News

[poliphilo]

Funny stuff, news.

Yesterday- or was it the day before- the TV news shows led with a story about a party of British school kids who'd been quarantined in China after a a number of them were diagnosed with swine flu. No-one was in danger, nothing was at stake. A holiday had gone slightly wrong.

And here I am trying to get important people and the media interested in the story about Misbah Azam- which is arguably about life and death- and raises all sorts of questions about topics like asylum policy and radical Islam- and my emails aren't even getting a mechanized acknowledgement.

Comments

[ideealisme.livejournal.com]

This is probably the last thing you want to hear, but the Atheist Brigade might be powerful allies if you are making a case for religious freedom. And they're good at propagating their message. Richard Dawkins et al might be unlikely bedfellows but I think you and they would be of one mind on this issue.

I'm sorry about your friend.

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Have you thought about contacting the BBC - and duh, how did I miss that you said you were looking at the media? Anyway, I mention it because they ran a recent news item about a Saudi woman who was seeking asylum because she'd had an affair with an Englishman and if she went home, she'd be stoned for adultery.

[tf-1.livejournal.com]

This was different, mostly because she was a Saudi princess. Also because she has had a child by a Brit, who needs looking after, and also because under Sharia law in Saudi she is definately eligible for public flogging or execution. And let's face it a member of the royal family is unlikely to be able to go back and slip into society unnoticed.

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know she was a princess - the point I was making is that the subject itself is in the public eye somewhat because of that story running, so it might be a really good time to pitch a "this isn't just happening to the rich and famous, it's happening to regular folks as well" sort of thing.

[tf-1.livejournal.com]

Fair point.
It's a whole can of worms. I suspect it is a brave public figure who will broach this and other related subjects, such as sending underage daughters back to be married to old men during their summer hols.
It's hard to know what one can do without stepping on the oh-so-important concept of multiculturism.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I have always wondered how to get those with the audience to pay attention to issues that matter. I'm still in the dark about that.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

I know what you are talking about here. I, too, have tried to get the media to give space to an issue, albeit a more community-centered, less ethnic/religious one, but have had no success. I was thinking as I read another of your friend's posts that if sex is involved the issue usually makes close to front page. This seems to indicate "no sex, no print".

[petercampbell.livejournal.com]

The China story had the media buzzword of the moment "swine flu", had cute kids and doesn't require much thought. Misbah Azam's story is complex, is about someone foreign and doesn't translate into convenient little sound bites. Sad, but true.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

I think I found your friend's name in the Bible. Today's reading:
From Genesis 31:49
"It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the Lord keep watch between you and me while we are away from each other."
That could be a fortuitous naming for your friend, no?