Boris’s Burka Bashing – Morally Malevolent

by danielbarker on 16 August, 2018

Boris’s Burka Bashing – Morally Malevolent by Tahir Maher

A while back my wife decided that she would start to wear the hijab. She never discussed this with me nor did I have any indication she wanted to wear one. She felt that as part of her spiritual journey that she should wear one. I was a bit surprised, but it was her choice. She wore the hijab for about three years and then decided to stop wearing it. Again, she didn’t discuss it with me and made her own choice (this time I was a bit annoyed – as I feared she might have stopped wearing it because of the response she got from the general public or colleagues at work). However, it was more to do with what she felt about her spiritualism than anything else. There are of course people who do require their partners/daughters to wear the hijab or the burka, but in the majority of the cases, it’s a personal choice for those who choose to wear it.

My culture is British, my social reference points are British, and I think in English, but if Pakistan were playing cricket against England, I would support Pakistan (as an English person who lives in Australia would support the English football team if it played against Australia). We live in a free society where we can express our free will as long as it doesn’t impinge on others. I suppose “impinge on others” is the key phrase here, in such instances, I always apply common sense to check my behaviour when considering others. However, for some, there is a robust instinctive intolerance and bigotry that’s devoid of common sense.

I have been reading a book about political attitudes – the core message basically states that people follow their values (prejudice or otherwise however derived) and pick out points made by political parties from their literature, policies, comments etc. to justify their political sway (this is a broad simplification of the theory, but that’s the general thrust of it). If you are intolerant, see nationalism hyped by media (as it is at the moment because of Brexit), find a scapegoat and identify with an unscrupulous public figure who is taking advantage of all this you have a situation that will fuel hate rage.

David Cameron was surprised that Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson wanted to leave the EU as he remembered him as a supporter of it. Boris replied that he made a list of for and against between the two arguments and came down as a Leaver. This pushed him to lead the project lies campaign. Most of us believe that he made an assessment that vote leave had a strong chance of winning and Cameron wouldn’t keep his word and step down as PM if he lost the referendum. He was right. This would leave Boris in a prime position to put himself forward as the Tory leader. Unfortunately for Boris, Gove twisted the knife and Boris showed a lack of backbone and withdrew from the selection process. Still having his sights set on becoming the PM he has now turned to the lowest common political denominator by playing the extremist card that has already increased racial attacks on Muslims, in one week.

Boris turned tail on Europe; has used religion bashing to endear himself to the right (this is all the more disconcerting when you consider he has Muslim ancestors) and who knows what else he will do in his efforts to be the next Tory leader. However, one thing is clear there seems to be little consideration of morality checking his actions which are calculated to secure his ultimate goal. As Boris is so keen on classics maybe he should mull over Marcus Cicero statement “What is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is pernicious.”

Published on Liberal Democrat voice by Tahir Maher, a member of the LDV editorial team

Content published and promoted by Willenhall Liberal Democrats all at 23 Lynwood Close, New Invention WV12 5BW

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