Just wanted to do a quick follow-up to the story of Manal Omar that I posted a few weeks ago. (Brief synopsis: woman tries to wear Islamic-style swimsuit in British fitness centre and all hell breaks loose.)

Islamophobia Watch points out a very funny letter written by a Linda Allan of Bath in response to the article.

Well, maybe not everyone will find it funny, but I get a kick out of unbridled ignorance. I love the way, for example, Ms. Allan says that “In this country we are able to dress, or undress, exactly as we see fit” and then only TWO SENTENCES LATER says “Don’t be surprised when people mock you and pass comment on your totally inappropriate clothing for swimming.”

Uhh, somebody help me here. Wasn’t Ms. Omar dressing exactly as she saw fit? Or perhaps Ms. Allan’s collective ‘we’ does not extend to her. Perhaps ‘we’ see fit to wear Western-style bathing suits, and ‘you’ had better just get used to it.

I suppose this attitude is not surprising, since it comes right from the top of our society. Witness Tony Blair’s message a few months ago to immigrants, saying that tolerance is a British value, and that consequently immigrants must conform, or fuck off (well, words to that effect anyway….)