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At 12:45 17/12/10 -0500, Louis Proyect wrote: > >The thread on NPA, Islamophobia, hijab is finished. Now. Let's see..... you think the discussion has descended into name-calling, generating much more heat than light. Well perhaps I'd agree with you. Then you should have asked for a more civil discussion, rather than targeting the original TOPIC of the discussion. This isn't particularly about the NPA after all (though I am very disappointed that they have been affected in this manner). But the above ban on discussion as you have stated it, would make Islamophobia the one form of racism that can't be discussed on this list! Moreover it's arguably the most severe racism affecting Europe right now, certainly including France but also here in the Netherlands where the government that recently formed was dependent on an agreement with an openly and vociferously anti-Muslim party (the PVV), and it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that Islamophobia is the largest issue driving Dutch politics during this period. Can't we discuss that? And it's not my fault that the PVV (among others) chooses to use the hijab as the target of their hate. The government coalition has already agreed to banning the wearing of the hijab by certain government employees (such as police) as a first inroad. Two weeks ago a school in the Hague which receives government funding turned away a teacher who wore the hijab (whereas Christian symbols are expressly allowed at that school). I hope you're not saying that this simply isn't a topic for discussion and that in order to post on a Marxist list I need to look for an economic or "workplace" issue. You are called the "moderator" so that you can MODERATE the discussion, not outlaw it! - Jeff ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: [email protected] Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
