Been having some random thoughts recently, and someone was requested I wrote something again…so here goes, what’s on my mind?

Well as you can see from the pictures, I’ve been browsing some Palestine groups on Flickr and there are plenty of striking images – almost like contrasts between good and bad. What’s funny is that the “Good” and the “Bad” can be heavily inverted by the media. My question is this – couldn’t it just be simple? Lets not go into the details of the conflict, we’ve done that already. Just look at the pictures and ask yourself who the real ‘terrorist’ is.

Of course, that isn’t going to work, and this is something that I’ve come to realise lately. Many have a mentality which obstructs them from being able to see the difference in between the “wrong” and the “WRONG”. A typical response would be – “One’s holding a stone, a type of weapon – the others holding a gun, another type of weapon. They are both wrong”.

Either people just aren’t bothered enough to try and find out the truth of the situation, or they just follow the propganda they’re fed. Another thing I’ve come to realise is that sometimes its so much easier to stick to your old ways, that saying “ignorance is bliss” comes to mind as I think about conversations I’ve had with people who don’t know, and don’t care. I’d rather people didn’t act – then people act on false knowledge.

How about “terrorism is in the eye of the beholder”. Get it? Why do people keep accusing others of crimes, if they themselves are innocent. A typical human response of guilt is to blame another – or “the” other.

The branding of present day “Terrorism” seems to me like a glorified form of racism.

I was looking at some streetart on flickr when I spotted this rather interesting piece. It immediately struck me as something from the artist Banksy, and it depicts a ‘teddy’ bear with a Molotov cocktail in attacking position. If you look at the full wall you will actually see that it is aiming at three British riot police, with the caption ‘The Mild Mild West’.

There are many different conclusions you can draw from this, and really that is what makes real art. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and the real artists are those who depict that. Probably the most effective image this portrays in my opinion, would be that of “something different” being the “enemy”, and to emphasise this even further he uses the usually soft and cuddley “teddy bear” armed with – not a gun – but a Molotov cocktail. The choice of weapon further adds to the ‘difference’ as it is the usual weapon of the underdog, the usually branded “terrorist” and so on.

I added a comment in response to the first comment on the picture which said “how d’ya know he’s not a suicide bomber teddy.” saying “apparently hes not arab looking enough. Pathetic stereotypes. Love the artwork though..“. You see, when someone sees something fighting against the system – and I don’t necessarily mean physically – they automatically assume that they are the “terrorist” or the “suicide bomber” and so on. One never stops to question the actions and intentions.

I was extremely surprised to receive an email from the uploader of the picture:

Firstly thanks for your comments much appreciated, I thought I’d mail you instead of replying through comments as this all makes me angry as well and I’m trying to keep the political me under control here. I couldn’t agree with you more about the stereotyping that’s been going on, a while ago I heard the comment “not all Muslims are terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims” used on T.V. with no outcry at all, unbelievable. However the thing that’s really angering me at the moment is this letter bomber that’s just been caught, at least 7 bombs, maybe another 5, sent through the post, and he gets described as a poor misunderstood fool who temporarily lost his reason. I’ve looked a bit and all the definitions of terrorism I can find mention bombs but I suppose John Reid knows better than me, of course this bomber is a white geeky looking cyclist so maybe that’s why he’s not a terrorist.

Anyway I just wanted to say that as a white brit I find the Muslim communities response to this “racist” attitude from the government and media to be dignified and proportionate and I applaud all who can show restraint in the face of this seemingly unending assault on their culture. I also look forward to the day when we all stop being distracted by these differences that are imposed on us by our so called leaders, start to look at the real problems and deal with the cause not the effect.

What did I take of this? Well I wrote in my response:

Wow. Didn’t expect such a powerful response, and believe me we appreciate the support that many reasonable people from the British community have offered without any real need to do so.

Funny thing is – technically I’m as much British as you are, in fact, what does it take to constitute being ‘British’? I was born here, have a British passport, yet for some reason I’m more of a threat then you because I believe in a religion that actually enforces Peace and Justice as its core values.

