Sgor Terfynol

Tim Cymru 1

Screw Wales 0

School Closures - Some Thoughts

Across the country schools have been closed due to the bad weather and a number of people have expressed their annoyance at the disruption to their lives as a result. This has highlighted a couple of interesting issues regarding schools today.

I heard someone complaining this morning that their child's school was closed while the supermarket on the same road was open and doing a roaring trade. This is actually due to the fear on the part of the school and education authority of being sued by parents if their child slips, falls and hurts themself. For the same reason, Liverpool's home match on the weekend was postponed, even though the club shop remained open. Essentially, if an organisation is seen as 'encouraging' people to attend, then they are deemed responsible for any subsequent ice-related accidents. Shops, on the other hand, are not seen as 'encouraging' visitors in the same way, and would not be held responsible for any mishaps occuring to the shoppers on their way to and from the store. If parents were not so quick to sue schools for accidents that clearly cannot be helped, then I'm sure more schools would attempt to remain open in snowy conditions.

Another reason why so many schools remain closed is that so many staff live beyond easy walking distance of their school. When I was a lad, growing up in Carmarthen in the Sixties and Seventies, practically all of my teachers lived in the town and could easily have walked to work if they had so chosen. The situation is very different now in most parts of the country. There is an inverse correlation between the 'toughness' of a school and the number of teachers who opt to reside in that school's catchment area. Here in East London, the majority of our teachers are beyond walking distance of their school and so if roads are blocked or treacherous, or if public transport is affected, they have a big problem in getting to work. Unlike offices and other businesses, schools cannot work on a skeleton staff, nor can they have a situation where staff come in in dribs and drabs throughout the morning. If a headteacher cannot be sure that he will have sufficient staff on site from the first thing in the morning, then he cannot open the school.

This also highlights another issue regarding our schools - the extent to which they are often more child-care institutions than places of learning. What irritates parents so much when schools are closed is not that their children will miss their lessons, but that they have to arrange alternative child care when both parents are in full time work. Some children are now in school for so long that they barely see their real parents during the school week. I know of small children who are dropped off well before eight in the morning for 'breakfast club' and then stay behind at the end of the day for school 'clubs' and other extra-curricular activities. In total, the little dears can be on the school site for anything up to 10 hours a day. It's not surprising I used to be called 'Dad' by mistake from time to time (unless they know something I don't!). In any case, the school day is far too long for our youngest children. In my teaching career I taught every year group from nursery through to Sixth Form and as far as the youngest children are concerned, they did all their learning in the morning. It was quite normal for many of them to nod off after lunch. I think I might have joined in with them a couple of times! But they have to be kept in school until late in the afternoon, as both parents are working and private child care is so expensive.

So, my dear friends, don't blame our schools when they close during bad weather. They have very little alternative!

A Festive Farewell

I'm off to North America soon so I might go all quiet again. But Ho Ho Ho, hasn't it been an exciting couple of days for Muslim-related stories in Wales?! Woke me right out of my commentary coma.


Anyway, as I probably won't be writing for a while (unless Oscar joins the BNP or something) and things will no doubt be winding down for most of you towards the end of this month, I thought I'd wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance.


Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!


Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB1YwuIH3y4

And no, it's not the 'Islamification of Christmas' - these are Sikhs!


ps. Come On The Quins! Fyny Gyda'r Cwins!

Laying out the welcome MAT for Sharia in Wales?

A Sharia Court in Wales by the middle of next year provided courtesy of the MAT (Muslim Arbitration Tribunal)? Well Dragon’s Eye thinks that might be the case! But don’t panic, this is far from a foregone conclusion as Muslims in Wales might have something to say about it. Has anyone even bothered to ask Muslims here if we even want it in the first place? It rather seems like the MAT are simply trying to extend their franchise into Wales.

A non-story, I think, that has been overblown. Essentially, some bloke from England wants to bring a Sharia court to Wales but the key Muslim organisations in Wales that would be the potential partners for him have said ‘No Thanks’ making it virtually impossible for the MAT to make inroads into the Muslim communities of Wales. But let’s scare the public in Wales anyway, and just to make sure, include clips of armed Taliban in the intro to the discussion.

