[Marxism] The emergence of a Muslim Democratic Party in Holland

["Jurriaan Bendien" <andromeda246@xxxxxxxxx>]

The establishment of a political party to represent Muslims in the
Netherlands is as welcome as it is overdue. But it also entails very real
risks. The announcement by columnist Mohammed Jabri that moves are afoot to
launch a political party for Dutch Muslims by the beginning of summer should
come as no surprise to anyone who has followed events in the Netherlands in
recent years.

The Muslim Democratic Party (MDP) could be a real force for good if it plays
a positive role. It should forthrightly defend aspects of Muslim life that
are worth defending; help spread understanding and acceptance of Muslims
among the native Dutch and vice versa; and perhaps most importantly, expose
as a lie the convenient myth that Muslims are the root of all that is wrong
or bad in the Netherlands today.

On the other hand, if the MDP fails to get off the ground, embroils itself
in extremist rhetoric or suffers the internal disputes that have set the
anti-immigration LPF on the way to an agonisingly slow self-destruction, the
consequences would be terrible. Politics would be seen by many in the Muslim
community as a dead-end, leaving imams and radical thugs to represent the
community.

Already there are daily reports of young Muslim men - a minority, but an
active one - in the major cities who look on the native Dutch as the enemy
and fair game for crimes of theft. It is common for unveiled women, both
Muslim and native Dutch, in parts of Amsterdam to be branded "whores" and
"sluts" by self-righteous Muslims.

But giving Muslims a real voice on the political stage - and who knows,
perhaps a seat at the Cabinet table - would go a long way to helping Muslims
to look on Dutch society as their society also. A Muslim party would have
real potential: there are an estimated one million Muslims in the
Netherlands and the number is growing.

Complete article:
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=15772&name=Dutch+Muslims+find+a+voice+%2D+of+reason%3F


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