Salma Yacoob, Salma, we hear a lot about the injustices of Iraq, Palestine, etc, but what has that to do with life here? Why do Muslims get so angry about these issues, when we've plenty more to sort out home than abroad?
Asked by ryanscribe on Aug 17 2007 9:04:08 AM and supported by 25 members
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I agree that there are plenty of issues at home that need sorting out
– for example the lack of affordable housing, high unemployment in
many deprived areas, inequalities in educational attainment, student
debt, pensioners living in poverty, health issues, climate change to
name a few. I think it is right that Muslims should care about and
act in relation to these with the same passion that some do around
issues of foreign policy. I helped form Respect precisely out of
these concerns – to address domestic issues, in addition to
international issues – to work alongside others from different
backgrounds who also shared these concerns.
I believe that as responsible citizens all of us - irrespective of
whether we are Muslims, Jews, Christians, people of faith or people
of no faith - have an obligation to strive for greater democratic
accountability over our governments. It is our taxes that finance our
foreign policy – that pay for the bombs that fall on people thousands
of miles away. It is our government that is acting in our names when
it wages war in Iraq and Afghanistan, claiming our authority to do
so. So, what is happening abroad has everything to do with us here.
This is particularly the case for Muslim communities, as much of the
current demonisation of Muslims is directly linked with the foreign
policy decisions post 9/11.
To care about other people, even if they are far away, is a basic
expression of humanity. I think it is much better that people are
concerned about the suffering of others, whether it is issues of war
or Third World Debt, than that they harden their hearts to it.
Furthermore, it is a sad truth that many of these problems arise from
decisions made here. Not speaking up in my opinion makes us complicit
in these injustices. The principle for me is to be consistent in
standing against injustice in all its forms.