I saw these online somewhere and sniggered. A few days later an ex girlfriend contacted me from Bangkok out of the blue wanting to buy me one for my birthday. She even guessed the colour I would have chosen. She knows me too well.
"Cos you are obsessed with fuckin Muslims innit..."
Cheers.
What I want to know is if this is offensive. I have no idea. I am taking a straw poll. If you didn't grow up in the UK, the Mister Men was a childrens cartoon in the 70s. I'd like to do a film maybe concentrating on black "post 9/11" humour among Muslims. Riz MCs Post 9/11 blues had trouble getting on the radio. Atilla's Jihadi calypso was in the circumstances a difficult one for me. His brother was also picked up by The Sun for apparent bad taste in comedy, he defends himself here.
When I go round Hajj's and there are people about he usually says something like "No sorry mate, we don't want any terrorists here..". If I was to turn up at an Islamic meeting to film wearing this T-Shirt would people be angry or would they laugh? The only "Joker in the pack" I have found among Mr Choudary's posse is Mr Waleed. I wonder what he would make of this.
I was always interested at the time in the contrast between the "Sling Your Hook" cartoon media image The Sun (who owe me money) painted of Hamza, and Hamza in Finsbury park. The "Mr. Jihad" on the Tshirt has a hook and some dynamite on his back.
Obviously if anyone is really offended I wont wear it. What would people think if someone who was darker skin than I with a bigger beard wore it? Someone gave me an orange "Guantanamo" shirt a while back which I didn't feel I could wear because of signals I thought it might give to the security services I meet sometimes on demos or at trials but I have less problem wearing this?
This is all just culturally interesting to me.
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16 comments:
Hi dave,
saw the t-shirt, and Im going to say something that a lot of muslims probably wouldn't, but there are double standards in force.
If YOU wore it, or another non-muslim, it would be deemed extremely unfunny. However, if it was worn by an obvious muslim with a beard and the full works, it would be found absolutely hilarious. im sorry, but that is the way of the UK at the moment, there is no universal acceptance of things.
For example, I hate the word "paki", but then i see muslims use it between themselves sometimes, yet they would go nuts if someone else said it. Its a racist term, and shouldnt be used by anyone.
There is a slight "fiqh" point though about wearing images and thereby not being able to pray, but thats a side issue.
Hope that answers your question.
Cheers
Umar
Nice one. You are only the second Muslim who got back to me. I would think that if a Muslim with a full beard wore this Daily Mail types would be really ofended but as you say, I remember now the stuff about not wearing or depicting images in Pakistan so I suppose it wouldn't happen anyway.
The quality of the printing means that it won't be an image for very long anyway!
you are a wanker fuck off
muslim hater
ur beard looks like a sheeps arse!
just for the record it is offensive. you wouldnt see anyone else wear that and laugh you loser!!!! and what is with the beard and moustqache really. at least shave it off or something that looks like a hobbits foot gone wrong. ewwww.
Thanks for your comments!
I will be sure and tell hamza's pals and Mr Choudhary et al that you think I am a Muslim hater next time I visit them.
Somewhere between a sheep's arse and a hobbit's foot gone wrong hides transcendent wisdom in this hilariously absurd folderol.
It is what it is, and if one wishes to be taken seriously, one must first be able to laugh at oneself. Regardless.
eh and who wants to be taken seriously?
People who get up in arms over t-shirt jokery, I reckon.
Hey Dave,
I just got the same t-shirt as a gift from my girlfriend and I think its funny... I think it plays on the stereotype and I'm proud wear it even if people think I’m a terrorist... as graphic designer I think its just an image on a t-shirt and it's a way of making statement... so you shouldn't care if people liked it or not... because it comes back to the fact that what kind of statement you are trying to say? If it's to offend Muslims then it's offensive and if you are making a joke about the whole issue and the stereotype then it's funny.
By the way... I'm Muslim and my name is JIHAD. For real!!!
Cheerz
Jihad
ha ha cheers Jihad! Thats what I thought. I have been wearing the T-shirt for a few days cos I have been a bit under the weather wrapped up in bed. I am not sure how many more washes the print will last!
Thanks for your comment
Hi,
Tonight i have been stopped by the police for wearing a t shirt the same as yours only in blue,
The police have actually stopped me walking in the street and made me turn it inside out before they would let me continue on my travells.
They made me remove my t shirt turn it inside out and put it back on in a busy high street in front of passers by and dinners.
when i questioned them as to why they simply said your choice do it or we will arrest you for a public order offense, i questioned this and was told it is a form of inciting religious war!!!
I have had to walk back with my t shirt inside out so i dont offend.
My gf got this shirt for me from www.brownmanclothing.com. At first I was like DAMN! that is awesome! Then when I wore it out and saw the mixed reactions, I thought DAMN! this is making a statment! Much like the other comments, yes, it depends on when and where you wear it and what point are you trying to portray? If you wear it and have ever intention of disrespecting Muslims around you then yeah, it is offensive. But if you're poking fun at the stereotype and bring awareness of the situations in the world then it is doing some good!
I am an Indian and love this T-Shirt and it is not offensive at all. Though India is a majority Hindu country though secular I still wont be able to wear this back home.
I think the world cares to much about muslims it will be funny if you had this Tshirt with prophet Mohamed on it.
Indians really only think about sex day and night, morning evening or afternoon. We just want more and more sex, we are the most populous country in the
world, why I came to this is because you mentioned your Girlfriend it would be interesting to know about her.
she was 15 years older than me and turned 60 when I was with her. She was still sexy but too much hard work. There is too much testosterone flying round India cos of sexual repression and it comes out in ugly scenes between Hindus and Muslims its true
Thank you for your comments the rest of you- that is fascinating you wee threatened with arrest for wearing it.
Oh and anonymous is right, my beard did look like a sheeps arse.
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