Badges for Jews!
Well, why would we be surprised, after all. History tells us that ancient Persia is where it all started. History has its brutal way of re-visiting itself. History has a way of re-visiting the brutalization of Jewish identity. In fact, we don't really know where and when it all started, but a good guess would be where Jews lived in ancient times: the Middle East. Now that wasn't hard to deduce, was it? It would seem the earliest recorded history of a mandated visual clue setting Jews apart from those among whom they lived in the Middle East was in 807 c.e. during the reign of the Abbassid caliph Haroon (Harun) al-Raschid, otherwise celebrated as an intelligent and just ruler. But in the case of setting the Jews apart for easy identification, a yellow belt and a cone-shaped hat did the trick.Wait: a pattern emerges. Islam, the religion of harmony, justice and peace as exemplified by the Shi'ite dominated theocracy of Iran is poised to re-enact just such clothing enhancement through the Iranian parliament. The Islamic Majlis this week passed a law setting a dress code for all Iranians which would require Muslim Iranian citizens to wear "standard Islamic garments". No more western-style garments, or a mix of Islamic and western-style. This is serious stuff, calling for an all-out commitment among Iranian Muslims to prove they exalt Allah by surrendering their personal style of dress to a single, unalterable dress code.
And just incidentally, that same law will require Iranian Jews and Christians and other minorities to wear identifying colour badges, to set them apart visually from the religious majority. The world-esteemed Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has urged the Iranian parliament to fast-track this process to enable Muslims to deliberately avoid contact with non-Muslims. Obviously, there are no behaviours and edicts against minorities within Iran too odious not to be re-visited.
About now is when I would like to see a response from the Muslim world at large. It would be interesting and most appreciated to know that there would be a groundswell of opinion and denial from Iranians in general in protest against this move, but I'm not holding my breath, although I do know that Iranians in exile will be quick to condemn the imposition. What I'm really waiting for, let's say, even with bated breath, is for the Muslim community at large to voice its objections.
On the basis that this edict degrades Muslims in general. On the basis that this edict does great harm to Islam. On the basis that Iran continues to disservice itself on the world stage, and its people surely deserve better than to be led so disastrously by a hateful and aggressive leader, serving an equally vicious religious dictatorship.
posted by Pieface @ Friday, May 19, 2006
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