To help get some perspective on the issues and personalities involved in the programme I’ve arranged this blog post in a Q&A format. There will be things raised in the programme I have not addressed but if there IS interest from the blogosphere I can consider tackling some of them.

Question 1: Does Wales already have a Sharia Council?
Answer: No. A council conjures up the image of a group of scholars that gather round a table to make rulings on cases. What we DO have is an Islamic Social Services NGO that mediates and counsels, mainly in the area of relationships and particularly around marital issues and the extended family. The name ‘ISSA Wales’ can clearly be seen on the leaflets the staff/volunteers are handling in the programme. Their services are even used by couples who are not Muslims, which will give you a sense of how inclusive the service they offer is if people of other faiths or no faith are utilising them for mediation and counselling.

Question 2: Have the diverse Muslim communities within Wales been consulted as to whether or not they want a Sharia Court here?
Answer: No. From the response in the programme of a female user of the current provision in Wales there is unlikely to be any appetite for a Sharia Court from those who wish to have a faith-based resolution to issues they are facing and are utilising the legal system that we all share. At a time when Welsh Muslims are becoming more and more integrated into all aspects of our existing institutions and processes in Wales the proposed introduction of what many will regard as a parallel legal system is an unwelcome and divisive development.

Question3: Where is this proposal coming from?
Answer: Nuneaton, England

Question 4: Who is driving this?
Answer: Shaikh Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi

Question 5: Who is Shaikh Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi?
Answer: A barrister who is also a ‘pir’ or 'saint' of one of the Naqshbandi Sufi orders known as 'Hijazi' the followers of which in Wales I doubt you could count on one hand. He also led the largest (peaceful) demonstration in Western Europe against the publication of the Danish cartoons. As an aside to this, what most people do not know is that the only place in the whole of the UK where the Danish cartoons were actually published was Wales - twice! The reaction from Welsh Muslims to this was in marked contrast to a lot of other places around the world. Quiet meetings with the bodies concerned to express the offence felt; all very civil and certainly no frothing-at-the-mouth effigy burning antics and not even peaceful street protests. Sales of Lurpak didn’t reach an all-time low either. The bottom line is that Muslims have a very different way of doing things here in Wales and it would be better if OUR way was exported to other parts of the UK rather than the other way around.

Question 6: Who was the lady vigorously opposing the proposals of the gentleman from Nuneaton to bring Sharia courts to Wales?
Answer: Maryam Namazie

Question 7: Who is Maryam Namazie?
Answer: Maryam Namazie (based in London and with no connection to Wales that I'm aware of) was introduced in the programme as being from the ‘One Law for All’ organisation but of course she’s a bit more than just that. A secular fundamentalist par excellence, and central committee member of the Worker Communist Party of Iran, she is also spokesperson for the Council of ex-Muslims of Britain and opposed the Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill in the UK. Not quite the middle of the road liberal human rights activist that you might initially consider her. If we wanted to hear the other side of the debate taking her as one extreme of the spectrum we’d need to invite someone from the Taliban's Department for the Prohibition of Vice and Promotion of Virtue.

I don’t hold with the views of either the Shaikh or the Secularist, who I’m sure are both lovely people when their enthusiastic promotion of their pet hates/pet projects is not clouding their judgement, but rather support the harmonious approach adopted by my fellow Welsh Muslims in finding a happy medium in this debate that works for the Muslims of Wales. We don’t have time for the imposition of Sharia from Nuneaton-based organisations nor for the anti-religious attitudes of secular humanists from London.

Alas, it would appear none of us here in Wales are immune to unsolicited interference from England.

Toilet Humour

The latest Dragon's Eye programme both amused and disappointed (I'll blog about the disappointing bit later).

The amusing bit was the end segment in which four 'party animals' gave their perspectives on a year in politics in Wales.

