Comments on Five Chinese Crackers: The tabloids and right wing extremism

Outstanding stuff, bravo.And - as someone who also...

2009-09-23T03:28:58.734+01:00

Outstanding stuff, bravo.

And - as someone who also attended incredibly culturally diverse primary and secondary schools - I'd just like to voice my opinion that Iftikhar's ideas about muslim schools are perhaps well-intentioned, but rather misguided. If there's a lack of bi-lingual muslim role models in the state schools, why not work to encourage more bi-lingual muslims to train to become teachers, and work in the state schools?

Personally, I've never found a need for my role models (those teachers that were) to share the same religion or first language as me, and any argument about languages not being taught effectively enough in the state schools (while a fair point) isn't solved by removing muslim students to special schools with special teachers - again, better to get those teachers into the state schools!

I'd go on, but 5cc has already made the most important point - separation breeds suspicion and distrust, and clearly isn't what the UK needs right now, what with lunatic fascist groups like the EDL gaining momentum.

To echo Jamie, although the photo makes me laugh.

2009-09-21T10:50:01.827+01:00

To echo Jamie, although the photo makes me laugh.

Whatever I think about the fascist UAF thugs whipp...

2009-09-19T17:51:38.746+01:00

Whatever I think about the fascist UAF thugs whipping vulnerable young Muslims into a foaming frenzy of perceived hatred against a UAF manufactured enemy is one thing, but what disturbs me more deeply is this comment from another commenter:

"Bilingual muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers"

It's this kind of divisive self-ghettoising nonsense that community groups and both the secular and non-secular society is fighting against. State-sponsored ghettification (if there is such a word!) would be the worst of all possible worlds.

edit: update - that'll teach me for answering phone mid-post. Looks like 5cc beat me to the comment!

So, I shall add another comment to the main post, which is just to say that, regarding the views of Anjam Choudray, it might not surprise you to know that many moderate Muslims also regard him as a "prick". The recent youtube videos of him ranting should do the trick.

You can say "it was the Sun therefore tabloid journalism", but you can't hear it more clearly than from the horses mouth.

IfitkharA:Couldn't disagree more about designating...

2009-09-19T17:38:50.220+01:00

IfitkharA:

Couldn't disagree more about designating schools as Muslim schools, or that there's no place for non-Muslims in such schools. Splitting groups of people who are given to misunderstanding one another apart can only lead to further misunderstanding and alienate the smaller groups further. Since Muslims are the smaller group here, it's Muslims that would lose out the most from such an arrangement. Imagine how awful the coverage of Muslims in the press would be if the journalists and their audience had no first hand experience of Muslims.

Part of the reason I'm even here complaining about the unfair and negative treatment of Muslims in the press is because of the friends I made with Muslim kids at school and elsewhere. Without mixing with other kids at school, I have no idea where I'd be.

Further separating is the worst thing we could do right now.

Ah! The old dilemma of what came first, the chicke...

2009-09-19T17:30:24.156+01:00

Ah! The old dilemma of what came first, the chicken or the egg.

Salaam Muslim community has been vicitim of ****-b...

2009-09-19T12:22:15.480+01:00

Salaam

Muslim community has been vicitim of ****-bashing for the last 60 years by the British society in every walk of life. Now it is vicitm of terrorism by the British Establishment. Thousands of Muslim youts are being searched in streets and hundreds of them are behind bar without any trial.

Bilingual muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.

There are hundreds of state and church schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be designated as Muslim community school.

A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. He/she does not want to become notoriously monolingual Brit. A Muslim must learn and be well versed in standard English to follow the National Currciculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. At the same time, he must learn and be well versed in Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.
Iftikhar Ahmad
www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

Tremendous stuff. A definite symbiotic relationshi...

2009-09-19T11:02:55.727+01:00

Tremendous stuff. A definite symbiotic relationship.
I actually read this on Lancaster Unity (now they'll definitely think i'm a UAF thug) and thought it was 5CCesque before seeing the namecheck at the foot. In years to come I willbe asked to pore over manuscripts to tell if it's a genuine Cracker or not.

What an excellent, if depressing, post.

2009-09-18T18:06:56.138+01:00

What an excellent, if depressing, post.