I came across this headline on the Express in Sainsburys this morning. Yes apparently a decision to put a bit of film on some ground level glass panels at a swimming baths in Walsall is the single most important thing to have happened in Britain this week, in Express land. I'm not surprised they went with this story, when I saw it. Firstly it's been doing the rounds from about Sunday. Secondly it's a PA story from the local papers, and since the Express long ago gave up trying to report real news, when you can just pinch it from wire agencies and stick your own take on it instead. And lastly, it can be used as a stick to beat the evil Muslims with, which gets a story a zillion star points in the Express. The paper now frequently prints headlines purely designed to stir up resentment towards Muslims, as it knows it works a treat on their more "extreme" readership.
The story is pretty boring in itself. A modern swimming baths had a fully glass fronted panel, allowing passers by, on the streets to see the bathers in the pool. Some bathers (never stated how many) objected to this, and some of the objectors were said to be Muslims. And this has brought it to prominence. The full spectrum of papers have run with it, and it has been turned into a "Muslims demand special treatment" story. The Sun even has a handy picture of a Muslim woman in a full veil (completely unrelated to the story) in case we forget what a Muslim is.... I suppose? Then they say the exterior glass panels have been replaced by opaque ones. Not true of the 250 panels, 58 have been coated with a film layer, as can be actually seen on the photos of the supposed blacked out swimming baths (sheesh.), on the bloody articles itself. Then we have all the rhetoric about outrage, and PC gone mad, and "its one rule for them." from furious pool users. The kind of soundbites that are a written substitute for "angry pose" photos, so beloved of the press. Hell even the Taxpayers Alliance got their (non taxpayer funded, I might add.) tuppenceworth in about it It was a perfect storm for this kind of shit. Editors know that the ones who get the hump about this, will allow their ire to override their ability to see it as an overblown storm in a teacup.
I don't know if the people responsible for covering the panels are overreacting. I don't really care either. It's faintly absurd for me to be blogging about the window arrangements on a provincial swimming pool in the West Midlands. But that is paradoxically the point. These non stories are being used to stir up hatred towards the Muslim population. There is no other purpose to this kind of thing, they aren't trying to say anything insightful on community relations, or integration. This story, and others like it are designed to portray all Muslims as ingrates who are privileged above everybody else, and catered to every whim they can think of by the councils / politicians. And that the press are doing this so blatantly - Lets piss off our readers off more; with the latest outrage. This kind of sentiment has been stirred up in the past to horrible ends, and it is discomforting to see it on display so much.
It might have worked a bit too well on the Express article. All the comments have been taken down. But a sample of the Suns comments, show how it went down.
" Why are we doing everything to please Muslims. if we go to their country we have to abide by their laws and yet they come here and we roll out the red carpet, give them nice big houses and pay them to live here. If they dont like our ways then don't come here. what is wrong with this bloody country. Im ashamed to be british.The english that use the pool should refuse to use the pool until it changes, that way the council wont be able to afford to stay open."
"Hate our way of life but love our benifit system!!!"
"If these women wish to swim in a public pool in privacy perhaps they would like to go back to a muslim country and do it."
These do seem to assume that all Muslims are both immigrants, and claiming benefits. No evidence that those who complained are either. But shows how blanket stereotypes take effect. Also most Muslims in the UK are British, so deporting them would be tricky.
" Why aren't hundreds of people from this borough complaining about this? If hundreds of people complain, then it will have to be put back to normal. Remember that local councillors have to be elected so if they won't fix it, vote for the opposition next time."
Because most people have better things to worry about.
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