| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"maff" |
| Date: |
11 Jan 2005 04:29:35 AM |
| Object: |
We've ditched race for religion |
We've ditched race for religion
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1387449,00.html
Asian is a colonial term which was only ever a convenience. Now we want
to be Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs
Sarfraz Manzoor
Tuesday January 11, 2005
The Guardian
It is something of a cliche to cite the popularity of curry as evidence
of the success of multiculturalism. Those hungry for a metaphor for the
benefits of immigration delight in explaining that curry is a British
dish. The fact is used to illustrate how Asians have happily fashioned
a very British way of being Asian.
This argument first gained traction just as Asian films, books and
fashion were starting to make an impact on mainstream culture. It did
not seem polite to point out that it was not only curry that was a
British creation: the very word "Asian" was also cooked up in this
country. It went largely unnoticed at the time but, as I discovered
while making a radio documentary, there has been a sharp rise in the
number of Asians who are rejecting the label in favour of a religious
identity. This growth in religious affiliation is greatly significant
and offers both challenges and opportunities for wider society.
Sarfraz Manzoor
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.atheism/msg/81f6f821400dc72d
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| User: "Pastor Ized" |
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| Title: Re: We've ditched race for religion |
11 Jan 2005 12:33:51 PM |
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"maff" <maff91@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1105439375.719902.91180@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
We've ditched race for religion
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1387449,00.html
Asian is a colonial term which was only ever a convenience. Now we want
to be Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs
Sarfraz Manzoor
Tuesday January 11, 2005
The Guardian
It is something of a cliche to cite the popularity of curry as evidence
of the success of multiculturalism. Those hungry for a metaphor for the
benefits of immigration delight in explaining that curry is a British
dish. The fact is used to illustrate how Asians have happily fashioned
a very British way of being Asian.
This argument first gained traction just as Asian films, books and
fashion were starting to make an impact on mainstream culture. It did
not seem polite to point out that it was not only curry that was a
British creation: the very word "Asian" was also cooked up in this
country. It went largely unnoticed at the time but, as I discovered
while making a radio documentary, there has been a sharp rise in the
number of Asians who are rejecting the label in favour of a religious
identity. This growth in religious affiliation is greatly significant
and offers both challenges and opportunities for wider society.
Sarfraz Manzoor
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.atheism/msg/81f6f821400dc72d
I live in a city in the North of UK and moved here about three years ago,
some areas are noticeable by their many impressive mosques, religious
bookshops, signs written in 'Urdu?' Initially in one such area I used the
shops, launderette ect but to be honest did not feel totally welcome and
found an place where there was a more cosmopolitan mix of folks in which to
shop.
Maybe religious, cultural and linguistic self ghettoization is not the way
to go, no matter from what background?
Abdul who owns my local off license occasionally sells me whiskey, I know as
a muslim he disapproves of the stuff, however it is a friendly kind of
disapproval.
LW
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| User: "JPG" |
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| Title: Re: We've ditched race for religion |
11 Jan 2005 05:49:00 AM |
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On 11 Jan 2005 02:29:35 -0800, "maff" <maff91@yahoo.com> wrote:
We've ditched race for religion
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1387449,00.html
Asian is a colonial term which was only ever a convenience. Now we want
to be Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs
Sarfraz Manzoor
Tuesday January 11, 2005
The Guardian
It is something of a cliche to cite the popularity of curry as evidence
of the success of multiculturalism. Those hungry for a metaphor for the
benefits of immigration delight in explaining that curry is a British
dish. The fact is used to illustrate how Asians have happily fashioned
a very British way of being Asian.
This argument first gained traction just as Asian films, books and
fashion were starting to make an impact on mainstream culture. It did
not seem polite to point out that it was not only curry that was a
British creation: the very word "Asian" was also cooked up in this
country. It went largely unnoticed at the time but, as I discovered
while making a radio documentary, there has been a sharp rise in the
number of Asians who are rejecting the label in favour of a religious
identity. This growth in religious affiliation is greatly significant
and offers both challenges and opportunities for wider society.
Sarfraz Manzoor
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.atheism/msg/81f6f821400dc72d
It's worth pointing out that "Asian", in the British context, is applied to
those who immigrated or originated from the Indian sub-continent, unlike in the
US where "Asian" is usually applied to someone who immigrated or originated from
the far east (China and Japan, for example).
People of far eastern extraction, mostly from Hong kong, are simply known as
Chinese in the UK.
An incidental benefit of immigration to the UK, hinted at in the Guardian
article, is that the cuisine of the UK has risen from the joke of Europe to now
making the UK the country with the most varied choice of cuisine available
anywhere in Europe.
As for the religious identity some Asians are asking for, frankly I am saddened
as this is definitely a backwards step. One would hope that all immigrants just
simply become "British", irrespective of skin colour or religion.
JPG
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| User: "maff" |
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| Title: Re: We've ditched race for religion |
11 Jan 2005 02:45:10 PM |
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JPG wrote:
On 11 Jan 2005 02:29:35 -0800, "maff" <maff91@yahoo.com> wrote:
We've ditched race for religion
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1387449,00.html
Asian is a colonial term which was only ever a convenience. Now we
want
to be Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs
Sarfraz Manzoor
Tuesday January 11, 2005
The Guardian
It is something of a cliche to cite the popularity of curry as
evidence
of the success of multiculturalism. Those hungry for a metaphor for
the
benefits of immigration delight in explaining that curry is a
British
dish. The fact is used to illustrate how Asians have happily
fashioned
a very British way of being Asian.
