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| Muslims 'Let Down By Race Law' |
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| Thursday, 31 January 2008 | |
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The research conducted at Bristol University examined 30 years of Government legislation and legal rulings to distinguish the difference between prejudice towards race, ethnicity and religion. In the study, Dr Nasar Meer, research associate in the Department of Sociology at Bristol, found that Muslims are let down by race legislation because being a Muslim is recognised as a lifestyle choice or a "voluntary identity". Dr Meer says other religious identities - such as Sikh and Jew - have had race law applied in their favour in a way not extended to Muslim communities. He said many Muslims view their faith as an "involuntary identity" as they are born into the religion. He said: "We explored what legislation exists to help protect people with what we call an involuntary identity. People with an involuntary identity shouldn't be disadvantaged by others' views. "The legislation should offer them support and make sure they're not discriminated against. "Muslims have been totally missed out of the protection offered by race-relations legislation because it treats Islam as a religion and not a race." Dr Meer said he has come across various examples of when hatred towards Muslims was dismissed but hatred towards other religions had not been tolerated. Dr Meer's study "The politics of voluntary and involuntary identities: are Muslims in Britain an ethnic, racial or religious minority?" is available online at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sociology/ethnicitycitizenship/urcpublications.html. Copyright © 2008 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
Source: Google News           Readers have left 10 comments.
Clifford Ishii:
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Islam is a race/ So by that logic Biblical Christianity is also a race right?
(1)
2008-02-01 01:51:52
Tahira:
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This is exactly the type of evidence we need to highlight in making our case to politicians and other policy-makers. Muslims aren't asking for 'special treatment', only for equality!
If only there were more Muslims academics helping to do this kind of research. (I think we've got enough Muslim pharmacists and IT workers - we need more Muslim journalists, politicians, academics...)
(2)
2008-02-01 08:30:06
Paul M:
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Hindus outperform white anglo-saxons in school performance, at university and in earnings.
Muslim underperform in all three. The bulk of the UK population cannot tell a Hindu name from a Muslim name so is hardly in a position to 'discriminate' against Muslim specifically. This is all you need to know in order to be sure that whatever is holding Muslims back, it is not discrimination. Nor is it basic intelligence, nor is it their religion or tradition, one of the world's greatest. The challenge to the UK's Muslim population: engage in British society and politics, make a contribution, make a distinctly Islamic contribution, drop the paranoia, steer clear of the anti-semitic nutters on the right who will warp you mind and distort your perceptions. Steer clear of the nutters on the left who want to play on your grievances and use you as a substitute proletariat (the original having disappeared). Don't endlessly blame your shortcomings on 'The Other' (whether it is the Jew, the Kaffir, the Hindus...) or get into the mentality that 'the whole world is at war with us' which is a silly fantasy. In fact, it is pretty much like the challenge to the Ummah as citizens of the world.
(3)
2008-02-01 15:35:25
reality's sister:
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Clifford Ishii:
No, 'Biblical Chritianity', by which I presume you mean born-again-Christianity (or happy-clappy/evangelism), is not a race, or even a religion: it's just a psycho-mess. e.g.: An 'infinite' God, who is a humanoid, and who is a 'father', 'begets' (yes, begets!) a 'son' via a woman. The 'son' is also a 'god'; but wait, he is also 100% human!. This son has volunteered to come to earth to take on the sins of all mankind and let himself be tortured to death (but during the torment he asks the 'father', in 'heaven': 'why hast thou forsaken me?' - forgetting that he had volunteered -- (i.e. he doesn't want to die)' He is eventually allowed to die. Then after three days he rises again. But no one has actually seen him in physical form. Some have hallucinated and 'seen' him. Then the evangelists (anagram: evil's agent)clap, shout and foam: whosoever believeth in him shall not perish. All their sins are forgiven; but that doesn't stop them from sinning. They claim that their god died for them (and yet it is they who were the sinners). It is as though in a court of law, a murderer is found guilty, but it is the judge who hangs himself instead! That's why Biblical Christianity is not a 'race' and not a religion. Oh, and btw, no one is born a Christain, for 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God'. That means that Christians are definitely NOT a race, but must choose to be Christians.