Owain Jones, (the Labour animal) summed up the mood of the nation in relation to Oscar's defection when he went on to use, in his own words a 'Rhodri Morgan style metaphor', of a guy wandering into the ladies' toilets and wondering where the urinals are. Plus (a) Rolling around in tears of laughter (b) Absolutely ridiculous and (c) The joke story of the year.

Of course the only non-funny bit is in relation to the complete disregard he has shown to his staff, his former party and of course the voting public.

Anyway, I think five blog posts on Cynulliad Cymru's Chameleon is more than enough - time to flush this particular stool and exit the cubicle! Don't forget to wash your hands (of him).

Time to Go, Mo!

Coming soon to a Tory Party conference near you...

would 26,000 disenfranchised Plaid Cymru voters from South East Wales register their disatisfaction in person?

The Dead Parrot Sketch (on Politics Cymru)

I felt like "a little parrot in a jungle" - Mohammad 'Oscar' Asghar.

Check out this gem of an interview on Politics Cymru with one of the three Dewis talking to the little parrot about his switch to the Tories, an act which quite frankly comes as no real surprise to many Muslim members within Plaid Cymru. He's very much a little parrot in a jungle when it comes to Welsh Muslims aswell and we were appalled, though not surprised, by the dishonourable manner in which he made his hasty exit.

Despite his overly optimistic assurances at the end of the interview about his political future beyond 2011, I believe Oscar is, politically, very much a 'dead parrot walking'. I've taken the trouble of transcribing the interview below to assist the viewer.

Regardless of which party the man represents this, or any other week, Wales deserves better.

Click on the link and then scroll down for the video:
http://politicscymru.blogspot.com/ (Mohammad Asghar and a Dewi, Wednesday 9 December)

Verbatim:

Dewi: Can you tell us a little bit about how it happened, the process of, you know, moving over?

Oscar: Well thing is it's my personal views uh about politics in Wales they are very close, very close mean uh very attractive to Conservative Party. That's my personal views, has always been and always will be. That's what it is.

Dewi: So it was purely, from your perspective, a policy-driven decision?

Oscar: Yes.

Dewi: Did you approach them or did they approach you?

Oscar: Well it's, we were friendly here and we discussed few things and thing grew from there on.

Dewi: Right, ok, so what was the main reason then that you left Plaid Cymru, was there a straw that broke the camel's back?

Oscar: Well I support David Cameron's views. I heard the gentleman, I hear everybody there on the television and the media and all the rest of it. As I said earlier their views are very close to my own views and I respect and I want to follow on the same track.

Dewi: So why join Plaid Cymru in the first place then if you had really similiar views to the Conservative Party all this time?

Oscar: Well the political party is a political party anywhere so, well the thing is, I thought I might be able to do some contribution to my local community, which I did. And since I'm in political one party I think the lot of Asian, ethnic minorities other people, are joining the political parties.

Dewi: Last question then. Do you feel a bit sort of bad that you announced your defection live to the cameras as it were, rather than to Ieuan Wyn Jones in person?

Oscar: No, I thought it's my prerogative and I declared it should be to the public rather than one individual. He's a gentleman. Ieuan Wyn Jones is a very good person and I respect him very much but it's my personal view as I said. I want Wales to be, to have it's own Parliament and play a stronger role in United Kingdom.

Dewi: Ok, and um so what's the future for you, what's next?

Oscar: I'm sure future for me and future for Conservative is a bright I can assure you.

[Ends].

Look who's coming to dinner

It can be quite challenging at times to have members of one's family holding political views anathema to one's own. I wonder then how well husband and wife would have fared as contestants on 'Mr & Mrs' if asked about their spouse's political views. Maybe it just makes for a quiet life, and prevents indigestion, if you keep your long held political beliefs to yourself rather than discuss them over the dinner table.

In one of her 2008 Plaid Cymru local election leaflets for the good residents of Victoria ward in Newport, Mrs Asghar said that she "always had the desire to be actively involved with a political party that genuinely cares about the needs of the people of Wales. I could never contemplate supporting a right wing party and so joining the Conservatives was never an option."

