Headline December 22, 2018/ '' ' MUSLIMS BRITISH MUSTERS ' ''

'' ' MUSLIMS BRITISH MUSTERS ' ''

A MUSTER OF PEACOCKS  : 

To the most respectful memories, - firstly of my principal, Mr. Hugh Catchpole, Oxford, for *just about everything*, and so very inclusive - British humor, and Wisdom, and many, many laughs.

For hopeless and incorrigible students of my background, he had a special heart, within his heart. Out of great respect, one beautiful afternoon, I walked a shade behind him.

The greatman was in a philosophic mood as I popped a question. ''Sir, what historical figure do you most identify with?''  He swiveled around, pipe clenched firmly between his teeth, blowing rings of smoke:

''Thomas Edison, because he turned on the lights.'' he said.

And then these two great instructors, John Merry,  for his brilliance in explaining to me ''The Battle of Britain'' and the misery and uselessness of wars, and Peter Gooding, for teaching  me 'Close and Battle Formation' and the art of living.

Both from the great Royal Air Force.

It isn't an easy time to be a British Muslim. Surely, gentlemen's Cricket may just help.

Not everyone in the game had been so considerate as this first tier leader, and former England Captain, Alastair Cook, when Mr. Moeen Ali was first selected for the national team.......

The veteran sports columnist Michael Henderson took issue with his long beard, remarking that he was ''opting to stand out'' and queried why he said he felt like he was representing Muslims when he played.

Mr. Henderson was reframing an old debate about national identity set off by the Conservative politician Norman Tebbit, who in 1990 said that British South Asians and Afro Caribbeans should support the England cricket team - not India, Pakistan or the West Indies.

''Are you still harking back to where you came from?'' Mr. Tebbit asked dismissively.

Mr. Tebbit's intervention was especially fraught because cricket is played almost exclusively by countries that were once part of the British Empire.

Cheering on the great West Indies or Pakistani teams of the 1980s was a way for ethnic - minority Britons expressing their resentment of an England that they felt did not welcome them. It was also a way of retaining emotional ties to their parents countries

Mr. Moeen Ali's dual inheritances do not fit the simplicity of the Tebbit identity test, Adil Rashid, another Pakistani origin cricketer who recently became a regular on the England Test match squad, speaks in a broad Yorkshire accent, while Mr. Ali has a Middlelands accents.

Yet in the dressing room, they chat about tactics in the Kashmiri language of their ancestors.

English cricket realized that it can only be strengthened by an open minded attitude to minorities. Nasser Hussain, the son of an Indian father and English mother, captained the team from 1999 to 2003.

Mr. Moeen Ali himself is expected to keep quiet over issues he feels strongly about. When he was censured by the  International Cricket Board for wearing ''Save Gaza'' and ''Free Palestine''  wristbands during a 2014 test cricket match, the England and Wales Cricket Board supported his right to free expression.

Mr. Moeen Ali's easy going demeanor has made him a favorite in the dressing room and with the fans. After a bad run earlier this year, he was dropped from the team.

But he worked hard and fought back to earn a a spot and won the title of Man of the Match, for his outstanding performance in a match against India in September..

He was motivated to put in his best for the team by that moment in 2016 when Mr. Cook ensured that he was included in the celebrations and the group photograph.

''I felt this was the team I could give anything for,'' he remarked.

The Conservative Party and the country at large could learn from Alastair Cook's and Moeen Ali's example.

With respectful dedication to all the great people of Great Britain, to the Muslims of Great Britain and then these four, yes, 4, very high class teachers and humans :

Lecturer Muhammad Hammad Khan, Lawyer Irum Khan Technologist Merium, and genius technologist Rabo.

See Ya all prepare for Global Elections and ''register'' on : wssciw.blogspot.com - The World Students Society and Twitter - !E-WOW! - the Ecosystem 2011:

''' Cricket & Crowns '''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless