outsidein

• Jon Stewart’s Question

  October 20, 2008 @ 10:38 am | by Bryan

  Finally!

  I think the Daily Show’s Jon Stewart may be one of the best journalists out there. In a hilarious sketch, as usual, he recalled a now infamous town hall meeting. A woman tells McCain that she fears Obama because he is an Arab. McCain then takes the mic from her and explains that Obama is in fact, “a decent family man.”

  My response was something along the lines of, “You’re joking!” Quite a few commentators on the other hand praised McCain for “defending Obama.” A couple criticised him for propagating the idea that Obama is a Muslim. Not too many suggested that there may be a problem with linking Islam to terrorism. As only they could, The Daily Show asked whether or not an Arab could be a decent guy who loved his family.

  Why is there so much fear and animosity directed towards Muslims? 9/11? Isn’t that like thinking that all Germans are anti-Semitic racists because of the Nazis? Or that because there are white supremacist groups all across Europe and America that all white people are racists? Or, since the AIDS pandemic is especially bad in sub-Saharan Africa, we should all be quarantined and are a health hazard?

  Is there a rational explanation for the rising anti-Muslim sentiment or does it all stem from the actions of an unhinged fringe group? It can’t be a religious thing because how large is the religious population of Europe or America? For a part of the world that has set the example for freedom and tolerance, it is a very disappointing state of affairs.

  This election will be over in a couple of weeks. The repercussions though could last for some time to come.

  Comments (9)

• The Hijab

  July 3, 2008 @ 1:41 pm | by Bryan

   

   

  Is it just me of is the issue of the hijab (headscarf) getting out of hand? The Minister for Education, Batt O’Keeffe has asked Conor Lenihan, Integration Minister, for help. He wants to know if there should be a national policy on the wearing of the hijab in schools. Minister Lenihan then passed the issue on to school principals. Talk about a high profile game of hot potato.

   

  Honestly, what is the big deal? It’s just a piece of cloth isn’t it? If young Muslim ladies, or their parents for that matter, want them to wear it, what’s the problem? Should this really be taking up two ministers’ time as well as that of thousands of school principals? Aren’t there more serious issues to deal with, like renovating old schools and building new ones? Is this just a silly diversion to get us all thinking about something inconsequential, or do people really care about it?

   

  Let’s say that it is a genuine concern. What is the real underlying issue here? It cannot be about clothing. Or at least I really hope we aren’t that petty as a society. Is it about Islam, or religion itself? Either way, if there is going to be a debate, let it be about Islam or religion as a whole and their place in contemporary Irish society.

  Comments (61)