Tuesday, July 24, 2007

If Libya wants her, then insha Allah, Libya can have her

Get a load of this whiny-ass letter in today's Daily Mail newspaper. I have tweaked the letter a bit, using alternative words or changing words around in some places, because it is now property of the newspaper and I'm too lazy to get permission to publish it here verbatim. But that shouldn't be an impediment to the letter-writer's point:
As a half-Arab, half-English 19-year-old Muslim girl, I am appalled by terrorism, although I wouldn't walk around wearing a badge stating that fact.
I'm not an "extremist," but I've endured two attacks in my local area, both times by white youths—simply because they did not approve of my skin color and my Islamic dress.
I've also had no end of names and curses thrown my way, simply for being dressed in Islamic clothing and a niqab.
I could wear a badge announcing that I'm a Muslim who opposes terrorism, but it would no doubt be singled out for yet more abuse from white thugs. It's pretty awful that I don't feel welcome in my own country.
I've spent time in my other country, Libya, and the difference is remarkable. Nobody stares at me or insults me. I'm starting to give up on this country. The reprehensible behavior of its people is slowly driving people away.

Now, dear reader, once you've stopped playing that violin concerto in D minor and wiped the tears from your eyes, you may start to ask yourself some relevant questions:
■ So she's suffered some attacks in her local area by whites? Is her area predominantly white? That might just explain it. One notable cause of unrest involving Muslims in this country (in 2005) was not instigated by whites nor did it involve any white folk. The riots were touched off by Afro-Caribbean or British blacks who felt marginalized, pushed aside and threatened by the Muslim Asians in their community. There is also this little example of non-white attacks against Muslims in Britain. Yet, the letter-writer seems to imply that only white Britons feel antagonistic toward Muslims like her. The truth is whites, blacks, Hindus, Sikhs, orientals—anyone who is not Muslim—might feel antagonistic when they see her in her Islamic garb and be prone to attack her, physically or verbally.
■ She won't wear a badge proclaiming her opposition to terrorism? Why not? And just how would it invite more anti-Islamic abuse, by whites or others? If I saw a Muslim wearing a badge announcing his or her antipathy towards the jihadists, I'd say, "Well, good for you, and aren't you courageous! I'm glad to have met you!" Unless I'm missing something important, I can't think how making clear one's disgust with terrorists would cause them trouble with white people or anyone else who wasn't a terrorist themselves.
■ She finds herself much more accepted and liked in Libya? Hmmm, let's work this one out, shall we? Is Libya a Muslim country? Yes. Do women there wear Islamic clothing? Yes. Therefore, would anyone who is a Muslim and wears Islamic clothing be accepted and smiled upon in Libya? Why yes! What's so difficult for anyone to grasp about this and why should it come as any surprise?
If the letter-writer wants to live in Libya, more power to her. But if she stays here in the U.K., she needs to smarten up and toughen up as well. She may be personally opposed to jihadic terrorism, but she must accept that her own religious community is responsible for it. And, if her faith is so important to her, why doesn't she feel any responsibility to shout down the fanatics that pollute her religion?
But no, she'd rather blame blue-eyed devils for their understandable suspicion of her or anyone like her rather than acknowledge the fanaticism running rampant throughout the British Muslim community.
If you do decide to leave, young madam, then don't let the door hit you on your burqa'd behind on your way out.

1 comment:

goddessdivine said...

'....but she must accept that her own religious community is responsible for it.'

Amen.

I bet if I went to Lybia with my blond hair and blue eyes I would be scoffed at, looked down upon; heck, I'm sure I'd be killed.