THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMELS BACK
A veil produces separateness
Straw would guarantee,
It divides people, and stops talk,
Because you cannot see.
A conversation stopper,
No cohesion will occur,
Society will suffer
And nothing will be fair.
But the veil is a choice.
It's not a stupid test.
The Islam religion
Is just not understood by the West.
If I was blind and couldn't see,
I'd have to listen more.
A help to integration?
An opening of a door?
Well now I have a question
To put to Mr Straw,
Have you got to see to hear?
Perhaps he'll make it law.
Perhaps this new condition
Attacking peoples right
Cannot be equal and open
So becomes a 3 sound-bite.
He could have chosen differently:
To allow women in the mosque.
Not as controversial?
But an opportunity lost.
Speak out, Jack, on education
Equality for all,
Let women train and speak their mind,
Take down the prejudiced wall.
Speak out, Jack, on marriages
Arranged by kith and kin.
To give a choice of partner
Is not a mortal sin.
Speak out on taboo issues
Like clitoris mutilation.
Don't ignore and mumble, Jack
It doesn't befit your station.
Jack says he wants a debate.
Do you believe it now?
The only thing he's done for sure
Is cause another row.
Oh dear, What a boo-boo,
What a stupid pratt,
What planet do you live on?
If it's ours I'll eat my hat.
Poor Jack Straw, a silly lad,
He really is quite thick.
But his headlines and his limelight
Just makes us all feel sick.
He could have made a difference,
Brought issues up to bare
Them all to one and sundry,
To show how much he'd care.
But no, not Jack, our white MP,
Not him who wants our vote,
Well think again our fair-weather friend,
We are not a bloody moke*.
~ Annemarie October 2006~
After Jack Straw said that Muslim women should
remove the veil at his Blackburn, Lancashire surgery. This feeds into
intolerance and stigmatisation and will only damage relations. What
a pity he doesn't speak out on other issues facing Muslin women in the
Islamic faith and how on earth does he think that David Blunkett manages
when meeting his constituents, or any blind person?
*Moke: Lancashire dialect for donkey.
