortal threat to "orthodoxy". It would be in the interests of this crowd to keep everyone in a state of paranoia so that they automatically shun the larger society. Like G.W. Bush with America, some Muslim community leaders in Great Britian are always in a state of red-alert.

Such tactics, at least in theory, would prevent the creation of any new Irshad Manjis by way of isolating Muslims, and reducing their contact with the larger world to a strict minimum and consequently their familiarity with western concepts such as pluralsim and freedom of conscience. You then have a situation wherein some Muslim have lived for years in England, but yet have never actually INHABITED the U.K., not even for a single day.

This isolation won't end by having non-muslim visit Islam-expo or a mosque or community centre. This separatness can only be ended when Muslims themselves move out from their communities and learn the history, the culture and the values of their society of adoption.

In other words, we don't move towards them, they must move towards us. Afterall, did someone kidnap them and force them into the country?

That`s not to say there isn't islamophobia; there is, but it's no worse or no more common than hinduophobia or buddhistophia or christianophobia.

I have a great deal of sympathy for Osama's friend who was so brutally attacked, but this assault has as much to do with hating Islam as Kriss Donald's death has to do with hating Christianity.

Both incidents are, in the end, racially motivated, and I doubt very much if either pair of assailants had a nuanced knowledge of any sort of theology.

Thugs all 'round.

[ainelivia]

Ok, here's how I read that. That there is a need here to create a "siege" mentality, a universal one, that keeps all of us feeling attacked and seperate, and of course isolated from each other.

[Sunny]

So Osama... are anti-racists still keeping quiet about demonisation of Muslims in the media?
And you'll notice we're not associating ourselves with anyone from Hizb ut-Tahrir. Not that the MAB ever does it
http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=12908&grp=13
http://www.mcb.org.uk/uploads/Joint%20Statement.pdf

[Abu Sinan]

Irshad Manji has had zero impact in the Muslim world, whether it is in Europe or the US. Even the most progressive Muslims want nothing to do with her.

If you head to any of her speaking events you'll see her audience is 99.99% neo-conservative, pro-Israeli types.

Her ideas are nothing new, less thought out than what has been put out by others. It is clear she is doing nothing more than jumping onto the bandwagon trying to make money.

Her imapct, like Asra Nomani's, are zero. They just say the things you want to hear John to sell books and charge for speaking events.

[RandomGuy]

John, you are stretching it with your 'isolationist theory' there. I worry when I read posts about 'Muslim provocations' and vague, utopian suggestions of integration and harmony. Of course you think that all the effort should come from one side. This is where I think your argument is most flawed. You try and denigrate the attitude of Muslims in this country without acknowledging the attitudes of the people that fit into the 'other' category.

This issue is only so pertinent in the public discourse now because of the atrocities and looting the Western powers are committing in the Middle East. By keeping it so, ignorant people feel justified in their racist/morally superior (which they are unfortunately not) mind set, and muslims feel demoralised and too weak to speak out.

[ainelivia]

Just a brief, and common parlance analysis and reaction to the previous commenter: RG

RG wrote:'Muslim provocations'
- blowing up commuter trains in London? killing commuters on their way to work?

RG wrote: "vague, utopian suggestions of integration and harmony"
- so there is no wish to integrate? funny that's what most people do when they live in any country.

RG wrote: "You try and denigrate the attitude of Muslims in this country without acknowledging the attitudes of the people that fit into the 'other' category."

- could that be because there is a bias here, and we rarely hear the attitudes of those you Freudianly label the "other"? Perhaps that's a reflection of how we are viewed as the "other"?

RG wrote: "This issue is only so pertinent in the public discourse now because of the atrocities and looting the Western powers are committing in the Middle East."

And blowing up commuters on their way to work wouldn't have anything to do with it? You would not class this as an atrocity??

RG wrote: "By keeping it so, ignorant people feel justified in their racist/morally superior (which they are unfortunately not) mind set, and muslims feel demoralised and too weak to speak out."

Thanks for that, nice to know that the majority population can be dismissed as other, racist, morally superior, oh and I forgot ignorant.