(4)
2008-02-01 17:23:47
K. Urban:
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I feel that one can respect Paul M as a decent person but he should perhaps put on a Muslim ''dress'' and walk into some council housing areas.
Or run a professional practice, only to be asked by a potential client ''what religion are you?'' - and on hearing the result never to come back. Or listen to Tony $$$ Blair and his bully mates like Richard £££ Littlejohn, Melanie Phillips, Archbishop Nazi-Ali, and Trevor Phillips who all pile in when a Muslim story is run in those prejudice-fuelling rags the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph. This is not paranoia, this is real. Try getting a pro-Muslim remark in these papers. Racism against Muslims is alive and doing rather well in Britain, because the politicians like Blair needed to denigrate Islam in order to bomb a country for its oil. (I believe that we should continue to do the very best for this Country, regardless)
(5)
2008-02-01 19:14:34
Yunus Yakoub Islam:
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"If only there were more Muslims academics helping to do this kind of research."
There are. There are also quite a few non-Muslim academics supportive of the British Muslim community. What needs to happen now is for more ordinary, educated Muslims to read them. You'll find a few (and the titles they have authored) here: http://www.bayyinat.org.uk/islambritish.htm For starters, look out for works by Tariq Modood, Muhammad Anwar and Tahir Abbas, and in the media, stuff by John Richardson and Elizabeth Poole.
(6)
2008-02-01 20:21:38
dude:
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Hindus outperform white anglo-saxons in school performance, at university and in earnings. — Paul MMuslim underperform in all three. The bulk of the UK population cannot tell a Hindu name from a Muslim name so is hardly in a position to 'discriminate' against Muslim specifically. This is all you need to know in order to be sure that whatever is holding Muslims back, it is not discrimination. I dont know where you got your stats from - its the indians that are out performing the white indiginous people. There are many people of the muslim faith who have indian origins as have the people of the hindu faith.
(7)
2008-02-01 23:25:05
I Sidat:
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I think People are forgetting that it's not muslims who have special treatment it's other faiths, the Jewish people are allowed two identities reagrdless as it's thier faith i would say this is a serious breach in security provisions and EU standards, and the Sikhs are allowed tro carry the kirpan (a knife) as it's thier faith. Muslims are not asking for any special treatment we are simply asking for justice and equality which is very starined in this scoiety and this is down to politicans.
when you say we muslims need to integrate what do you mean, to make you happy shall we start drinking alcohol and eating pork? please use a bit common sense before you make stupid remarks. And by the way muslims are seen as the msot successfull ethnic community in education and are low in un-employment so don't even think about touching on those subjects.
(8)
2008-02-03 02:19:33
Paul M:
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Dude - great, Muslims are doing fine and outperforming along with Hindus. So what are you complaining about?
I Sadat - Jews are treated as a race for the purposes of race discrimination. But it they are not a race, as you suggest, but a religious group, a view I have some sympathy with, how can a state based on their identity be 'racist' as you and your friends endlessly claim? K Urban - wear a Kippah in a Muslim area and see how long it is before you get attacked. But wear Muslim garb in a Jewish area and you will be totally safe and secure.
(9)
2008-02-03 17:48:04
I Sidat:
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I Sadat - Jews are treated as a race for the purposes of race discrimination. But it they are not a race, as you suggest, but a religious group, a view I have some sympathy with, how can a state based on their identity be 'racist' as you and your friends endlessly claim? Firstly just read that to your self and see if it makes sense, secondly your remarks are contradictory. Please go find some knowledge. And no we are not claiming that the state is racist we are pointing towards the evident biased in the media and key people who are using racist language.
(10)
2008-02-04 13:23:29
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Anti-Muslim prejudice is dealt with less seriously than other forms of discrimination, a university study found.
