Walaupun mungkin apa yang dikatakan oleh Jack Straw terkesan anggapan
pribadinya yang oleh dia sendiri tidak mengungkap lebih lanjut cara praktisnya
dalam segi prakteknya, tapi kiranya menurut aku sendiri kesan Jack Straw ini
punya alasan yang logis.
Bayangin bagaimana aku bisa ber-sosialisasi, misalnya apabila kebetulan
tetanggaku itu ber jilbab/ ,ber-burqah dari ujung kepala sampai kaki?
Apakah cara berbusana semacam ini bukan sudah memasuki suatu keadaan yang
bisa dikatakan eksklusip-isme atau elitis? Apakah ini yang dinamakan
kemerdekaan seseorang tanpa memperhatikan integrasi dan
multikulturalisme?Tentunya sangat sukar ber-inter-aksi dengan seorang individu
yang dalam pergaulan hanya memperlihatkan sepasang mata saja?
Bagiku, ini aku tekankan adalah pandangan pribadi-ku, seorang yang berbusana
semacam jilbab/burqah ini terkesan mengerikan-menakutkan. Belum lagi impak yang
bisa timbul karena kemerdekaan pakai busana semacam ini terkesan sangat
eksklusip/elitis dan tidak punya nilai positip untuk membina kerukunan antar
umat yang beraneka ragam kultur.
Belum lagi dimasa terorisme yang melanda dunia saat ini ,sangat
meng-chawatirkan melihat individu yang berbusana macam begini. Siapa tahu
karena hanya kelihatan matanya, dibalik busana semacam ini terselip bom2.
Sangat menakutkan bukan?
Harry Adinegara
---------------------------------
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[input] Globalist Perspective > Global Society
Jack Straw and "Unveiling" Britain
By Amna Saadat | Friday, October 13, 2006 Britain's former foreign
secretary Jack Straw ââ¬â now the Leader of the House of Commons ââ¬â
recently argued that the traditional veil worn by Muslim women is a visible
statement of their separation from society. As Lahore-based Amna Saadat
explains, this implies that the multicultural experiment in Britain has failed
ââ¬â and the blame has been candidly laid at the feet of Muslims.
In a paper on "Cohesion and Integration," leaked to the press, the Church of
England criticises the Blair government's "privileged attention" to the Muslim
community. Such policies, it says, have backfired and further caused a
separation in the society. Veiled women can be
perfectly integrated into a society and be its active members ââ¬â but it
is wrong to ask them in the name of societyââ¬â¢s cohesion to forgo
individual choice. The paper further prophesises that the Commission on
Integration and Cohesion formed by the communities secretary is sure to be
doomed. The Church is suspicious of the government's moves to make the country
a multi-faith society, and accuses it of sidelining the Church. This report
comes close on the heels of Jack Straw's strikingly polite "appeal" to Muslim
women to shed their veils because, as he put it, this is an obvious statement
of separation. This, he is concerned, strains the relationship between
the two communities. Veils off? Accordingly, the former British
foreign secretary has been asking women to remove their veils when they come to
his office for a meeting. It is quite acceptable that Mr. Straw feels
uncomfortable talking to someone with a veil because he cannot see the person's
mouth and nose. However, he must realize that this is but an entirely
personal discomfort. He fails to explain how his personal uneasiness is
translated into separation between the communities ââ¬â and it is
far-fetched to say that this, when shared by other reticent people, is the
reason for strained relations between the two communities. Community
cohesion According to the UK Protect-Hijab organization, fewer than 5% of
Muslim women in Britain wear a full veil. That is truly a small percentage to
affect inter-community relations. The Church of England
criticises the Blair government's "privileged attention" to the Muslim
community.
But even if this were a larger or growing percentage, the practice itself
should be taken as a proof of a healthy multicultural society's diversity,
rather than an element of separation or intimidation, as Phil Woolas ââ¬â
the man who, quite ironically, serves as Britain's Minister for Local
Government and Community Cohesion ââ¬â describes it. Supporting Mr.
Straw, he says "Muslim women have every right to do so.... But they must
realise that other people who don't understand the culture can find it
frightening and intimidating." Need for debate While Jack Straw is not
one of those who do not understand the culture, as his constituency is 26%
Muslim, it is interesting that Mr. Woolas points out the lack of understanding
as the reason behind people's uneasiness with regard to the veil. Enter
John Prescott, the deputy prime minister. He rightly says that it is important
to have a debate on this issue. Indeed, a discussion on why women wear it in
the first place and whether it makes others uncomfortable will bring openness
to the issue. And we should be thankful to Mr. Straw for initiating this
debate. Assimilation? But where concern is misplaced is in the
assertion that the veil does harm to the cohesion of British society. There is
a distinction between integration and assimilation, the former being a
prerequisite for a cohesive society. There is a
distinction between integration and assimilation, the former being a
prerequisite for a cohesive society. While veiled women can be perfectly
integrated into a society and be its active members (a fact manifested by them
coming to his office with problems), it is wrong to ask them in the name of
cohesion to forgo what they choose for themselves. A truly multicultural
society needs to be diverse with its members practising whatever their
individual culture requires them to while being able to live harmoniously
ââ¬â without
infringing upon the freedoms of the other members. Stern reaction But
the stern reaction by some Muslims in Britain to Jack Straw's remarks and the
reported hate crime and mails, one in which a young man snatched the veil off a
woman's face in Liverpool, are unhelpful and show distrust on both sides. A
debate on the issue, as was intended by Mr. Straw, is a perfectly fine idea.
But if incidents like these and the condemnation by Muslim groups are to
follow, then there can be no cohesion ââ¬â and it would only go to show
that British society really isn't ready for such a debate.
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