I wonder if Mrs Asghar learned about her husband's defection even later than Ieuan did? Oh to have been a fly on the wall at dinner time in the Asghar household last night. It must surely then have been a double blow to learn that daughter too has, oddly enough, decided to switch parties on the same day.

Maybe two of the three Asghars really did have a 'road to Damascus moment' but we should always be alert to those who select a political party only as a vehicle to further their own personal political ambitions. Herein lies the lesson for ALL political parties in Wales.

I usually hate goodbyes but I'll make an exception...

"I'm a Unionist not a separatist"

Mohammad 'Oscar' Asghar, Born in Pashawar, India, in 1945 (because there was no such thing as Pakistan until 1947).

He must surely, by extension, oppose the separation of Pakistan from India, which in turn 'separated' (i.e. gained independence) from Britain.

I'd love to see him having that conversation with the Pakistani diaspora in Newport.

Hwyl Fawr Oscar.

Free Mixing.....With Every Five Gallons!

No sooner has the squabbling over the Al Fresco Salah died down, but a new e-argument has errupted here in North East London. I have to admit some responsibility for this one, as one of my posts on another e-group started it all off. In typical style, though, a post on one topic quickly morphed into an argument over something completely different (as another famous Welshman might have said).

My post was about how many Muslims believe they are doing Da'wah (inviting others to Islam) when, in fact, their activities are more likely to promote community cohesion, if they have any positive impact at all. For example, some here have suggested that giving out sweets to passers by outside the mosque is good Da'wah. Well, I'd be the first to agree that this would be a lovely gesture, but I am yet to hear of anyone who embraced Islam because of a Jelly Baby!

But I digress! The ensuing argument was not about Da'wah at all, but rather about that old chestnut, 'free mixing.' Believe it or not, we still have in our midst those who believe that a 'perfect' society is one in which a man has no social interaction whatsoever with any woman other than his wife and immediate family. To these extremists, even a brief 'How are you?' from a man to a woman is forbidden and clearly the gateway to all kinds of unspeakable perversions! Not only do these individuals scatter the H word (Haraaaam!!!) like confetti, but they cut and paste page after page of 'rulings' from their masters in the Middle East to support their case. So overpowering is their zeal in promoting their cause that rarely are their views challenged on our little e-group. Until now, that is!

One particular spleen venter suggested that it is frankly impossible for a Muslim man to socialise with non-Muslim colleagues as the latter cannot survive in a social context without pouring gallons of lager down their collective gullets and ogling every attractive female that passes by! Well, this was clearly a step too far even for the silent moderates on our group. Over the past few days, more and more men and women have been putting their heads above the parapet to say, "Hang on a minute! Not only do I disagree that socialising with non-Muslims is forbidden, I actually believe that it is a very good idea. And moreover, I prefer to socialise in mixed gender groups, thank you very much!"

The more serious-minded members have had a sub-discussion on what actually constitutes 'ogling'. I am just waiting for someone to cut and paste a lengthy article entitled 'The Fiqh of Ogling!'

Well, I think we have won this particular argument! The zealots have been drowned out by the moderates and some of the latter are arranging an afternoon of public free mixing at a local coffee emporium! I am minded to join them, but to avoid the stigma of being labelled a free mixer I am prepared to charge the ladies for my appearance on this occasion!

And The Squabbling Has Begun!

Here we are again in the last ten days of Ramadan and the Muslims of East London are engaged in the traditional practices of fasting, praying and squabbling! Unusually, there was no disagreement this year over the starting date for Ramadan and it seems that all communities began fasting on the same day. This should mean, God willing, that we will all celebrate the festival of Eid ul Fitr on the same day, too, and we might avoid the farcical scenes I witnessed a few years ago in the North of England where members of the same household celebrated Eid on different days!

