Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THAT CLIP, FROM RTÉ’s I Am Immigrant documentary shows young Dublin Muslim Adam Sabbagh engaging in the approach he takes to try and dispel misconceptions about his community.
The approach, he says, is about being open with people who are curious about Islam and not bothering people who aren’t interested.
The clip shows one man being initially hostile towards Sabbagh and what he felt is a desire by Muslim people to convert people in western society.
After a few minutes talking, the man realised that actually meeting a Muslim person is sometimes all that’s required to have your fears eased.
It’s something that Sabbagh himself realises, telling TheJournal.ie that he thinks people are reactionary by nature.
He says that most of the time when people get angry towards Muslims, it’s usually just a reaction to the actions of people who don’t represent the wider community.
Obviously he saw something on the news, which he reacted to, and then after speaking to me he realised that that’s not how they all are. So I’m hoping that after I spoke to him he’ll have a different perception. That’s the whole idea behind why we’re doing what we’re doing.
“When you have 99% of the community being decent hard-working people and when you have 1% that are basically psychopaths, you’re stuck in a conversation saying that that’s not 99% of the community.”
Being born and raised in Dublin to Syrian parents, Sabbagh notes the irony of being part of a documentary called I Am Immigrant.
The programme features four other people of differing immigrant backgrounds and follows the challenges they face dealing with race issues.
In a decision that has sparked some controversy, Peter O’Loughlin of Identity Ireland and Pegida Ireland is also featured in the programme.
A Pegida anti-Islam demonstration in Dublin last month turned violent when counter-protesters clashed with gardaí. The scenes mirrored others elsewhere in Europe when anti-Islam protesters and anti-racism protesters faced off.
The documentary features footage of that protest and also of O’Loughlin being attacked while on a Luas tram in Dublin.
Sabbagh was there that day. He says he wasn’t happy to see things getting physical but was proud to see the number of people there to defend Irish Muslims.
I was very happy to see that the majority of Irish people were against it and I felt very proud that day when my fellow Irish citizens were standing and saying we don’t support this.
On Pegida themselves, Sabbagh finds their views to be ‘illogical’:
I was a bit irritated with the idea of this group, I think it’s ridiculous to ask people to leave because they have a certain faith.You could have people that are four generations Irish, then they make a statement that brings them to Islam, are you going to ask them to leave the country? It’s just illogical.
I Am Immigrant, is broadcast tonight on RTÉ2 at 9.30pm
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Welcome to the 21st century!!! PASSPORT OFFICE
@Ronan Mc Namara: don’t be stupid the passport office has been providing an amazing online service for years. One of the best in the world in fact. 100% virtual applications process. They still have to be printed though and this is a more manual service which likely impacted.
@Ronan Mc Namara: learn to read honey…this article is about online applications only…
@Paul Quirke: What school did you go too?
Applications received from it are not being processed in real time but rather set aside in a queue until whenever the office reopens.
Blind leading the blind in that office.
Sure it’s a world class system…Jesus wept!!
@Ronan Mc Namara:
I renewed my passport online and I got it in 5 days while Brexit was happening. Excellent Service.
@Just Some Guy: Fair enough……but not for the last few months. Excellent Service…………….Jesus wept!
At present, no new applications for new or renewed passports are being taken either over the phone or by mail, as the coronavirus crisis has affected production of the documents themselves.
@Ronan Mc Namara: why?
The passport online system does not entail customer contact, processing can quite easily be organised with safe distancing, & actual printing, binding, & posting similarly, on a shift basis to mert demand.
Its a good revenue earner as well, so why would staff be redeployed, when lits of other public service personnel remain disengaged entirely, on full pay.
The senior heads have serious questions to answer, both in the civil srrvice & local authorities, as to why so many units closed up.
If they are not rated as essential services, then why re open them again?
@William Kelly: I agree William beggars belief….. they could not wait to closed the doors….very shoddy service.
While the Passport Office’s online renewal system is still live, applications received from it are not being processed in real time but rather set aside in a queue until whenever the office reopens.
@Ronan Mc Namara: not correct, the blank passport booklet are done in bulk order from the secure printing company contracted by the government and are stockpiled with emergency reserves. Even in the the UK although they recently changed to blue passports, red passports are still being issued as they are trying to get rid of them to make sure they have sufficiently stockpiled the new blue ones.
@Ronan Mc Namara: you also have to remember Ireland have Passport Cards, so if in the unlikely situation passport books where in fact short supply, it would be easy enough to issue the cards standalone to those applicants who only plan to travel to another EU country or just wanting a passport for the purpose of proving their ID, reserving the booklets for those who need to travel outside of the EU.
have your say