It seems that offence has been taken at my reference to two bloggers in my last entry who reacted to the vote against minarets in Switzerland last Sunday to the effect of “I won’t be going there then”. I’ve Googled the first name of the person who took the offence and I can’t find any articles from the past week or so which also include “Switzerland”, which leads me to think that the first and last paragraphs in this post refers to my last entry. Doubtless she will deny it, though; but it does mention that the person who wrote what offended her is white (like me), male (like me) and that the other person mentioned was Ginny (as is the case with what I wrote).
Well, I had no intention of picking a fight with her or Ginny; Ginny is my friend and has been for several years. What I had a problem with is the reflexive “well, I won’t be going there, then” response. The situation for Muslims in Switzerland is not, as yet, anything like as dire as it is in some other parts of Europe, and only just over a quarter of the total population voted in favour. Nearly half abstained. The motion was rejected in the whole of the French-speaking region of Switzerland (this means, however, that the support in the German-speaking part was much higher, and the notion of minarets as militaristic symbols features is often referred to in debates on the subject in German). I believe it’s too early to write off Switzerland or say such things as “I won’t be going there”. Of course, I had no immediate plans to travel there myself, but they had nothing to do with the ban on minarets.
The reference to “white male privilege at work” is pathetic, really. I mentioned two people. The fact that both happen to be female is not really significant when it’s only two people, particularly when they are both white or more-or-less white. Of course, “privilege” is a ready trump card and some people will choose to make someone’s race or gender an issue because they have no real answer to what they were saying. If I had noticed this post by Umar Lee by the time I published mine, I would have included him in my list, because he has called for a boycott of the country.
I am strongly against this culture in which there is a call for a boycott every time there is the slightest downturn for Muslims in any country. Of course, it’s always small countries, like Denmark or Switzerland; I heard no call to boycott France after hijab was banned in schools there. There was a call to boycott the USA after the invasion of Afghanistan, but any such boycott promoted over the Internet is likely to be partial because any computer is likely to have parts made or assembled in the USA or by an American company (particularly the hard drive and processor). I remember that nobody who advocated boycotting the USA at that time could be clear on what we were supposed to be boycotting (whether it included products made outside the USA by an American company, for example) and how much it applied to Muslims in western countries besides the USA. When the country is killing Muslims, that’s one thing (and I’m not saying individual Muslims shouldn’t participate in boycotts of countries or companies for other ethical reasons; I am talking about boycotts by the whole community here); when a corporate newspaper prints an insult to the Prophet (sall’ Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) or there is a ban on a non-essential piece of architecture, that is something else and does not merit a boycott, in my opinion.
When Muslims rely so much on products made in Europe, particularly food, it is unwise to boycott a country almost as a matter of course every time Muslims are offended in that country. Why would they produce halaal food for export to the Gulf if people will just stop eating it if a prominent person or organisation in the same country, beyond their control, or the government, offended their customers and the product was boycotted? Before long, companies will get the message and stop production. We should not boycott except in cases where the situation of Muslims there is dreadful, such as when they are subjected to persistent harassment, or to discriminatory laws which affect their everyday lives, or to state terrorism, or where that state is actually at war with the Muslims. The situation in Switzerland, or any other European country, may change in such a way as to make a boycott justifiable, but that is not the case now.
Possibly Related Posts:
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- The Swiss minaret law and its implications
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- Well done to the anti-fascists in Cologne
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Salam alaikum,
When I read Aaminah’s blog earlier, I assumed her final paragraph was referring to Ginny’s post on comments by a certain Jay Kactuz. Maybe I’m wrong.
In any case, I’m sure these private disputes between individuals are of no interest to most of your readers and most of us would rather remain in ignorant bliss.
Allahu alaam.
I’ve just skim-read this article because I have washing up to do, but I wanted to make the following point:
Ok, minarets are banned in Switzerland, but there is no way I am boycotting Toblerone. They will pry the chocky serrated triangular prism from my COLD DEAD HANDS. I will be the first Toblerone Shaheed of the Ummah.*
This is despite Kraft foods trying to take over Cadburys. See, I am a non-prejudicial fellow like that.* ** and disturbingly into my chocolate. Hmmm. Mr Moo´s last blog ..Brass Crescent Awards: Winner of Best Humour Blog
I responded to the Swiss ban in true British fashion, and resorted to ridicule. That has included pointing out a few home truths anti-minaret campaigners, who have made an issue of the position of women in Islam, despite having a history of being less than progressive on the same issue. This, in a country which only allowed women the full vote in 1971 and didn’t actually get round to making paid maternity leave statutory until 2004. That’s before we draw attention to their use of the demographic lie (Muslims will breed their way into being the majority in Europe). Let’s not beat about the bush. The people who led this campaign were anti-Muslim bigots, and those who voted to ban minarets open themselves up to the same charge.
Good points. I, too, don’t believe in the boycotting nonsense.
“It seems that offence has been taken at my reference to two bloggers in my last entry who reacted to the vote against minarets in Switzerland last Sunday to the effect of “I won’t be going there then”.”
Presumably the people who voted for the ban think there are more muslims and symbols of islam than there should be in Switzerland and would be delighted if more didn’t go there.