You’re not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it – Malcolm X

Almost 450,000 requests were made to monitor people’s telephone calls, e-mails and post by secret agencies and other authorised bodies in just over a year, the spying watchdog said yesterday.

» Times Article

Should you be scared? Well yeah, if your brown, Muslim or Brazilian looking I’d watch my back. That’s not actually a joke, you see people often rant about the so-called monitoring that people are subject to, and honestly, we usually ignore it. When it comes to your community then you realise that perhaps its time to start being careful – why? Because they don’t need much to get you into a whole load of trouble and when I say they don’t need much, I mean that. Read my book review on Enemy Combatant which tells of how Moazzam Begg was held for 3 years for nothing. You think that couldn’t be you?

Now being careful and being cowardice are two different things. Speak your mind, speak the truth. We need to remember that at the end of the day, we will be held accountable by the fairest of judges.

Actually saw this one one of the slashdot comments, perhaps something very applicable…

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
-Attributed to Pastor Martin Niemoller

Extremely random article? Yeah I’m sorry…

Watch it and worry. Read the comments for an interesting analysis!

My Rating: 5/5

Enemy Combatant: A British Muslim’s Journey to Guantanamo and Back

Review

When I was in Year 10 in January 2005 I did a presentation to my English class on the indefinite detention of potentially innocent human beings in Gunatanamo Bay. Handing out some of the few pictures actually available from the media and articles describing the horrific events that took place in Guantanamo to the class showed some interest, in particular a cutting from a newspaper highlighting the release of 4 Britons, one of whom I have come to know as Moazzam Begg.

Almost two years later, at ExpoIslamia in Manchester I saw a book which immediately struck me as something of interest. I found it difficult to relate from my initial studies into the crimes in Guantanamo to this book, something that you will only really understand when you read it. The personality enclosed in a book is so much more powerful then any article you could read in the newspaper or any piece on the TV news, and this book does not differ.

I guess a question that could easily be asked is what is there to gain from reading this book? Honestly I think you will gain from reading anything, the amount of knowledge to be gained from books is immense, unfortunately something I know I haven’t really been taking advantage of recently.

The thing about this book is that even though it is completely factual, it portrays the story as something which makes you attached to Moazzam’s ‘journey’. You ultimately feel weak and helpless sat there in your warm sofa reading about someone no different to yourself being taken from his home in Pakistan into 3 years of illegal detention. He is British and lived but an hour away from me. The only real difference was his choice to help his Muslim brothers suffering in other countries, something which we all strive to do.

The journey takes you from England to Bosnia, Pakistan to Afghanistan, Bagram to Cuba and finally back to England. A mixture of emotions run through you as you read about the terrors, the praying, the lack of food, the torture – psychological and physical, the excitement of small acts of kindness. If you don’t cry at least once when reading this book you have a heart of stone or just really didn’t read it.
Ensnared within this steel quagmire,
Our view holds little to admire,
So to the darkness we retire,
Amidst the chime of the razor wire.
I opened the file I kept with the research I did on Guantanamo in year 10 and suddenly I could put a real picture to the faces of the people talked about in the articles. I could put a real image to the few pictures of the camps in Guantanamo. It’s funny how you think you’re well educated on the problems of the world until you really learn just how deep it goes. The example of Moazzam’s father becoming active in campaigning for his son’s release really touched me:

“Old feuds between my father and his siblings had stopped, and they had come together. People who hadn’t spoken to one another for years had turned up to my fathers house and offered him their complete support. I had come home to a united family”

Astonished that out of so much evil has come some good. There are so many things to say about this book, but really – just read it. You will truly see what a mess we are in today, what our governments are doing beyond the laws, how people just like us are suffering for no apparent reason. “You do NOT have the RIGHT to remain silent.” (used by Amnesty protestors against Guantanamo).

Perhaps it is time to starting making a difference.

Read the story about how a world of warcraft geek got a taste of being a Muslim on an Aeroplane here! – Thanks Tibault.

