The jihad that wasn't

As with many of these "Muslims outraged" stories, it's really about one Muslim being outraged (and/or white folks being outraged on Muslims' behalf):

Dundee councillor Mohammed Asif claimed the postcard, advertising Tayside Police’s new non-emergency telephone number, could offend some Muslims because it features a black German shepherd dog sitting in a police officer’s hat.

[...]

Tayside Police has since apologised for failing to run the seemingly innocuous ad by their diversity advisers after Councillor Asif raised the issue at a meeting of the Tayside joint police board.

But Mr Asif’s comments have won little support among the public or Dundee’s Islamic community.

Last night Mahmud Sarwar, trustee of the Scottish Islamic and Cultural Centre and the Dura Street mosque, appealed for calm.

He said he had no problems with the postcard and called on homeowners and local businesses to display them as it is in the public interest.

“I’ve not heard anything about that from members of the community,” Mr Sarwar said.

“I was round some shops today and at the mosque and nobody has said anything about it.”

Mr Sarwar said that religious sensitivities would prevent him from displaying the postcard on a building of religious significance but there was nothing to stop them being displayed in shops.

“There is not a dog—it is just a picture,” he said.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at July 2, 2008 11:49 AM