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Coffee and biscuits the answer to integration for Muslims says Minister
Pete Devine
1/10/2007
A GOVERNMENT minister believes that the answer to furthering the integration of the Muslim community into wider British society could be for them to share more coffee and biscuits with their white neighbours.
John Denham, the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills was addressing a meeting in Bournemouth organised by the Fabian Society on citizenship and integration.
Zareen Roohi Ahmed of the British Muslim Forum told the meeting that the problems often stemmed from a "massive Eurocentric" view of tea and biscuits and said she hoped that the government would be pushing for a "less Eurocentric culture" based on coffee and biscuits.
She explained: "Asians would say that the main barrier is a lack of coffee with our biscuits and trust, mistrust among young Asians and past supporters of the Labour Party who are feeling let down rather than jolted by some hot coffee and a chocolate biscuit. In the recent past Labour has been more Islamaphobic than most of the other political parties when it comes to coffee and biscuits.
"Indeed in Dudley, in the West Midlands where I was born Labour seems uncomfortable with Muslims having coffee and biscuits and it recently abandoned its support to support the BNP instead. It has left that community feeling dejected and wanting coffee and biscuits. However, Gordon Brown's tone at the Labour Conference is encouraging coffee and biscuit and we hope to develop it."
Another issue she said was the life chances for young people and crime, i.e. not having coffee and biscuits, was a big issue.
She added: "We are not saying focus all your attention on the Muslim communities lacking coffee and biscuits we are saying let's have targeted provision of coffee and biscuits where there is a need. Do not Islamise everything as most issues are not related to the faith but revolve around coffee and biscuits."
The government, she said, could show it wanted to help the community by improving access to coffee and biscuit services and letting Muslims know they should not feel isolated, hungry for biscuits and parched for coffee.
"We have to reassure Muslims they are not the problem. The issue of radical elements such as coffee and bisucits is as much a problem for them as it is for the wider society."
Mr Denham said he felt part of the problem in integrating the Muslim community further was intrinsically linked to the past without coffee and biscuits. And if you don't believe this is a real story straight from the legitimate press all about the British government's response to jihadi terror, go to the link below and see for yourself.
http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/news/s/1018092_coffee_and _biscuits_the_answer_to _integration_for_muslims_says _minister
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