ugh!

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Hijaab/Niqaab controversy. Well I’ve been pretty busy lately and today when I looked at the newspaper I saw the article in the Times. And the famous chain e-mail that I received from numerous people:

“ Tony Blair, the British prime minister, has entered the debate over the integration of Muslims into British society, calling the full veil worn by some Muslim women “a mark of separation”.

Blair also said that Britain needed a wider debate on Muslim integration, and particularly over the need to strike a balance between integration and multiculturalism.

“It is a mark of separation and that’s why it makes other people from outside the community feel uncomfortable,” he said at his monthly press conference on Tuesday, pointing out that UK Muslims should be free to dress as they wished.

“No-one wants to say that people don’t have the right to do it. That’s to take it too far.”

Blair was speaking in reference to a recent case when a British school fired a Muslim teacher for refusing to take off her veil for classes.

The school said that she was unable to teach while showing only her eyes.

Blair has previously been reticent over the issue, but on Tuesday said he supported the handling of the case.

“I can see the reasons why they came to the decision that they did,” he said.

Multiculturalism examined

Blair also said that the controversy over the veil highlighted the difficulties faced by British Muslims trying to balance their loyalty to their state and to their religion.

“People want to know the Muslim community in particular, but actually all the minority communities, have got the balance right between integration and multiculturalism,” he said.

“We need to conduct this debate in a sensitive way, but it needs to be conducted.”

He later added that the veil debate was part of a wider struggle within the Muslim world over the future of Islam.

“There’s a second issues which is about Islam itself, and how Islam comes to terms with, and is comfortable with, the modern world,” he said.

His comments came after Jack Straw, a cabinet minister and former foreign secretary, wrote two weeks ago that he asks Muslim women who come to his constituency surgery to remove their veils.

Straw later added that he would prefer if women did not wear veils at all.

The recent controversy has focused mainly on the right of Muslim women to cover their faces - rather than on their right to just cover their hair. “

It’s getting scary that the open practice of the religion of Islam is getting harder and harder. First it started off slowly. Muslim’s fearing to be different so they changed there names hoping that they would be less bothered. Then guys decided that hey maybe they will be more accepting if we shave our beards, so the guys shaved their beards hoping that they will experience less scorn. And yes I actually do know many girls that took off there Hijaab after 9/11 and I know many girls that also took off their Niqaab after 9/11. Well I have a question for you how much more do the innocent Muslims who are being black mailed through propaganda have to give up or negotiate? Ever since 9/11 when people hear the word Muslim they they cringe their faces in disgust, sometimes they open their mouth and you hear horrible things come out about Muslims. Ok I understand that the fear of “terror” has creeped into our country but hey you have to remember that it works both ways.

My mom all ways tells me, هر دو طرف سيل كو, basically meaning make sure you take a look at both sides. But apparently this isn’t taken into consideration. Lately when I go out to places like the grocery store and places of that sort I get looked down upon. Scorned. And every once in a while a curse here and there is said,slurred, or mumbled. I mean there is all ways going to be that nasty glare or that nasty stare down but do you know how much those glares and stares hurt? Do you know how much more it hurts getting those nasty words thrown at you? No you don’t. And you won’t ever will know until you actually go through it, go through it repetitively until it sadly becomes juss a norm. I read this really good article (click here) and I suggest that you read it. It’s about someone who wears a Niqaab to see how it would be, to try to get a feel for what they go through and how other people make them feel. (Me and some friends have that idea we’ll try it soon and I’ll post the results up here.)

Oh how can I forget Prime Mnister Tony Blair. When he was talking about “a mark of separation,” what a load of garbage! These are the things that get me maddd upset. You all point and point and point at us not thinking what we have to face. And you all judge us based on the action of what a couple of fools decided to do! The real reason you are putting us through this is because you are all afraid of change and diversity and you just don’t want to admit it.

Well as my teacher told me today, “I am surrounded by ignorant people.”

I am surrounded by ignorant people as well and at times they are starting to bring down my hopes and spirits.