lewislewis said:
Udo i'm going to ask for a straight answer- would you join a Muslim demonstration against these cartoons even if the women on the demo had to march ten paces behind the men, like they do at the moment?
I can't say on any of the anti-war demo's in Wales or London I have seen huge numbers of Muslim women marching ten paces behind the men - in fact quite often the women seemed more militant than the males.
Personally, I would have some difficulty in attending a demo called by Islamicists.
But for the secular left to turn up on such a demo with their own slogans and placards such as "Freedom of Speech - YES, racist cartoons - NO" would surely be issuing a challenge to the Islamist take on things and would provoke serious political debate and would build a bridge between Muslims who are (rightly) angered and upset by these cartoons and Socialists.
I'm sure Islamist's would hate to see the Secular left turn up and defend Muslims - all the more reason to challenge them on their own turf.
The reason why I think it is important that the Left take up this issue is precisely to undercut the politics of Islamicists who have placed themselves at the head of the movement.
Indeed, I think that in places like East London and Birmingham, if their are Muslims who feel like marching against these cartoons, then Respect should initiate demo's where the question of the cartoons is not framed in terms of Islamicist politics and in that frame of reference, but in terms of a socialist analysis of racism and a demonstration where non-Muslims leftists, trade unionists, and people from other ethnic backgrounds and communities would be represented and speak.
If socialists don't defend Muslims against racism and their is a huge number of Muslim-only demo's then this reinforces the arguments of Islamists and drives Muslims who are absolutely correct to be angered by these cartoons into their arms.
What is important is joint anti-racist action between Muslims and the secular left.
If, you agree with me, that the cartoons were racist and islamophobic, then surely the Left should take up this issue.
When you see figures like Ann Widecomb, a Conservative catholic, appearing on the media standing shoulder to shoulder with Muslims from a reactionary "blasphemy law" perspective and defending them surely you have to demand that the left takes up this issue and shows Muslims that they are prepared to defend Muslims against racism and attacks by right wing newspapers not by a reactionary appeal to religion but from a socialist analysis of racism and it's role in our society and through workers' unity
