So, I feel like two really important things I drew from the public forum on Islamophobia last night were... 1. The conditions that bring people (particularly young men) to the point at which they may consider, plan or go through with, physical attacks that could be defined as terrorism, have everything to do with their experience of the world, racism, class, discrimination, lack of access to health and mental health services and support, lack of public services and welfare, and justified disdain at state policies that undermine or disregard human needs. As Tasneem Chopra said last night, the extremist video they watch online is the last step. Its advantageous of conservative politicians to focus on this final step while ignoring their complicity in cultivating the conditions that make our society less safe and increase the risk of terror attacks. Nothing would increase national security more than ending racism, providing free health care, full non-discriminatory welfare, fully funded free public services, etc. And this has little to nothing to do with religion. Non-Muslims plot and attack: Bryant (retribution, mental health?), Knight (mental heath?), Breivik (right-wing ideology), McVeigh (US foreign policy), but these acts are somehow not terror unless the perpetrator or alleged perpetrator is a person of colour or a Muslim. Currently Australian federal policy is making our society less safe for Australians, particularly, Australian women of colour who dress a certain way. 2. The activist left in Melbourne is dominated by groups and people whose voices significantly dominated the forum last night, making it difficult or impossible for the voices of many victims of Islamophobia to be heard. When one woman explained that another rally may not be the best tactic, as many Muslim women currently fear for their safety just by stepping outside, a white, non-Muslim Socialist Alternative member feigned sympathy and implored that Muslim women attend the rally despire their fears. This typifies the activist lefts response. The activist left instigated the forum, but that doesnt give us the right to dominate the conversation. We say we want to work with the Islamic community in solidarity with their struggles, but I think most of us dont actually want that. Most of us want to assimilate them into our dogmatic and hegemonic worldview and practice, to get them to another useless rally and recruit them to our cause. This shit is so old now its at risk of becoming the next transition fuel fad. The activist left needs to shut up and listen (which part of it does well and many did last night). Many of us have forgotten what the word solidarity actually means.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 00:32:38 +0000
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