It’s hot and we are all bothered

Imam Mohammad El Sadi really put his foot in it earlier this week. In an opinion piece that appeared in a local newspaper he advocated a referendum on the introduction of civil unions, which he termed an issue that "concerns procreation and the future of the Maltese nation".

I will not delve into the merits of the Imam's arguments - at the end of the day he is entitled to his opinion, misguided though I believe it may be.

What surprises me, however, is the man's utter naiveté and lack of insight. When I read the article he had penned and came across the following statement, my instantaneous reaction was that he clearly was out of touch with public sentiment and there was a good chance that his words would one day come back to haunt him.

"It will have a grievous impact on the Maltese traditional way of life, the natural family system and the cultural identity of the Maltese society.

"It will have repercussions on our children, grandchildren and generations to come."

As I read it I thought, is it possible that he does not realise that this argument, using exactly the same words, could be used by someone who resists the integration of people like himself into society? Is it possible that he has no concept of the fact that in many spheres of 'fervently Catholic Malta' Muslims are seen as a threat to 'the cultural identity of Maltese society'?

What island does this man live on?

Over the last few months we have witnessed a wave of resentment towards anything that is not strictly 'Maltese', and the Imam and his followers, with all due respect to them, can by no stretch of the imagination be defined as a traditional facet of Maltese life. By encouraging the Maltese to resist realities which bring about change in our society, the Imam is also damaging his cause - because his very existence is bringing about change in our society!

What is to stop people from replying that, indeed, a referendum on groups that change Maltese traditions is desirable and we should start with a referendum on the existence of the mosque and the integration of Muslims and their traditions in our society - and then continue with anything else they feel 'threatens' the traditional Maltese way of life?

And in fact I was right - because shortly after the article was published online, a barrage of hateful comments were posted under it, many of which were totally xenophobic in nature.

"So by the same logic... let us field a referendum on whether Muslim women can wear the hijab!"

"Next time the Imam will tell us that women in Malta have far too much rights [sic] and these should be regulated through sharia law."

"Go tell Muslims that they can live alongside Christians in Muslim countries. As soon as Muslims learn to accept people who have other views without killing them, we'll start listening to their views."

"It will have a grievous impact on the Maltese traditional way of life, the natural family system and the cultural identity of the Maltese society. So would the introduction of sharia law, which you espouse."

"The Imam's arguments apply also to irregular immigration: let's have a referendum."

"Who is this man to tell us what we have to do in our own land?"

It was not pretty, but frankly it was predictable.

At the end of the day it is in everyone's interest, the Imam's included, to foster a more accepting society. Encouraging the majority to 'attack' the rights of the minority is absolutely not on.

***

We had a major scandal this week - a scandal so big that there is no doubt that heads should roll!

Some German police officers stripped down to their bikinis and took a dip in the clear Maltese waters, and then, to top it all, they stretched out on the side of the police boat that had transported them to the beach and sunbathed.

The gall of it, the sheer gall of it, takes my breath away. I think we should involve Angela Merkel because this is clearly an international incident that should be addressed at the very highest levels of the administration...

Anyway, I've had my fun now so let's get real, shall we? What is it about some Maltese that they make mountains out of such ridiculous molehills? When I first saw the photos in question, not knowing that the ladies sunbathing on the boat were police officers on an exchange from Germany, I was a little perturbed. I thought to myself, "Goodness, are the police picking up girls when they are patrolling the beach?"

However the second I read that the sunbathers were fellow police officers and that they had been taken out for a spin during their break, the issue was over for me. Not so for many fellow Maltese and for the ex-Commissioner, who apparently insist on harping on about this innocuous subject over and over again.