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Can podcasts build political and ideological bridges? That's the hope Muslims and Jews go therea new podcast series featuring the comedian and author. Jews don't countDavid Baddiel, and Conservative peer Saida Warsi, author of the following books: The Enemy Within: The Story of Muslim Britain. “Going There” refers to conversations around Jewish and Muslim identity and the geopolitics of the Middle East, which in today’s polarized discourse are unfathomable, inflammatory, or At worst, it can feel downright dangerous.
But here there are probably two organizers on opposite sides of the fence, creating a safe space for discussion between citizens.Sound familiar? As a listener the rest is politics, a ratings-busting pod featuring former Conservative Party minister Rory Stewart and former Labor spin doctor Alastair Campbell.or of political currency, a series hosted by “Frenemy” George Osborne and Ed Balls.Or something newly released electoral dysfunctionThe show, which also stars Labor MP Jess Phillips, former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and journalist Beth Rigby, knows it's a tried, tested and almost exhausted formula. Dew.
other than that Muslims and Jews go there It feels less like an attempt to wring more power out of an odd couple setting and more like a demonstration of the friendship and understanding needed in an increasingly frenzied time. It's a sign of how hot things are that the first official episode (following an introductory episode about childhood experiences with prejudice) tackles two race-related scandals from last week. First, the Rochdale by-election was thrown into turmoil after Labor candidate Azhar Ali was recorded repeating anti-Israel conspiracy theories about the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. The second concerns senior Tory Lee Anderson, who was suspended from the party for saying Islamists had “taken over London”. Warsi said both parties have spent the past week “fighting the racist Olympics.”
All of this has sparked debate about Labor and the Conservative Party's failure to eradicate racism, and how both parties are using racism to score political points. The pair delves into the language of racism, from the words “Islamophobia” and “anti-Semitism” to the slogan “From River to Sea,” which refers to the geographical region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. ing. They seem to be calling for the eradication of Israel. Badiel said he felt “vulnerable” when the phrase was projected onto Big Ben during a recent pro-Palestinian demonstration in London.
What's surprising so far is how much Warsi and Badiel agree. The test will be what happens when their opinions diverge. It's also worth noting how Baddiel gets in Warsi's way, but I hope the producers say something about that. In an ideal world, Muslims and Jews go there It doesn't need to exist. But we are where we are now, and we can all credit Warsi and Badiel for starting the difficult conversations toward more openness and mutual respect.
