This is a guest post by Yasmin Baruchi
Dear Dilly
So you are proud of the Ottoman Empire but not British history.
Fair enough but I don’t quite understand your reasons. I picked up on your criticism of the glorified way in which British history is taught in schools. There’s some truth in that but do you ever think about this when you peddle your romanticised, wholly inaccurate and frankly dangerous narrative of a united peaceful Caliphate? Do you know how much bloodshed the Caliphate and Caliphs were responsible for? Are you aware there were competing Caliphates in existence at the same time hell-bent on usurping each other. Why do you object to the glorification of one but not the other?
I find it highly bizarre that you cannot bring yourself to be proud of any aspect of British history (despite being British) yet you admire another empire that has done nothing for you or your parents or grandparents. You bemoan Britain’s expansionism, yet praise the Ottoman empire which did the same. Are you even aware of how the Ottomans quashed entire villages during uprisings against their rule? You see, to create an empire you have to fight on offensive and take another’s land and impose your rule. Something you say Israel has done but you have no praise for them. Do you believe people welcomed the Ottomans in to their countries with open arms? It seems to have escaped your notice that colonialism and imperialism is not just a western phenomenon. I would very much like to understand why you feel British conquerors are to be condemned and yet you celebrate the Ottomans for their bloody conquests.
The conclusion I can’t help but come to is that in reality you have no real grasp of history- you just repeat some simplistic drivel your Hizb friends feed you to support their caliphate-dreaming.
So- because I am sure your Hizb friend told you all about Churchill- that evil intolerant Islamophobic bastard who allocated £100,000 for Muslims to build Regent’s Park Mosque (!), I suggest you go and research a little more about the empire you and your mates do hold in such high esteem.
For starters, you can let me know how proud you are of the Armenian Genocide. Or perhaps the Batak Massacre. or the slaughter Ottoman Greeks. All civilian deaths- not military.
I reckon if you can still find much to admire about the Ottomans after that, then us Brits can be afforded some pride in our own history. The history from which you and I now benefit from.
Yours Sincerely
A non-simple mind.