So what are the Muslims squabbling about this year, then? Well, it all revolves around whether the Eid prayers (Salatul Eid) should be offered in the mosques or out in the open in a public park. One of the Muslim associations in the London Borough of Redbridge is seeking permission for congregational prayers to be offered in Valentine's Park, asserting that this is 'the true Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him)'. This proposal has immediately drawn critical comments from a number of Muslims who believe that such an overt display of Islamic religiosity might simply stir up Islamophobic feelings in the more extreme sections of society. Very quickly the debate has descended into mud-slinging and the trading of insults, with accusations of thoughlessness on the one hand and an inferiority complex on the other being tossed around.

Essentially, both parties in this dispute are wrong, and not because of the opinions they hold but because of the way they arrived at these positions. One of the principle aims of the Shari'ah is 'to maximise benefits and minimise harms' to society. So, before reaching a decision on the issue of Eid prayers the Muslims of Redbridge should have asked themselves, 'What are the likely harms and benefits to come out of such an action?' And in order to answer this question, they should have had some discussion or correspondence with councillors and the residents who would be most affected by this action. It might well be that local non-Muslims have no objection whatsoever to the prayers being held. On the other hand, they may have concerns about parking and traffic congestion. Typically, though, no such discussion has taken place and opinions are held based purely on how people 'feel'. As with most issues, Muslims will have a much stronger argument against the Islamophobes and racists if they can demonstrate that they have consulted widely and considered the opinions of others before taking action.

Most of these squabbles could easily be avoided by some civilised chats over a cup of tea (after sunset, of course!)

MECCAnopsis Returns!

In true Dr Who (Dr Pwy?) style, MECCAnopsis has transmogrified into another human form! This new blogger is also a West Walian, having been raised in the glorious town of Carmarthen, but who now finds himself lost and bewildered on the mean streets of East London. Ever the extremist, I have moved from one extreme of the M4 to the other! Consequently, future blogs might well reflect the feelings and experiences of a Welsh Muslim abroad!

I was struggling to find something positive for my first blog until yesterday afternoon, when I became embroiled (as you do) in a Facebook conversation with a couple of people I barely knew!The initiator of this correspondence entitled her post "Hapus! Hapus! Hapus!" and her friend replied in the Welsh language. The first poster then wrote, "Roeddwn i'n astudio Cymraeg pan oeddwn i fynd i'r ysgol a Brifysgol hefyd! Ond dydw i ddim yn cael cyfle i siarad Cymraeg bob tro!" ("I was studying Welsh when I was in school and at University, too. But I don't get an opportunity to speak Welsh all the time."

Now, nothing particularly exceptional or unusual about this little chat, except for the fact the first poster is a member of Cardiff's Pakistani community and her friend from Cardiff's Gujerati community! And both comfortable and confident and proud enough to converse with each other in the language of their country - Welsh! Now what were the BNP saying about Muslims not wanting to be become part of our society??

Hwyl (am y tro)

As of midnight tonight the MECCAnopsis Cambrica blogspot will have a new author behind the postings. I am looking forward to taking a break from blogging until at least the end of September as I will need to adjust to the schedule of new job and new rugrat/blograt, plus I have the remainder of Ramadhan to get the most out of.

I have enjoyed my first forays into the blogosphere and as soon as I have a new blogspot up and running I will let you know (probably through the Welsh Bloggers site). In the meantime I will continue to follow the Welsh blogs and I'm looking forward to reading someone else's words on MECCAnopsis.

So it's bye from me, but only for now.

Britain's 'Exotic Pets' held the line in WWI

Today we remember the anniversary of Britain entering the Second World War. In my 31st July post I tried to highlight, in a very small way, the contribution of Muslims back then in helping the Allies hold back the Nazi menace.

Now for those of you who missed it, a short but excellent BBC documentary on the First World War in which more previously 'hidden' history comes to light.