Lebanon

George Galloway hit the nail on the head. The media is preposterous, in the way it presents its news, its questions and its bias views (hey that rhymes). People are finally realising that not everything Sky News tells them is true, but more importantly, the truth is being slowly revealed (note slowly). Honestly the picture looks so clear from this side, sometimes it seems weird that people could look at some situations in a different light altogether (i.e. Israel is the victim in every conflict involving them, or even not involving them). I guess the problem is that everyone thinks they’ve got the answer.

You know what I dislike even more then people who think like that, its people who sit on the fence. “Oh both sides are responsible”, “Everyone should stop killing each other”, “They’re just as bad as each other”. It’s not a perfect world people, there are no two victims and there are no two oppressors. You think that the solution lies in the word stop? The reasons for conflicts go deep and painful, and only when the reasons are properly consulted will the answer be revealed. I was talking to my barber about this Lebanon conflict and I was asking if he seriously thought Israel were justified in doing what they’re doing. His response was along the lines of “I don’t care who’s responsible I just want people to stop fighting.” Unfortunately it isn’t as simple as that, and that’s why what Galloway was saying has so much significance. Stop thinking in a clock that only goes back 4 weeks, this conflict didn’t start because of Lebanon; people need to get to the real roots of it. It’s the same with all the conflicts that are occurring across the globe, these things didn’t start when you switched on your TV screens; these things have been going on for ages. What’s my point? When you get to the root of the problem, you will start to look at it in a different light.

Read an excellent follow-up to this article here

Work

Yes, work. I know you may be surprised, horrified, scrunch up your eyes to see if you’re reading it correctly. I’ve been working for 3 weeks now, training as a Sky Customer Service agent and should be ‘going live’ on the phones on Monday. It’s been a good experience, earning some money but also getting to grips at the workplace and familiarising yourself with the common practises that go on etc. You get to meet people which is also nice, some interesting characters and some not so interesting ? I’m hoping to continue working some two nights a week during school for a while too, good to make use of my time whilst I have some.

AOB

YM (young muslims) work is kicking off again, went to an exec meeting today so that was interesting. The ‘Lost’ camp was good and the League has kicked off (literally). The ISB family circle today was also pretty successful and we had a good game of footy.

Wow I’ve written a load of junk. Laters

Well what can I say? The region’s tension has just got much closer to boiling point, and I am frightened and excited at the same time. That’s coming from me who doesn’t even live there. Looking on the situation as a whole, it is really difficult to take sides. Not that we should…but it’s hard deciding what and what not to believe here. Both Israel and Hezbollah and their actions are fuelled so much by hate and anger at each other that it is hard for outsiders to see past this to actual justifiable reasons, besides the ones which are given out to the public, which mainly only serve to keep up an armies facade. I don’t claim to know much about what intentions are held either, I’m quite in the blue in this war. Although I do have quite a few judgements but I’m not going to post them here because they are overly-biased and may cause offence. My main surprise though is the over-reaction and mishandling of Israeli action. Telling civilians to evacuate and then bombing them when they obey? I will say I think this current conflict is Hezbollah’s fault, for firing the rockets onto Israel. Not for the captures though. I don’t see how the Israeli government can justify the hostages as a main reason for going to war, when they have been capturing and hoarding Palestinians and Lebanese for God knows how long.
The big question is whether the conflict will extend towards Syria and Iran. In my view, if Syria gets involved, Iran automatically becomes part of it. I think that’s the only reason Israel haven’t bombed past the crossroads to Syria yet, and I’m glad of this alliance.
Overall, it seems to me that Israel are enjoying themselves, like they’ve been waiting on a leash for something like this to happen and now it’s happened they don’t want to stop. ‘We’ll only halt military action once a peace-keeping force has arrived’ seems to support this, as with negotiations going as slow as they are there’s bound to be plenty of time for spilling blood.
Here’s whats happened today.
Aarh politics, sometimes I wish I was naive as most people when it comes to this, but I just can’t ignore it.