Passionate responses to our lead story on Sunday continue to stream into Observer mail boxes. That is not surprising. The front page story together with an investigative piece inside the paper questioned the moderate credentials of the Muslim Council of Great Britain, the most influential Muslim organisation in the country. We also ran a leader comment on the subject.
The MCB responded with a strongly worded press release rejecting the Observer report.
The overwhelming balance of correspondence we have received has been towards defence of the MCB and anger at the tone and content of our story.
One US reader wrote scathingly:
Apparently the only tolerable Muslims are the Rushdies and the Manjis, that is, those who exactly fit your definition of correct views, and who not only renounce all their own concerns, but also actively support yours. So I wonder, in this supposed dialogue with Muslims in Britain what will you all talk about if the prerequisite is that those who take part in the dialogue already agree and are just like you. Why not save all of us the tedious pretense of open-mindedness, and ask British Muslims to convert out of Islam and to make liberal use of skin bleaching creams.
Someone in the UK wrote:
At this time when British Muslims are under attack in from all quarters for the crimes in which they did not take any part, you have joined the anti-Muslim forces ... By linking a moderate organisation like MCB with terrorism, you are doing no service to community relations, and playing straight into the hands of those who have exploited every occassion to wage war against Muslims at home, abroad, wherever they can.
Another said:
The MCB is the most representative organisation for Muslims in the UK. I am convinced of this by the fact it is labelled as unrepresentative by two small groups of Muslims. One group thinks it is not 'Islamic enough' (ie too moderate), whilst the other thinks it 'too extreme' (ie not moderate enough). It is a bit like being a football referee: if both sides think you were biased against them, then you probably got it right!
Although there was some support for the Observer position:
Thank god that someone has finally seen through the PR machine of the Muslim Council of Britain.
As a Muslim of Pakistani origin, I have constantly protested at the assertion that the MCB somehow represents me or my interests. It was formed and has been dominated by people who ascribe to a particularly right-wing and intolerant form of Islam, yet in these sensitive and politically correct times it has managed to present itself as the 'moderate' face of Islam.
Meanwhile, the controversy has, naturally enough, been picked up by some blogs. Bartholomew's notes on religion has a fairly balanced take with all the relevant links.
Having stirred up the controversy we thought it only fair that we also open up the Observer blog for feedback. That's what it's for after all. Comments welcome below, although abuse and race hatred will not be tolerated. If you are going to comment, be civil, please.
