The Future without him?

Clive Soley: "Andrew, if you are right about the electorate and Tony Blair why did we win another by election in Scotland just a few months ago? I know you want to believe everyone feels the same about Tony Blair as you do but I would suggest that you divorce yourself from your prejudices before you analyse election results. You can always remarry them afterwards!"

My reply: Clive, 'Prejudice' is a strong word to use when the view of Tony Blair that I have espoused is the basis of much discussion and debate in most arenas. I acknowledge you give me the oportuntiy to remarry my 'prejudices'and I am aware that to be fair the result may prove an exception having been influenced by local issues.
However my views should not be characterised by a luditte need to return to the past. I supported Blair at the start and history will show that he has bedded the party down as an electoral force. But, and it is a big 'but', he has shown the same dangerous tendencies in power that beset Thatcher, a belief in the mythologies of himself in power and a distortion in the decision making process of government when all counsel is cowered.
My anxiety is that he may be driven to sabotage a future of the party without him as Thatcher did. Tainting his successor by staying too long. It is our duty as Labour Party supporters and members to stand up and be counted even if we may be tempted to be defferential by honours bestowed upon us.
There is much still to be done and it is the vision of history to proactively play a part in establishing a world that works in coexistence and the relationships between worlds that makes that possible. It is the courage of true supporters that is needed to make this happen.
http://clivesoleymp.typepad.com/clive_soley_mp/2006/02/responses_1.html#comments

Cartoons and other issues 3

Much of the background of the reactions to the issues of the cartoons by muslims, derives in my view by the cultural,political and moral pressure placed on muslims living in european countries to side with a narrow view predicated by western interests. To fail to do so is to make inferrences that they have allegiances with terrorism.
It is in my view wrong to deny that Muslims living in the UK for example, have a natural right to hold a range of views and allegiances, based upon a rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Muslims may be the first to express unease about cliched or narrow views of the middle east, however they rightly have feared that their views would be interpreted as an allegiance in opposition to western interest. In order to create justifications for the war in Iraq and in creating atmostphere of loyal support the political, media and cultural elites in the UK, muslims have been cowered into expressing answers to complex questions which show know doubt as to their loyalties to the west.

If we seek to establish the causes for so called extremism we should first look at how we in the UK have forced decent citizens onto the defensive in a false judgement of their loyalty. Hopelessness and frustration is the outcome and that is what we see on our streets today.

Its a lovely day tommorrow

Here in the darkest depths of West Sussex UK, it is strangely not dark. Spring is in the air, blue skies abound, nature is stirring.

As neccessary as winter is, the short days take their toll and how I am looking forward to eating outdoors again. Taking time out, inhabiting a body that is not shrunk inwards, cringing from a hostile enviroment.

I apologise, somewhat insincerely, to all those who are about to leave the warmer seasons, remind me then of my insensitivity now. I feel sure that I will be understanding.

Cartoons and other issues 2

Other sites on 'Cartoons and other issues'

Cartoons and other issues

Daniel Brett said... I have seen many placards with "Star of David equals Nazi Swastika" used in demonstrations and heard some Muslim anti-war demonstrators chant "Death to Jews" in Arabic. Nothing is done about Muslims who defame Jews and other religions. And I don't see Jews and gays burn down the embassies of Muslim states when Islamic groups insult them and call for their execution or annihilation. Certainly, imams and mainstream representatives have been extremely reluctant to condemn this behaviour.

In relation to the cartoons, Danish imams were unable to stir up a reaction to the cartoons when they were first published last year. So they compiled the 12 cartoons and created three far more offensice bogus cartoons the Danish newspaper had not published - one depicting Muhammed as a pig, another a dog having sex with a Muslim prostrated in prayer and another depicting Muhammed as a paedophile. They then distributed the offending cartoons throughout the Middle East. Undoubtedly, the cartoons that were not published in the Danish press were the cause of the outrage.

The whole outrage thing is staged by extremists. The anti-Danish protests have occurred months after the cartoons were published in Denmark. I doubt most people in the world had heard of Denmark or knew where it was until these protests. Suddenly, large numbers of Arabs are burning Danish flags in "spontaneous" demonstrations. Do Islamic extremists keep a collection of world flags under their beds just in case they need one to burn? Or perhaps they had stockpiled Danish flags, knowing they would become useful when extremists staged this PR stunt.

And look at where the Danish embassies were burnt down: Syria and Lebanon. Bashar al-Assad's regime is under threat due to the assassination of Rafik Hariri. He needs a rallying point and a reassertion of his power in Lebanon following the humiliation of Syrian withdrawal. What better than pick on the Danes for a bunch of stupid cartoons?

