The Guardian's Muslim Youth Forum
The Guardian has a Muslim Youth Forum that is connected to their Special Report: Islam, race and British Identity. The last report appeared last Sunday: Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Islamic voice of reason speaks out, but the anger remains
Last week the Guardian brought together a diverse group of young Muslims to debate life after the London bombs. Two moods emerged: a desire to address extremism in their midst, and disaffection with British foreign policy
Sunny, one of the participants, has some usefull comments about it.
All us Asians need to move away from a victim mentality because it is de-moralising. Blaming someone else for your problems, or allowing people like Bunting and Lee Jasper to blame others, means you don’t gather the courage to deal with the problem. It is not empowering.
When our parents came to this country they didn’t blame racism and sat around the house doing nothing. They worked twice or four times as hard to get somewhere. To defeat terrorism, racism, bigotry and xenophobia: we all need to work twice as hard too – rather than just blame others.
Also on Harry’s Place:
One of the issues considered by the group was the problem of social exclusion. The main culprit, apparently, is alcohol. As Bunting explains:
Alcohol is probably now one of the most effective and unquestioned forms of exclusion practised in the UK, affecting every kind of social network.
Well to understand that comment, you have to read their blogs…
But you can have your say at the Guardian Newsblog as well:
By Jane Perrone / UK news 10:58am
Last week the Guardian brought together a diverse group of young Muslims to debate life after the London bombs. Two moods emerged: a desire to address extremism in their midst, and disaffection with British foreign policy.
How should Muslims be engaging in the political debate about government policy on terrorism? Is there a tension between Islam and British culture? Does anything need to change in Muslim communities in the wake of the scrutiny, criticism and hostility brought on by the terrorist attacks of July 7? If you attended the forum, or you would like to join in the debate, post your comments below.
And also columnist of the Guardian, Madeleine Bunting, has written some stuff:
These particular Muslim predicaments are underscored by a problem endemic in British political culture – a weak tradition of citizenship. In place of a powerful concept of citizen’s rights and responsibilities, we are still subjects of a hereditary monarchy. We use nationalism not citizenship to generate a sense of belonging and entitlement; that disables an immigrant minority.
And this is where Ramadan’s move to the UK could be so important. Steeped in a French republican tradition of strong citizenship, he is remarkably challenging of his Muslim audiences. Who else can talk about the passivity and victim mentality of the Muslim community, as he did in the forum last week, and still get spontaneous applause? Who else challenges the community to stop complaining about not being consulted by the government, but organise themselves so effectively that the government has no choice but to listen? Who else argues that if Muslims want British-trained imams, they’ll have to pay for them instead of donating to international solidarity campaigns? You can best help the oppressed around the world by being a good citizen here, he stoutly commented.
This is tough love, and it is to the considerable credit of his audience that they want it. The question is whether it prompts the kind of energetic, critically engaged citizenship Ramadan calls for, or whether – a danger he well knows – it makes no headway against the satisfactions of complaint.
Notwithstanding all the comments made, it is a very interesting special report. I wonder if the Dutch newspapers could do something like that.