Indigo Jo Blogs

Politics, tech and media issues from a Muslim perspective

Muslima joins the Sun

by · 5th December, 2004

There is a story just posted to BewleyUpdates, from Asians in Media (space it differently and it could say Asian Sin Media!) about the Sun newspaper’s newest columnist - one Anila Baig, a hijab-wearing Muslim woman. Now, this is the last place I’d expect to find such a columnist, given the rag’s appalling record. The Sun (also known as The Scum) has a history of mixing sanctimony and filth. It shouted from the rooftops to keep the Tories in power during the 1980s and early 1990s when they were busy dismantling the private sector and destroying the mining industry, and as I’ve pointed out here before, its political stories are often on page 2, opposite the topless model on page 3 (the term “page 3” has become synonymous with topless models). When it appeared that their bread was buttered on Tory Bliar’s side, after he’d stolen the Tories’ clothes and the Tory party was mired in sleaze during the second Major government, they switched their allegiance. Billy Bragg, the left-leaning London singer-songwriter, wrote this about the paper:

Those braying voices on the right of the House Are echoed down the Street of Shame Where politics mix with bingo and tits In a strictly money and numbers game

Where they offer you a feature On stockings and suspenders Next to a call for stiffer penalties for sex offenders

The right of the House refers to the government side of the House of Commons in the British Parliament; the Street of Shame is Fleet Street, where the London press used to be based. The implication being that the Murdoch press used to echo what the Tories had to say.

The thing is, I’m not entirely averse to a Muslim joining this rag (although, given some of what they print - racing statistics, among other things - one would doubt that it’s lawful income), but she really needs to make sure she’s not compromising her religion - for instance, by being the “House Muslim” condemning any controversial action by Muslims while supporting western or Israeli aggression, or by lampooning other Muslims and exposing us to ridicule over issues which can be solved within the community. If this is what they expect of her, she must leave sharpish.

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