And how convenient that Ahmadinejad did not impose trade sanctions on France, where the cartoons were published in newspapers with a higher circulation! Could it be due to the fact that Iran's automotive industry depends on Peugeot-Citroen and TotalFinaElf is an investor in Iranian oil and gas development? Could it be the fact that France is one of the EU-3 Iran will have to appease to prevent sanctions? Denmark is an easy target: small country will no political or economic power that can become the Islamic extremists' scapegoat.

I don't believe there is a huge outrage in the Muslim world against these cartoons. Yes, most Muslims are offended, but a significant number blame the extremists for perverting Islam into a religion based on jihad which the cartoons attack. Here in Kolkata where I am living, a city populated by four million Muslims, there is no "Muslim outrage", no flag burning and no demonstrations. The protests in Delhi were attended by less than 300 Muslims. In Indonesia (the country with the world's largest Muslim population), the Danish embassy was attacked by no more than 150 Muslims. In Bangladesh (the country with the world's third largest Muslim population), the only demonstration was the one led by opposition leader Sheikh Hasina AGAINST Islamic militancy - hundreds of thousands attended, but it went unreported in the Western media. The Western media is keen to portray Muslims as violent and unstable by only covering protests by Islamic extremists calling for jihad against the West. In fact, most Muslims are moderate and are not interested in such a jihad - many are eager to live and work in the West. No-one wants to acknowledge the truth that the Islamic world is not a monolith and is not involved in a war against the West.

Click here for a range of images of Muhammed, both by Muslims and satirists - including some cartoons that went ignored by the Islamic world: http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/

My Reply to the above post

Daniel
Having read your reply I realise even more why it is that putting ones thoughts down is a good thing. Its not good because one is confirmed in ones prejudiced but because we find out new things. Thank you for your post.
I understand the realpolitik of what you are saying. Where I am coming from is not to deny the complexity of the many sides of these issues but to play my part in ensuring that we do not fall to the dangerous assumptions metered out by the propoganda in the west. That is not to say that I am not aware of the propoganda issued from other sources and power blocs including the Muslim world.

My essential interest is briefly encapsulated by the view that the Iraq war/invasion and its political preperation, has broken a move towards, however hesitant, to international perspectives and cooperation across trade and cultural boundaries. To me this is a view of history as well as a political and spiritual outlook.

The greatest danger facing the world post 9/11 is the break with the development towards international concensus and international law. The precedent set of invading countries based on a single view on the rightness/wrongness of that political system and culture has given the green light for other power interests to make unilateral moves against others. Post the Falklands war there was the invasion by Israel of Lebanon. Post 9/11 Israel building the barrier.

The moral and legal authorities of world conduct have been loosened, which creates polarisation and rationals for opposition and less faith in reconciliation and confidence building.

I see it as a paramount duty as a UK citizen to shine the light brightly at the hipocracies prevaling and the cyclical justifications to build alienation on the premise of fear. In this respect we have both had cause to comment on the falsehoods on ID cards on the Soley site.

We live in dangerous times

Rumi

Biography-Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi
(sourced from http://mowlana.blogspot.com/ many thanks)

Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi was born in Balkh (Afghanistan) in September 29, 1207 A.D. or 6th Rai'u-'l-avval 604 A.H. to a family of master Afghan theologians in Balkh in the north-eastern provinces of present day Afghanistan. He is the grandson of Jalale-'d-Din Huseyn el Khatibi and Malika'i Jihan - daughter of Khurram-shah King of Khorasan as a child maulana began his search for wisdom at the feet of Burhanu-'d-Din Serr-Daan el Muhaqqiq el Huseyni of Balkh a renown scholar of that era. Escaping the Mongol invasion and destruction, Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi and his family traveled extensively in the Muslim lands, Age 5 His family left his birth-place of Balkh for Baghdad, Age 8 From Baghdad to Mecca and Damascus and finally to Malatia (in Western Euphrates in Turkey) later performed pilgrimage to Mecca, Age 19 (1226 ad) Married Gevher Khatun the daughter of Lala Sharafu-'d-Din of Samarqand.and finally moved to Qonya (Konya) in the north-western provinces of then part of Seljuk Empire(in present day Turkey).

According to Afghanland.com sources, When his father Baha'u-'d-Din Veled Sultan-'l-Ulema passed away, Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi succeeded his father in 1231 as professor in religious sciences. Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi 24 years old was an already accomplished scholar in religious and positive sciences.

Age 37 On Saturdday, November 28, 1244 A.D. or 26th of Jamadi-ul0akhar 642 A.H., Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi and A wandering dervish, Shams-e-Din Muhammad Ibn Malik-dad Tabrizi, meet and Maulana is introduced into the mystical path.