Watch it on BBC i Player while you can:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mk54l/The_Muslim_Tommies/

A Muslim called Jesus

I've just become a dad (again) mash'Allah. The pocket Welshman came out the bloodied and roaring embodiment of pure nationalist fury; imagine William Wallace after Stirling. Well at 8:30am this morning he won his freedom. If he follows his sister the Unionists better watch out; she captured Aberafan beach last week in the name of Owain Glyndwr and she's only just turned eight. I think she mistook the lifeguards' flags in the distance for Baneri Glyndwr. I suppose it's an easy mistake for an 8 year old to make, given the colours. Considering Mrs Meccanopsis has been so involved in the All Wales Convention over the past year we are betting on his first words being 'Government of Wales Act 2006'.

We've chosen the name 'Iesu'. It's not unusual for Muslims to call their sons Jesus (Esa in Arabic) and of course the name is not uncommon amongst Spanish-speaking Christian communities worldwide, but it's not really caught on over here. The only other Welshman that seems to have called his son 'Iesu' was the eccentric Dr William Price, a leader of the Chartist rising 170 years ago. The old Archdruid was a heretic too so I guess I am following a tradition.

The issue of his name came up a couple of months back when we were at an event with an old vicar friend of ours, he missed his footing and instinctively reached out to the nearest person, catching my wife's arm in the process to steady himself. He was ever so apologetic. He needn't have been. He's an old fella and I doubt he would have knocked her off balance if he had run at her full pelt. She took it in good humour and to take the edge off his embarrassment I told him to be thankful there were no press around given her 'condition' (she was already nearly 7 months pregnant at the time). I could see a future headline, I told him:

'Reverend falls on Muslim woman and 10 weeks later she gives birth to Jesus'.

STAMP out the lies of 1ST Class Sh*t Stirrers

They're at it again.

Well-established by now as the official 'anti-Muslim' Party of Britain the BNP wish us all to know that those Muslims (including the Welsh ones) - they're not us you know, they don't share our values, they hate our way of life and their insensitivity knows no limits.

Remember Luton back in March, when less than 20 utter morons, remnants of the proscribed Al-Muhajiroon group, hurled abuse at members of the Royal Anglian Regiment returning from Afghanistan? That disgraceful display has become iconic imagery of the supposed 'Muslim' attitude towards our soldiers. The plot to kidnap and behead a British soldier in Birmingham is another such example, but of course it is rarely mentioned that the intended victim was himself a Muslim. The BNP keep making reference to those events in Luton as if that repugnant behaviour was representative of Muslims in the UK. They would like us to believe that Muslims can't differentiate between the politicians who sent our troops into these disastrous wars and the soldiers themselves.

My grandfather served in the Navy in the Second World War and I have always worn my poppy in remembrance of my own family's personal sacrifices. My attitude and the attitude of those Muslims I have spoken to at length on this subject is that provided that our soldiers act honourably, treat civilians and unarmed prisoners humanely and do not descend into the kind of depravity witnessed at Abu Ghraib by the US troops, then when they return they should not be exposed to the kind of abuse they received in Luton. My personal view is these extremists should never have been allowed to protest there in the first place, the potential damage to community cohesion was obvious and indeed the Muslim community of Luton suffered a lot because of this one despicable act by 0.067% of the local Muslim population (that's assuming all those extremists were even local). If they were genuine anti-war protestors they should have been outside Downing Street or Westminster. Of course, what was hardly mentioned was that after Friday prayers hundreds of Muslim men surrounded these same yobs when the police wouldn't move them along as they set up a stall in the town.

The video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX7Oh7YJMGo (you can fast forward to 2:13 to see the handful of extremists get surrounded by hundreds of local Muslim men who poured out of the mosque demanding that the police move them out of Luton).

Muslim communities across the UK are constantly standing up to, marginalising and disrupting the activities of these tiny fringe elements that are every bit as odious as their Far Right counterparts. Most of it goes unseen or unreported but we are as committed to challenging extremists who claim to be acting on our behalf in the same way that the mainstream society are committed to challenging the BNP, the EDL and the dross of society we call football hooligans, masquerading as 'patriots'.

So how are the BNP trying to develop the 'British Muslims hate our troops' narrative in Wales?

