Vilified over sip of bubbly
By Luke McIlveen
December 06, 2006 12:00
THE state's most promising young Muslim leader has become the victim of a hate campaign because she celebrated with a glass of champagne after being named NSW Young Australian of the Year.
Iktimal Hage-Ali, 22, has been targeted on Muslim websites for drinking alcohol and declining to wear the traditional hijab. Her anonymous attackers condemned her after she drank the champagne to toast her award at the NSW Art Gallery last Thursday.
"It's true, I was celebrating. Bloody hell, I had a glass of champagne in my hand – so what?" Ms Hage-Ali told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
The Islamic youth website Muslim Village posted dozens of messages berating Ms Hage-Ali. "A person who drinks champagne, especially unabashedly, cannot represent the Muslim community," one member wrote. Another added: "She knows we don't appreciate her representing us – but it's the power that drives her. Drinking champagne, that is sick." The cowardly accusers also berated Ms Hage-Ali for wearing "revealing" clothes, nail polish and make-up. "Her matching nails, eye shadow and top . . . were not . . . how Islam would like to portray a Muslim female to the wider community," one said.
Yet while the majority criticised her, a few did come to her defence.
"It wonderful that a young Muslim woman has won the award and that is a cause for celebration, not denigration," one chatroom member wrote. Ms Hage-Ali, who is a finalist for the national Young Australian of the Year to be named next month, said she was shocked by the tirade, but refused to tone her comments down. "I'm proud of what I have done, my family is proud, my friends are proud, my colleagues are proud," the State Government public servant and tireless community worker said. "They're not looking at the fact that a young Muslim person has won a prestigious award – they are looking for the negatives."
Ms Hage-Ali is regarded as one of the Muslim community's most progressive young voices since joining Prime Minister John Howard's Muslim Reference Group. She accepted her public profile would draw criticism but did not claim to speak on behalf of all Muslims.
Vilified over a sip of bubbly
Now they're trying to bust her for cocaine. She's
5 comments:
Test. My pop up blocker is on, but if you can read this, I guess I can post.
Hi TT. Sorry, I just kinda like the comments this way...
And I can read that.
Well, whaddya think about what I've done with the place?
Oh, and you can post all the Ann Coulter and Rush columns you want!
Volt, your new blog is very attractive... like the Muslima subject of your post. Be a shame to hide that under a burkha.
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