Society
Urban life - Darcus Howe hears the silence
Published 20 February 2006
Two million British Muslims gazed from the sidelines at the extremists and opportunists
Not much importance should be attached to all the fuss about the Danish cartoons. The two protests told us little about the range of feeling in Asian communities on issues of Islam or much else.
By and large, the mass of Muslims stayed well away, gazing from the sidelines in bewilderment. I can say this with some certainty. My area of south London boasts perhaps the most diverse, yet integrated population - Pakistanis in the main, Indians, Africans north, south, east and west. Sri Lankans, Bengalis, Iraqis, Caribbeans and whites, too.
Over the past eight months, since I have been here, I have kept my ear to the ground. Over the past couple of weeks, by silent consensus, those who define their religion as Muslim have behaved in a sober manner while taking a certain interest in those who danced and pranced on the temporary stage.
The first demonstration attracted some 700 young men out of a population of two million. They carried placards that seemed handwritten by three or perhaps four different individuals. Yet the press, pundits and politicos from this advanced nation with aeons of tradition behind it pounced with venom, as though we were in the middle of an Islamic revolution. Off with their heads, hang 'em, flog 'em and jail them.
The opportunists also emerged - the goody two-shoes from within the Muslim community. Their rally was advertised locally and nationally, on the radio and in the papers. They paraded their denunciation of "extremists" just about everywhere. The press speculated that 10,000 would attend; those behind the march predicted 30,000. In the end, a puny 4,000 turned up.
The organisers had hoped that a huge following would crown them leaders of the Muslim community with all the pomp, ceremony and material benefits that go with the accolade. Now, within days of the flop, they have all but disappeared from the news and views, a faint memory. The two million Muslims saw to that.
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