Hat Tip to Morgan Hen for picking this up:

http://morgan-hen.blogspot.com/2009/08/ely-bread-riots-sequel-or-is-bnp-trying.html

This is the statement on the matter by the Post Office in question:

"There is absolutely no truth in the allegation made to the British National Party that the Post Office in Wilson Road, Ely, Cardiff will not accept parcels for British troops in Afghanistan.

It should not be repeated and we reserve the right to pursue legal action against any person or body repeating the allegation and call for its removal from any website or other publication.

The Wilson Road Post Office has always accepted and continues to accept such parcels. Indeed the Wilson Road shops including the Post Office recently held a 'Heroes Collection' for British troops.

The allegation is false and malicious and related to a separate dispute with a customer. As a result that customer is not welcome at these premises but our services can be accessed by someone else on her behalf if they so wish."

Statement Ends.

Of course a party that were caught out using non-British citizens claiming to be BNP voters in recent election material would never intentionally mislead the public would they?

What the papers say...

I woke up this morning to find a friend had sent me, and about 300 other people (you should have Bcc'd their addresses mate they won't be happy), a link to an article reminding us of a joke, which has passed through the system more times than water in London passes through other human bodies before you get to drink it. Every so often another Muslim thinks they've come across it for the first time and it finds its way into our inboxes yet again. There have been many versions of it but this is the one I remember.

A man attending an open air festival in the US sees a dog attacking a child - one of the really vicious breeds (the dog, not the child). He wrestles the dog to the ground, gets a stick inside the dog's collar and keeps twisting till he chokes it. The dog dies. The child who escapes with only some minor injuries, is taken away in an ambulance. Onlookers applaud the man's actions.
A reporter covering the festival witnesses the brave intervention and rushes up to the man to get some details off him promising that the story will make the front page in his paper with the headline: 'Local Man saves child from Mad Dog'.
"Oh I'm not from around here, I'm just visiting", the man says.
"Ok then", says the reporter, "how about: 'All American hero saves child from Hell Hound'?"
"I picked up this accent attending the American International school in my home city, actually I'm on holiday from overseas", says the man.
"No problem, how about: 'Foreign hero saves child from dog attack'?", suggests the reporter.
"Well if you want to be specific I'm visiting from Kuwait actually".
"That's in the Middle East right?"

When the paper gets published the headline reads: "Muslim Terrorist kills American family pet".

It reminded me of one year when I subscribed to the online version of a local paper, when I was working in a large English city with a sizable Muslim minority. Just as an experiment, with nothing particularly scientific about it, I decided to check it each day for 12 months, searching for key words to see if I could find one single story where Muslims were portrayed in a positive light. Just when I thought I had completely lucked out, I finally found a reference to a story on 'wonderful Arabians'.

It was about horses.

MECCAnopsis: Under New Management?

I will be starting a new job in the next few weeks and it is one which will require me to be politically neutral. Given that this blog (although the content is not always related to Plaid) is clearly a Plaid Cymru supporting blog I am concerned that I may compromise myself unintentionally. Others before have come to a sticky end and I want to hopefully avoid their fate. I will continue to post until my start date, after which I will be handing the blogsite over to a close friend who can just as accurately be described as 'Cymro o Fwslim, Gwnaed yng Nghymru, Brodorol i Ewrop'. I have been lobbying him about this since I first became aware that new job and old blog might conflict and thankfully he has agreed to pick up where I leave off. Hopefully he will actually be able to post more frequently than I have done.

There is so much in the news I want to comment on but I simply don't have the time. I wanted to do a post on 'Bath time with Burkhas and Blackmail in the Bedroom' on a couple of topical pieces from France and Afghanistan but it looks like they are already old news. I suspect from September I will have even less time for blogging not simply due to work. Anyway, I and the new MC share enough in common (mor debyg a dwy bysen) for me to be comfortable that the site will be in safe hands.

I have enjoyed reading a diverse range of blogs over the last five months and I do not want to lose contact completely with the Welsh Blogosphere. I have considered starting up my own personal blog where I would have to assiduously avoid 'having a go' at other political parties but rather concentrate on the social and cultural life of Wales through 'Muslim-tinted' spectacles.