And we are not perhaps also demoralised by murder in our midst, in the name of god, of course, that makes it all ok.

And of course, you can sit in judgment, because you are not racist, you are morally superior. And from your place on the "inside of some morally superior group", you can judge the rest of us to be "others", and we all know the dynamics of the group, "others" are outsiders.

Western governments, terrorists, deluded eejits: I feel demoralised, I feel demoralised every day. And I'm sick and tired of hearing apologists for violence and murder, whoever they are.

Not a word about the killing of Geymal in Lebanon. But then he was Catholic/Christian. And of course there will be the usual list of suspects trotted out, let's see who could it be, The Legion of Mary, Old Order Hibernians, Orange Lodges, The WI, or the usual, Israel, US, UK.

[RandomGuy]

ainelivia, it would suit the discussion better to ask me for clarification before jumping into your response.

AL wrote: blowing up commuter trains in London? killing commuters on their way to work?

Oh please. Would you like me to point out the atrocities committed in Iraq? Let's not play ping-pong with this. In your eagerness to rebutt my comment, you missed my point. Simply put, the brush is too broad.

AL wrote: so there is no wish to integrate? funny that's what most people do when they live in any country.

Oh dear. I was pointing out that these utopian suggestions are used as a sort of unreachable fantasy in order to make repeated demands of the Muslim community.

AL wrote: could that be because there is a bias here, and we rarely hear the attitudes of those you Freudianly label the "other"? Perhaps that's a reflection of how we are viewed as the "other"?

No I don`t think so. We can hear you loud and clear. Please provide some evidence that this is not the case. My 'other' label was used to put some perspective on John's remarks which referenced only the Muslim side of the 'problem'...

AL wrote: Thanks for that, nice to know that the majority population can be dismissed as other, racist, morally superior, oh and I forgot ignorant.

Ah, I see what you are trying to do here. My comment did not in any way refer to the 'majority population' of which you speak. Please clarify my remarks before making entirely made up conclusions about what I am saying. Sorry, AL, it won't be that easy to make me look like whatever stereotype you have in mind.

AL wrote:

Sorry, cannot go on. I am astounded that you misread into my comments so much and can only conclude your reply was deliberate and calculated, if it was not just the knee-jerk reaction of a very insecure individual. Clarification is important AL...

[John Palubiski]

I've no doubt you were insulted when growing up, and I've no doubt that a sector of british society engages in vulgar racism, but if it was only a question of race and skin-colour, then why have other groups of South Asians done a much better job of integrating? Why is their story different, and why do they complain so much less and why is their comfort level so much higher?

RandomGuy, I asked that question of Osama, a question about the GENERAL community and he responsded by giving me a status report of HIS personnal level of integration. In other words, he didn't address the question because he's afraid of what the answer will be.

So let me reiterate; why is it that Muslim South Asians are so much further behind their non-muslim peers? These extremely lame attempts to equate the islamic faith with "race" simply don't pan out; other South Asians, who look much like Muslim South Asians are doing much, much better at integrating. Their unemployment rates are lower as are their drop-out rates and they appear able to negotiate British society with a comfort level almost equal to that of native Britons.

What can one say?

Even the fact they've been complaining of the "South Asian" label and are now opting for a distinct identity tells one a great deal. They do not want to be associated with the muslim community.... even though they may have have the same skin tone.... because that community balks at integration and is so handicapped by the demands of faith that those demands pose a major hindrance to advancement and integration.

To put it bluntly, they chaffe at being lumped in with the mediocre because it detracts from their achievments, and they resent their common geographic/racial origins being used as an excuse, a kind of undergrowth within which South Asian muslims hide and dissimulate their lack of effort, their dearth of accomplishments.

"You will no longer kite off us", say the Sikhs and Hindus.

[RandomGuy]

John, can you provide me with some links to back up what you are saying please?

With regard to speaking for a whole community, I think that it would be pointless me to speak on something of this scope as I could only offer you thoughts and conjecture on this state of affairs (if you can back them up of course). Moreover there are probably people better qualified than me to make such statements.

