Applaud The Good Muslims

A headline caught my attention during my daily anger rummage throughout the internet, it reads "North West Muslims deliver message to IS: "release our hero"". Do not misconstrue the point of this blog post, I will not at any point defend the action of IS, their tactics, or the beheading of the innocent hostages, moreover, I agree with the 'North West Muslims' and they should release him, he was no 'crusader'. He was in the country selflessly helping these people's families, friends, neighbours during wartime.

The only issue I have with this headline is the reference to the 'North West Muslims' religious beliefs. It is not a new phenomena that has crept into discussions about Islamic groups actions. The singling out of 'outspoken' has been knocking around for a while, tainting everything it touches with its foul pungency.

Singling out Muslims who speak out about another individuals or groups actions abroad, completely disconnected with them as people beyond a roughly shared set of religious beliefs, is not something you witness with most other religions. You see no mention of Christians calling for an extremist group to show compassion when they commit an atrocity, nor do you see Sikhs being hounded for not speaking out against terrorist actions from people within their faith. The only other religion you could expect people to praise followers of for speaking out against something is Judaism. 

So the two most persecuted religions in Europe are expected to become apologists for the actions of some within their faith. There is something about that which should, if you are a fair minded and rational person, rub you up the wrong way.

Why are ITV choosing to highlight these people's faith then? For me its is equally a symptom, reaction to, and cause of the exact same thing. Racism. More specifically, the racism inherent in the right wing British media and vast swathes of the unthinking followers that subscribe to the simplistic formulae, one which is easily recognisable in their narratives. 

Islamic State = Barbaric 

Islamic State = Muslims

Therefore

Muslims = Barbaric

By placing the 'North West Muslims' within this headline firmly in the boundaries of Britain and highlighting their faith, whilst framing the Brit as 'heroic' they are saying:

Muslims = Barbaric

Britishness = Heroic

Therefore

Muslims embracing Britishness = Less Barbaric

British Muslims > Other Muslims

In this context, as defined by the countless times you would have heard "why don't they speak out about the extremists in their faiths, community and mosques?" from some brain dead moron as some validation of their racism, speaking out is seen as the Muslims coming over to the side of Britain. They are defending the green and pleasant land we call home, and all her people, from the evils of Islam.

By 'speaking out' they have now become no longer one of 'them', they are one of 'us'. Allan Henning is their hero in addition to being our hero.

So lets not disappoint the racists; join together and applaud the good Muslims.