Anyway, I haven't gone yet, just warning that future posts may contradict earlier ones - and now you'll know why.

Beggars being choosers

Back from collecting the missus from Cardiff train station. What! He lets her out of the house, you say? Don't worry she's always within 600 feet of me. Marvellous things, ankle tags. The war on terror has not been without its handy little by-products.

Anyway, while she was waiting for me to arrive, two homeless fellows (a bit the worse for drink), were doing the rounds with the commuters, asking everyone for money. Everyone of course except Mrs Meccanopsis - well she wears a scarf you know. I suppose in some people's minds that is the equivalent of a T-shirt saying 'Approach me and I'll kill you'. It wasn't a racial thing though; they approached a Chinese couple apparently... once they had exhausted the other 20 bystanders. Their loss, because as a couple we always give to Big Issue sellers and though these people are not in the same category exactly, we don't have hearts of stone.

You really know that you are the personae non gratae of society when even the beggars won't ask you for money.

It's (a way of) Life, Jim...but not as you know it

Minister and wife walk out of Muslim wedding!

Does this really deserve to make the front page of a national newspaper? Does it really?

I mean, some bloke and his wife go to a wedding, can't sit together, and then leave. What is the definition of a 'slow news day'? Ok, so it's newsworthy because Jim Fitzpatrick is another Labour minister mocking his Muslim constituents who probably voted for him. No good deed deserves to go unpunished I suppose. But I suspect the main reason 'Muslims getting married according to Muslim tradition' makes headline news in a right-leaning paper is because it is another opportunity to scare the pants off people regarding the 'Islamification of [insert Western nation here]'. I would have thought that a wedding (not the registered aspect of the marriage) is a private matter not a state matter, but clearly the danger it poses to our way of life must not be underestimated - particularly by the paranoid or delusional.

Of course the signs have been with us for years (how did we fail to spot what was in plain sight all along?). Their plans for creeping Islamification are ingenious (you can read all about it in the 'Protocols of the Elders of Mecca'). Somehow they have made it fashionable for a full face veil (albeit gauze-like material) to be part of the bride's dress in a traditional 'white wedding', and they have even managed to brainwash generations of young men and women in this country into having gender segregation at stag nights and hen parties (don't let the alcohol and strippers fool you, these Muslims are tricksy my precious).

And there's always the danger these weddings pose to community cohesion...hang on a minute isn't this story about some non-Muslims who were invited to one of the most private and happiest of family occasions by some anti-cohesion Muslims? I couldn't think of a better way to demonstrate my desire for separation from my fellow citizens who do not share my colour or faith than to invite them into the company of my nearest and dearest and ply them with free food and drink.

I have been to Muslim weddings throughout the whole of my adult life and only on one occasion did the male and female guests NOT sit separately. But even with this segregation, I observed that non-Muslim guests where always allowed to sit together. At my own brother's wedding his non-Muslim mates brought along their girlfriends and they all sat on the same table. You may not agree with it, you may find this type of segregation odd, but it's the way these events are organised. Not every Muslim family does it this way, the vast majority do, and you either go along knowing what to expect and sit through it respectfully, and enjoy the same gender company whilst being fussed over as a guest or respectfully decline the invitation in the first place. I am under no illusion about the freely available alcohol that will be present at the weddings of non-Muslim friends and relatives that I get invited to. I don't drink but it doesn't prevent me going. I would consider it rude not to attend without a valid reason, an extenuating circumstance, not to. I take my hat off if I visit a church and I cover my head if I visit a synagogue - no big deal. Why do some people find it so difficult to spend an hour or so experiencing another person's way of celebrating marriage?

The minister later told his local newspaper: "It's a disappointment. We are trying to build social cohesion in a community but this is not the way forward." Quite.

Nothing says "trying to build social cohesion" like Hissy Fitz showing a bit of bad manners and making a young couple's wedding day memorable in the national press for all the wrong reasons.