While it would be premature to make a conclusive attempt to answer your difficult question, let me point out that historically Sikhs and Hindus have little love for Muslims and may be looking for the reason to say "you are browner than us" as it were.

Once again, your perceived idea of superiority rears its ugly head in your description of being "lumped in with the mediocre". I think your reasoning in general is flawed when you start talking about the "shackles" of faith. It seems you have a narrow view of what integration is and that it is actually a mutual, two-way process. You cannot absolve yourself from it by proclaiming moral superiority and cultural inferiority. Although I understand it must be tempting because it is so much easier that way.

I await your reply.

[joe90]

Not a word about the killing of Geymal in Lebanon

- this is a country that has just been decimated by Israeli War Crimes recently !

Lebanese folk were forced to cower in cellars for weeks while the Israeli Luftwaffe carried out its illegal ariel blitzkrieg.

Millions of Lebanese became refugees overnight.

Israel laced south Lebanon with cluster bombs, probably shipped through Scottish airports, in the final hours of its war crime, in order to beat the deadline of the ceasefire

The cluster bombs continue to murder south Lebanese and cause vast swathes of the country to be, in effect, ethnically cleansed of its native population.

Ambulances were targeted - humanitarian aid flights were threatened with destruction if they tried to land at Beruit - Lebanon was subjected to an illegal embargo by Israel etc etc

Remember the children of Qana II ?

[ainelivia]

So I am not entitled to a knee-jerk reaction now and then.... I am after all only human or at least as far as I know. There may be some who consider me "Other".

Have no "stereotype" of you in mind. At all.

Just attempting to point out the mental constructs that your choice of language reflects, might possibly be not that far removed from the mental constructs of those you so passionately judge and criticise.

I'm not trying to rebutt anything. You have your view and I have mine. Your view seems to believe that any reprecussions of the present state of the world affect only a section of the population. And I am saying that is not so.

RG wrote: "Oh please. Would you like me to point out the atrocities committed in Iraq?"

Tell that to the families of those killed. Tell it also to those maimed, tell it to those traumatised. Or is it that living in a "rich western country" leaves us devoid of feelings, and therefore undeserving of any understanding and compassion. It is not the "people" of this country who went to war, it is our government.

Clarify? I was brought up in a country where your words are a reflection of who you are. I take you at your word and have responded.

Oh and by the way, my husband is South Asian, and he concurs mostly with what John has written here. And among our friends are Muslims, who also concur and despair.

[ainelivia]

Not decimated by murdering Hezbollah Warlords then. Don't agree with the government, let's just pick them off one by one then.

Israel, Israel. Did they poison the Russian journalist too??

[ainelivia]

"Millions of Lebanese became refugees overnight."

6 million???? just overnight; not anything up to 6 years in Konzentrationlager, worked and starved to death.

[joe90]

You then have a situation wherein some Muslim have lived for years in England, but yet have never actually INHABITED the U.K., not even for a single day.
- I can't figure this out at all

western concepts such as pluralsim
- John Palubiski doesn't seem to want to practice himself. If you are a pluralist then you shouldn't have any problems with differences either religious, cultural, planetary etc
Or don't you like to practice what you preach?

we don't move towards them, they must move towards us
- who is this 'us' you are refering to JP?

If your name is anything to go by 'John Palubiski',
then just to let you know, that we here in Britian are noted for our tolerance and anti-racism on the whole, so much so that we fought a world war, and many of our citizens made the ultimate sacrifice in order to wipe out the scourge of anti-social racist demagoguery and violence -
- it seems you have yet to integrate properly into the British way of life.

Here are the people of the capital of England, a city known as London, who disgree with the likes of you and Prime Minister Tony Stalin telling people how they should live their lives
Poll shows 75% of Londoners back right to dress in line with religious beliefs
from
Greater London Authority
20 Nov 2006

You are just going to have to try and get on with other people otherwise you can go back to wherever it is your from, where dictators telling people what to say and think is the traditional way of life, and you are welcome to it.