Amsterdam: Two Muslim Labor members oppose district mayor's gay policy
PvdA (Labor) members Miloud Bouzrou and Hassan Kattouss in Slotervaart oppose the gay policy of district mayor Ahmed Marcouch, saying it stigmitizes the Muslim community.
The two - the only ones in the district council - oppose the plans to make homosexuality a discussable topic in Islamic circles. Marcouch, the local PvdA leader, expects the fraction leader to have a harsh, reproving talk with the two.
Marcouch says that the issue is sensitive in religious circles.
"The CDA in Slotervaart also wrestled with it, but in the end voted for. The talk with the two must be very harsh and reproving. But it is even much more important that they become convinced of the importance of the issue. They recognize the importance of gay-rights, but think that it should not be urged so harshly."
According to Marcouch, the position of gays is an issue which strongly moves the 'ethnic supporters' of politicians in Slotervaart. Therefore a politician must explain why his makes a choice which some see as painful, and not everybody succeeds in that.
Marcouch is sure that his policy is supported by the PvdA. "The memo is completely in line with the party vision. Wouter Bos is also very positive about gay emanicpation."
According to Marcouch he's now going full out with his plans. He says he hears, particularly from youth, that they're daring to discuss the topic at home, and he hopes that they'll manage to convince Bouzrou and Kattouss.
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Hassan Kattouss says that Ahmed Marcouch stigmatizes Amsterdam Moroccans and the Islamic community with his gay policy.
Kattouss: It's now said that by voting against it we're against equal rights for gays, but that is not true. I think gay-rights are great. We're against the memo because Mr. Marcouch uses Muslims and Moroccans as an argument to stress the necessity of his gay policy. It's simply not true that Moroccans and Muslims are intolerant towards gays. You should not accuse that Muslim community of something that it's not.
Q: So studies that show that Muslims are intolerant towards gays are not true?
A: I've spoken with a lot of people in the Islamic community who all say: I have no trouble with gays, I have respect for everybody's lifestyle. People have the freedom to be as they are. My objection is that Marcouch leads a stigmatizing policy by claiming that Moroccans are against gays. That is simply not true.
Q: Marcouch's gay memo is superfluous?
A: No, I don't say that. But there are issues that are patched onto it that aren't right.
Q: You particularly have trouble with the word "gay Muslim", because a Muslim can't be gay by definition.
A: I don't have trouble with anything, only with the fact that groups are being stigmatized.
Q: But can Muslims be gay? Is there homosexuality in the Islamic community?
A: I don't know that, you must ask Mr. Marcouch that. I wouldn't know it myself.
Q: Marcouch demands that the PvdA faction chairman in Slotervaart, Maarten van Maurik, will have a sharp and reproving talk with you and Miloud Bouzrou (the other PvdA member who voted against). Is that appropriate?
A: A reproving talk seems absurd to me. I also told Marcouch that on Sunday on the phone. Before the vote I told the fraction chairman why we were against and he understood that. I do want a talk with Marcouch soon because the image that is now being construed of us, isn't true. That talk will also come.
Q: When voting against you were influenced by an imam who was present at the meeting.
A: That's also not true. My objections were inspired by talks with a lot of people from the Islamic community, who all assured me that they have nothing against gays.
Source: Parool 1, 2 (Dutch)
PvdA (Labor) members Miloud Bouzrou and Hassan Kattouss in Slotervaart oppose the gay policy of district mayor Ahmed Marcouch, saying it stigmitizes the Muslim community.
The two - the only ones in the district council - oppose the plans to make homosexuality a discussable topic in Islamic circles. Marcouch, the local PvdA leader, expects the fraction leader to have a harsh, reproving talk with the two.
Marcouch says that the issue is sensitive in religious circles.
"The CDA in Slotervaart also wrestled with it, but in the end voted for. The talk with the two must be very harsh and reproving. But it is even much more important that they become convinced of the importance of the issue. They recognize the importance of gay-rights, but think that it should not be urged so harshly."
According to Marcouch, the position of gays is an issue which strongly moves the 'ethnic supporters' of politicians in Slotervaart. Therefore a politician must explain why his makes a choice which some see as painful, and not everybody succeeds in that.
Marcouch is sure that his policy is supported by the PvdA. "The memo is completely in line with the party vision. Wouter Bos is also very positive about gay emanicpation."
According to Marcouch he's now going full out with his plans. He says he hears, particularly from youth, that they're daring to discuss the topic at home, and he hopes that they'll manage to convince Bouzrou and Kattouss.
------------------
Hassan Kattouss says that Ahmed Marcouch stigmatizes Amsterdam Moroccans and the Islamic community with his gay policy.
Kattouss: It's now said that by voting against it we're against equal rights for gays, but that is not true. I think gay-rights are great. We're against the memo because Mr. Marcouch uses Muslims and Moroccans as an argument to stress the necessity of his gay policy. It's simply not true that Moroccans and Muslims are intolerant towards gays. You should not accuse that Muslim community of something that it's not.
Q: So studies that show that Muslims are intolerant towards gays are not true?
A: I've spoken with a lot of people in the Islamic community who all say: I have no trouble with gays, I have respect for everybody's lifestyle. People have the freedom to be as they are. My objection is that Marcouch leads a stigmatizing policy by claiming that Moroccans are against gays. That is simply not true.
Q: Marcouch's gay memo is superfluous?
A: No, I don't say that. But there are issues that are patched onto it that aren't right.
Q: You particularly have trouble with the word "gay Muslim", because a Muslim can't be gay by definition.
A: I don't have trouble with anything, only with the fact that groups are being stigmatized.
Q: But can Muslims be gay? Is there homosexuality in the Islamic community?
A: I don't know that, you must ask Mr. Marcouch that. I wouldn't know it myself.
Q: Marcouch demands that the PvdA faction chairman in Slotervaart, Maarten van Maurik, will have a sharp and reproving talk with you and Miloud Bouzrou (the other PvdA member who voted against). Is that appropriate?
A: A reproving talk seems absurd to me. I also told Marcouch that on Sunday on the phone. Before the vote I told the fraction chairman why we were against and he understood that. I do want a talk with Marcouch soon because the image that is now being construed of us, isn't true. That talk will also come.
Q: When voting against you were influenced by an imam who was present at the meeting.
A: That's also not true. My objections were inspired by talks with a lot of people from the Islamic community, who all assured me that they have nothing against gays.
Source: Parool 1, 2 (Dutch)
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