"Feminist, socialist, devout Muslim"

[apathy maybe]

From the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,2080453,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12).


Originally posted by article
[Asmaa Abdol-Hamid is a] 25-year-old social worker, student and town councillor [who] describes herself as a feminist, a democrat, and a socialist. She has gay friends, opposes the death penalty, supports abortion rights, and could not care less what goes on in other people's bedrooms. In short, a tolerant Scandinavian and European.

She is also running for the Danish parliament, she has the candidacy for the "safe Copenhagen seat for the leftwing Unity List" (a red-green alliance).

And, she also wears a head scarf.

She has drawn predictable criticism from the far right parties (for being a Muslim), and other criticism from her own colleagues, because she wears the head scarf.

What do you think?

[Tower of Bebel]

The far right parties better be scared, cause people like her are the ones the people really need these days (I guess).

[Cheung Mo]

Why would a paper that has endorsed New Labour praise someone who's apparently a genuine socialist?

[LSD]

What do I think? I think that by wearing that symbol she is perpetuating a misogynist and reactionary value sysem. I also think that she has every right to do that if she wants to.

As for her run for parliament, it reads to me as no different from any number of other social-democratic candidacies around Europe. I suppose the only reason that it's making news is that she's Muslim and, apparently, somewhat left-wing.

Which, of course, speaks to the racist bias prevalent in western society that views Arabs, and foreigners in general, as generally too stupid to be politically progressive.

So from that perspective, if this woman manages to shatter some of those stereotpyes that'll be a good thing.

But other than that, I don't really see what she can accomplish. For her to make a real change, the bourgeois parliament would have to be something other than the rubber-stamp for capitalism which it is.

As it stands she has about as much chance of "achieving socialism" as any other bourgeois social-democrat: zero!

And meanwhile, of course, this "red-green" alliance of which she's considering joining has, from what I understand, been a fixture of the Danish political seen for nearly twenty years. It's really not like there's anything particularly new going on here.

A minor party (I believe they polled around 3% last time) recruited a somewhat atypical candidate to catch newspapers' attentions and intrigue their readers' political curiosity.

Whether or not this particular tactic will work is a question better left to those interested in the sport of bourgeois politics, it certainly has nothing to do with revolutionaries.

[The Grey Blur]

I think that she should be allowed to wear whatever the fuck she wants.

I also think this is a shit thread, there are some real socialist councillours in Sweden, not these neo-liberals. The only reason you seem to have created this thread is because "omgzzz" a muslim isn't some nut reactionary. Which amazingly enough acually applies to 90% of the Muslim community.

[apathy maybe]

Actually PR, I posted this thread because I had read the article and was interested in what other people thought...

I know that at least some people would oppose this women wearing the head scarf, and I know that some people are of the opinion that people should wear what the fuck they want. We might even see some debate here (if we can get the first sort in here).

[Enragé]

we should have some more of these in the netherlands, then wilders (crypto-fash) will ***** again, and then we'll kick his ass :wub:

[Spirit of Spartacus]

There are two ways of looking at her Hijab.

1.) One is the principle of individual liberties. It's perfectly OK for her to wear whatever she wants.

As opposed to that,

2.) The Hijab is (ultimately) a symbol of patriarchy.

So we have a clash of principles, so to say.

I would say that we support her right to wear the Hijab, no matter what. Despite the fact that we consider it a legacy of patriarchy, its important tor realize that we cannot just do away with patriarchy in one stroke. In our

I think that once we establish a socialist society in a Muslim country, gradual education from childhood will mean that women will no longer want to wear this stuff.

In the meanwhile, if she can do away with some of the prejudice against Muslims, it would be good.

[Brekisonphilous]

She would have my vote, I can tell you that.
Absolutely we support the hijab. Yes, it is a symbol of patriarchy, but to many people it is more than that, it is a higher truth. They have every right to worship and be as brainwashed as they want and no one can do a damned thing about that. As communists and anarchists, we support the individual's autonomy, we fight alongside of the common man and woman because we are on their side when things are getting tough and they just want to pick themselves up off of the street and when they are tired of working 10 hour days just to survive. It is not within our rights to tell them what they can or can't believe and we should not rebel against them. They are our hope.
This woman is a good example of someone who sees politics and religion rationally, and sees how religion should be separate from politics. There is a clear distinction being made that suggests she has no problem discerning the physical from metaphysical. There is no problem. Whatever she chooses to worship on her free time, that is none of my business and I don't really care.

[bolshevik butcher]

Wow a muslim who isn't a thorough reactionary. I really don't see what this thread is getting at. I'm sure that there are plenty of christians standing for this party, are we going to jump at all of them and question weather they're genuinely left wing or not?

On the hijab I agree with the general outlook that anyone should be allowed to wear it but that it is ultimatley a symbol of patriarchy.