Australian MP Deplores Rising Islamophobia
“Rather than convey the richness of Islamic culture when covering Islamic celebrations, TV stations almost always commence with sweeping views of the piles of thongs outside of mosques,” Shaoquett Moselmane, New South Wales (NSW) Member of the Legislative Assembly, wrote to The Stringer news website on Wednesday, November 5.
Under the title “Thongs, Kebabs and Hijabs: a character assassination”, the Muslim MP warned that the media has been delivering a particular image of Muslims by focusing on cultural practices of the religious minority.
By doing so, the media gives “subliminal messages” that aim at dehumanizing the religious minority, Moselmane stated.
“This subliminal message of denigration of Islam is replicated by right wing political parties who thrive and survive on messages of division and hate,” he said.
“This is seen in Belgium, Canada, unfortunately in Australia as well as in France.”
The Muslim MP has also cited the campaign launched by the French far-right National Front party against the growing appetite for kebab, seeing it as a sign of cultural “Islamization” of the country whose food is used as a metaphor for identity.
The far-right National Front party railed: “The historical center of Blois, the jewel of French history, is turning into an Oriental city”.
New South Wales is home to 168.788 Muslims, about 49.6 percent of the total population, making the state a habitat to the largest Muslim population, according to the 2006 government Census.
Muslims, who have been in Australia for more than 200 years, make up 1.7 percent of its 20-million population.
Islam is the country's second largest religion after Christianity.
Source: On Islam