I don’t think people should take too much of an offence of views and opinions – that’s what posting on blogs is about I guess – sharing our views with each other as well as with some of the trolls, Islamophobes and the impostors…
Anyway, this is a really good subject albeit contentious…obviously. I have mixed feelings about boycotts. However, just like that cheesy yet effective old saying “work smart..not hard”, I am sure that there could be mileage in “boycott smart…not everything”.
As for a ban on the Swiss…that doesn’t sound smart or even right to me. However, I do respect the right of anyone who would want to do it.,,,and people may have their own reasons for doing it in addition to the minaret ban.
There was even news of the German-Turkish director who has boycotted visits to Switzerland…. There are however others who boycott visits to his homeland, Germany - or at least to the ex-SS strongholds around Munich and other regions in and around the north of Austria & Padania where that evil Nazi heritage still has such a disgusting stench that it has polluted the minds of some of its neighbours. There are some Jewish folk who would never dream of living in Germany because of the stench that still resonates in the area. So while some people boycott countries out of a “lets boycott that” whiplash, some other people do it genuinely out of a fear of being in racist or fascist ghetto areas. But then again millions voted for the BNP in our own back yard, so should we all move out of the UK or rather expose those misguided Nazi racists for what they are. Overall I would prefer to stay and fight …..although it has occasionally crossed my mind about moving to a less racist country.
As opposed to the boycott of visits to certain countries, there are people calling for a boycott to products – in this case Swiss goods, and again each to their own (for now), but the majority of the Swiss businesses, especially the non-Germanic ones, opposed the minaret ban so it is hardly a just reward for their support of freedom and rights for all people. For Israeli products though it is a different case due to their war crimes and the nature of that apartheid state.
Furthermore, take the War in Iraq and Afghanistan and look at the war mongers in the US - for example, the likes of FOX news and that corporation that is headed up by Murdoch and his spawn. Murdoch got to where he is because there are people who buy into his products, services and sound-bytes; in the UK there is a Sky satellite dish on almost every house - including on many principled left winger’s and Muslim’s houses; do these people realize that they are funding Murdoch and giving him the clout to put war-mongering leaders in power? Boycott Murdoch and Israeli products smartly to see some results. Boycotting has also been successfully used by AIPAC in the US and the friends of Israel (Cons, Lab and others) in the UK to effectively allow Israel to commit war crimes, so to dismiss Boycotting completely may be a bit premature.
Switzerland although beautiful is a miserably boring country. And everybody is a spy. You can’t put the rubbish out a few minutes before it’s due to collect or flush the loo or do your washing after 9.
As for equal rights between men and women, oh perish the thought, the Swiss have never heard of such a thing -men are routinely given higher wages because it’s assumed the wife is not/will not work.
I’d rather live in chaotic, crazy, not very clean London any day than pretty, clean and safe Geneva. I tried and gave up. Having said that, my husband, who is French actually but lived in Switzerland most of his life converted to Islam because he used to walk past the Geneva mosque on his way to work. After about a year and half of this he ventured in to explore and the rest is history, so perhaps I have something to thank Switzerland for, I don’t know.
Assalamu alaikum, perhaps my reaction was a bit premature, and perhaps you don’t agree with it, and that’s your right. But I also have a right to say that perhaps I’ll not go to a place that seems to be so intolerant of others. I’m not saying America is perfect, I really don’t think any place is. And I’m not saying that I necessarily agree with boycotts. I didn’t know that such a quick reaction (which really the post I wrote about the minaret ban was what I was thinking at the time, and probably wasn’t necessarily meant to be set in stone, it was just what I was thinking at the time) was going to cause such offense. My point is, I don’t see myself going anywhere where I or anyone else like me could be persecuted, or my religion persecuted, that’s all I was saying, and maybe it’s Switzerland today, France yesterday, maybe it will be America tomorrow. Who knows.
The thing is, I don’t like going to places where people’s racism, ignorance, and prejudice is so on display and evident, whether it’s a small town in Indiana, somewhere in the deep south, or Switzerland. That was my point.
I’m just amazed that you were offended by this comment and felt the need to write a whole post about it, or two if you count the mention in the previous post. Ginny´s last blog ..And While I’m At It…
I personally go on holidays to black countries whether it be Jamaica or Maldive Islands. The last thing a person needs when they are on a holiday is to have a pack of racist families trying to burn your hair just to see whether it burns or not.
For Asians and other whiter shades, it is different because the majority assume themselves to be white until ofcos they check into a restaurant stopping themselves from eating with their hands :)
salam alaikoum Yakoub said exactly my feelings on this issue. Being actually in Switzerland this vote has affected me more than I thought…I know I must hang out with some people who voted yes to this crap. And that’s my problem with the Swiss, you never know how they really feel. Other than that, Geneva is the dirtiest city in Switzerland. Not saying much but still :)
Switzerland practices a form of direct democracy.
That means a majority of the people in all the cantons voted no to minarets.
The solution is then to change the perception of those people, a win-win solution.
The solution is not to go to battle with them over courts (a win-lose solution). So what can Muslims do to change the perception? Mezba´s last blog ..Fun with Lego
I wouldn’t be surprised if many (most?) Sky subscribers in Britain are motivated purely by a desire to watch sports events for which Murdoch has exclusive broadcasting rights.