This argument first gained traction just as Asian films, books and
fashion were starting to make an impact on mainstream culture. It
did
not seem polite to point out that it was not only curry that was a
British creation: the very word "Asian" was also cooked up in this
country. It went largely unnoticed at the time but, as I discovered
while making a radio documentary, there has been a sharp rise in the
number of Asians who are rejecting the label in favour of a
religious
identity. This growth in religious affiliation is greatly
significant
and offers both challenges and opportunities for wider society.
Sarfraz Manzoor
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.atheism/msg/81f6f821400dc72d
It's worth pointing out that "Asian", in the British context, is
applied to
those who immigrated or originated from the Indian sub-continent,
unlike in the
US where "Asian" is usually applied to someone who immigrated or
originated from
the far east (China and Japan, for example).
People of far eastern extraction, mostly from Hong kong, are simply
known as
Chinese in the UK.
An incidental benefit of immigration to the UK, hinted at in the
Guardian
article, is that the cuisine of the UK has risen from the joke of
Europe to now
making the UK the country with the most varied choice of cuisine
available
anywhere in Europe.
As for the religious identity some Asians are asking for, frankly I
am saddened
as this is definitely a backwards step. One would hope that all
immigrants just
simply become "British", irrespective of skin colour or religion.
Hate against Muslims
http://www.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,3604,1387271,00.html
Tuesday January 11, 2005
The Guardian
Kenan Malik (What Hate? G2, January 7) makes the not uncommon mistake
of equating Islam with race. They are not the same. A recent Open
Society Institute report found that "Muslims in the UK are more likely
to face discrimination based on religion rather than race". The BNP has
in recent years switched its strategy for fear of being prosecuted
under our incitement to race hate laws from targeting racial groupings
to explicitly targeting British Muslims as a faith group. Malik omitted
any mention of the riots of 2001 and the key role the BNP's
Muslim-baiting played in them, and his C4 documentary criticises the
government's proposals to close this loophole in our legislation and
prohibit incitement to religious hatred.
JPG
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| User: "Marc Satterwhite" |
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| Title: Re: We've ditched race for religion |
11 Jan 2005 03:02:50 PM |
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JPG wrote:
[snip]
An incidental benefit of immigration to the UK, hinted at in the Guardian
article, is that the cuisine of the UK has risen from the joke of Europe to now
making the UK the country with the most varied choice of cuisine available
anywhere in Europe.
Calvin Trillin, in one of his books, tells about watching the final
evacuation of Saigon on TV and yelling "Save the chefs!" at the
screen. A little over the top, maybe, but immigration has also made
a huge difference to American cooking. When I was growing up, pizza
was fairly exotic in my hometown (Amarillo, Texas). Now
Thai and Vietnamese restaurants thrive there and you can actually buy
cheese not wrapped in individual plastic sleeves. If you had told me
30 years ago that that would happen, I would not have believed it at gunpoint.
Best, Marc
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| User: "FreeThink" |
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| Title: Re: We've ditched race for religion |
11 Jan 2005 01:26:47 PM |
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maff wrote:
We've ditched race for religion
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1387449,00.html
Asian is a colonial term which was only ever a convenience. Now we
want
to be Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs
Sarfraz Manzoor
Tuesday January 11, 2005
The Guardian
It is something of a cliche to cite the popularity of curry as
evidence
of the success of multiculturalism. Those hungry for a metaphor for
the
benefits of immigration delight in explaining that curry is a British
dish. The fact is used to illustrate how Asians have happily
fashioned
a very British way of being Asian.
This argument first gained traction just as Asian films, books and
fashion were starting to make an impact on mainstream culture. It did
not seem polite to point out that it was not only curry that was a
British creation: the very word "Asian" was also cooked up in this
country. It went largely unnoticed at the time but, as I discovered
while making a radio documentary, there has been a sharp rise in the
number of Asians who are rejecting the label in favour of a religious
identity. This growth in religious affiliation is greatly significant
and offers both challenges and opportunities for wider society.
Sarfraz Manzoor
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.atheism/msg/81f6f821400dc72d
Unlike many other left leaning people I do not have a problem with the
homogenization of culture. It is most often negatively viewed as
commercialization. I view cultural tradition as nothing more than
romanticism. I am a second generation British American. I watch BBC
America and Parliament when Blair visits. However, that is just
personal curiosity and an interest in current events. I also value
culture from a historical perspective but see no value in trying to
preserve it. It should just be recorded.
Speaking generally, people of East Asian cultures (not Indians,
Pakistanis etc.) have a strong sense of social identity. Rather than
trying to replace a social label with another, I would rather see them
accept more of a personal identity.
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| User: "FreeThink" |
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| Title: Re: We've ditched race for religion |
11 Jan 2005 01:30:26 PM |
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Also,
I don't think religion and race are connected at all inherently. So I
agree that is strange to drop the former for the latter.
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