Age 39 On March 14, 1246, 21st Shewwal, 643, Shams left Qonya and Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi for the first time.

His love and his bereavement for the death of Shams found their expression in a surge of music, dance and lyric poems, `Divani Shamsi Tabrizi'. Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi is the author of six volume didactic epic works;

Divan-e-Shams A compendium of poetry in praise of Shams in over 45,000 verses in Dari (Persian)

Mathnavi Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi's most famous work in 7 books, and 24,660 couplets, in Dari and some Arabic. This work is also commonly refered to as the Persian Quran by Jami.

Fihi ma Fihi Introductory discourses on metaphysics

Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi Rumi died on At sunset of December 16, 1273 A.D. 5th Jamadi-u-'l-Akhar 672 A.H. at the age of 66 solar years or 68 Lunar years. Men of five faiths followed his bier, the first and last time this phenomenon occurred. That night was named Sebul Arus (Night of Union). Ever since, the Mawlawi dervishes have kept that date as a festival.

Maulana’s family includes:

Brother: Ala'u-'d-Din (2 years older)

Sister: Not known - Married and remained in Balkh

2nd Wife: Unknown

Son - Killed with Shams

Daughter - married a local prince and left Qonya (Konya)

Son - Muhammad Baha'u-'d-Din Sultan Veled

Muslim reactions to Cartoons

An example of western bias is shown in the recent framing of the anti terror laws in the UK Parliament. The wording specifically states that those arrested under these laws are allowed to go weekly to one stated mosque for worship. The fact that other places of worship such as churches, synagogues etc are ommitted shows the explicit target of this draconian legislation. Targeting solely the muslim community.

This implicit bias against muslim communities, and I speak as a non-muslim myself, shows that the pitch of tension of this clash of cultures is very high and I disagree for this and other reasons, that the threshold of reactions is low. To comment on the worthiness and morality at the targets you hit out at and the adopted strategies for response against cultural and religous bias is another question and perhaps needs a more calmer reflection in an atmostphere which is mutually tolerant

Posted on the following blog site http://thespiritofman.blogspot.com/

"What needs to be remembered is that analysis of where Iran should go from here should be tempered with the fact that the western influence with Iran and the middle east in general has been terrible. The west have in your countries history, deposed a legitimate democratic government. Have sought to gain influence/ownership over oil interests.Perhaps when the west shows increased resolve and integrity in dealing with the Israel/Palestinian issue then its remedies for change in Iran and elsewhere will be listened too."

I commented on the same strand as you at http://freethoughts.org/archives/000798.php

"The cartoon issue is one that reminds us that all pure intelectual theory founders on the relevance of context. It is the context that these images are read and received. This context is where Muslims living in the west are the prime subjects for arrest under emergency orders, with reduced rights for the person arrested. With the increased risk of being incarcerated and tortured.

The various examples of insults and alledged insults against Islam at Abhu Graib prison and elsewhere is also a relevant background for how things are received.The boundaries of Freedom of speech is always being navigated however its moral authority founders when it seeks to defame, insult and degrade for its own sake, when no insight or additional knowledge is gained by such an action.There is bias abound in the western media which refutes a relevant middle eastern perspective. The publication of these cartoons does nothing to change this view."

Not enough time

I penned this in response to an email(s). It seemed right at the time. A little whimsical maybe.

A man in a bar was having another one of those favoured drinks in his favourite bar at that favourite part of the day, early evening. He had one of the euphoric streams of thought that mostly but not always accompanies such an occassion. Time which was stretched pressurred, always to be fought against, that constantly interupted the reflex away from pain had now gained a kinder flow. Self was expansive, thoughts and images were now welcomed in and had a place and a story to tell. Things previously seperate made instant sense, the heart was opened and beat to response.

Within a persperations drop he remembers from the day, phrases said, faces he knew and thoughts imagined, written emails that travel so cheaply and so distant all came close. In safety he knew right then that the important thing was connection. Important because that need for connection he could see in the others that he had collided with all day - unawares, a nodding prescence only. Not just his need for connection which like most was never far from the surface. He now recognised that need in others constantly available and felt by him, prodding him, inviting him. A need not unlike his own. Opportunities and a wisdom missed, ever promising.

He was comfortably drunk then, a plan ready to change all of that, it seemed so clear in his mind sitting on that bar stool. However he knew that in the morning he would be sober, at least more sober. He would be responsible, tick the list of the day, he would sink once more into the confusion of this vision and the insistent thought like a tick on his brain would come back again and again and would not go away. It had a voice 'Not enough time' ...'Not enough time'