Why is it that black or Asian women have to pass an authenticity test?
Why does the BBC keep doing this?
They did a segment to observe the anniversary of the fatwa against Salman Rushdie and his blasfeemius book.
To discuss it they invited Farzana Shaikh, Geoffrey Robertson (Rushdie’s lawyer during the fatwa), and Peter Tatchell. Gita Saghal informed us that they could have had Pragna Patel but decided not to.
Getting annoyed watching @BBCNewsnight. They asked Pragna of @SBSisters, but stood her down after asking if she were Muslim!
— Gita Sahgal (@GitaSahgal) February 11, 2019
So they decided against Pragna and got Tatchell instead – also not a Muslim! What the hell?
Why is it that black or Asian women have to pass an authenticity test, not a test if how much we know. Pragna of @SBSisters and I have worked on blasphemy AND campaigned about it for 30 years. @BBCNewsnight
— Gita Sahgal (@GitaSahgal) February 11, 2019
Grrrrrrr
— Gita Sahgal (@GitaSahgal) February 11, 2019
Grrr indeed.
I suspect it’s partly or mostly the stupid self-perpetuating BBC (and other news media) habit of repeatedly asking this one person and then going on asking that person forever because that person is such a household name…thanks to the fact that the BBC keeps asking said person. Said man, in fact, because it pretty much always is a man, isn’t it. For years they would summon Iqbal Sacranie to discuss all things Islam-related while ignoring ex-Muslim critics along with liberal and secular Muslims. They’ve stopped reflexively phoning the MCB now but telling Pragna “never mind” because she’s not Muslim is not a huge improvement.
