Murphy's letter from Edinburgh

 

The Veil's Creating Debate

A few weeks ago Jack Straw, a government minister was reported as stating that when Muslims women come to see him he asks them to remove their veil when they are talking to him, and that the people going to his surgery oblige so that they can get on with the business of discussing their problems.  Not a problem you might think.  But there again it has created a large debate in the whole of Britain creating even more divides within British society.

All of a sudden the whole issue of the Hijab and integration of Muslims into the British way of life has come into question, and again it was created by those who get on their high horses if anyone questions the issues that mentions the name Muslim.  Normally the row is created by those who would like to see Britain become an Islamic state.

I have heard many people speaking on the radio and television talking about the Hijab quite forcefully of why it should be worn, while others couldn't care less because they choose not to wear it.  When the row started it was stated that due to religious commitments they will wear it, while others state that it has nothing to do with their religion.  Some even quoted nuns and the type of dress that they wear, although I couldn't see why.  Nuns are employed by the church and are committed to peace and love.  And they don't cover their faces with anything.

It appears to me that this argument is more about religion on the  Muslims part while living in a secular country.  Their way must be the way according to them and if anyone dares too mentions these issues they are against Muslims.

Around about 1973, we got an influx of Ugandan Muslims in Britain when they were kicked out of the county by the leader of the time.  Britain opened its doors and took them in and gave them the chance to join in with our own society.  The Muslims that came in then set up businesses got houses and were allowed to settle here.  They didn't wear the Hijab then because these Muslims from a different part of the world.  They didn't try to force their beliefs on us in those days.  But just lately we seem to have a new breed of Muslim that wants it all their own way.

That can be explained by the fact that Muslims from the middle came to this country to escape the problems of the Middle East.  Unfortunately these were the more militant Muslims.  Most of them were migrants and they got into Britain through the Channel Tunnel.  We watched the pictures on television and read the newspapers as they flooded into this country by their thousands.  Those watching the television and keeping in touch with the media were calling for a tightening up of the rules and security while the government tried to negotiate with France to try and stop this new flood of migrants, some economic and some looking an easy life.  This went on for over ten years while the government did nothing.

So first you have you have understand the background before being judgmental.  There are many Muslims who have not settled here in the way that they could have.  They want to carry on with the same traditions that they had in their own country, even though they don't fit into our way of life.  Some have distanced themselves from the British way of life, while some of the older Muslim women who have been here for years refuse to learn the British way of life and language and have refused to integrate.  Sadly there are more Muslims who see themselves as bucking the system and us turning over to their way of life.  This will never happen, and all it causes nothing but resentment.

Most people in Britain look to government for leadership and direction, and that is something that this government has failed to get a hold of.  It may be that you reap what you sow, and the seeds are growing into something that we don't want.

Just recently Europe has expanded and we have had a lot of immigrants coming in from Poland and many other European countries who have settled in without making demands. They have accepted Britain for what it is, rolled their sleeves up and have become part of the society that is already here by working along with them.  They have not set up ghetto's so that can shut themselves off from the indigenous population even though life may not be a bed of roses for everyone -  not that it's like that for a lot of the people who already are part of British society.

If Britain is going to move forward everyone has to play their part without asking for special dispensation which is what some Muslims seem to asking for all the time.  I will not generalise on this part by saying all Muslims because that would be totally wrong.  It is a minority that seem to want too cause as much controversy as they possibly can and all they are doing is putting people's backs up.

If we are going to move forward we have to work together, and in my mind if this is what religion creates then it's time to question if this is what it's all about.  surely in the year 2006 we have matured enough too realise that we are not going back to religious days of killing people because of their beliefs.

That can't be allowed to happen as we move forward into the future.  Religious killings are killing for the sake of killing and these days should be long gone if we are to remain civilised.  It's time for moving forward and not backwards.

Written by Andrew Murphy 19 October 2006

Back to the main letters page