Miss England... It Should Be Just Miss England!

Ever heard of a Christian Miss England? A Buddhist Miss Universe? A Hindu Miss India? A Free Thinker Miss Something? No?

[Source: Dave Evans]How about a Muslim Miss England?

Yes... she is looking at you right now or rather, you are looking at her at this very moment.

This beauty just can't be the plain Miss England. She must become something else -- a Muslim Miss England would be nice, after all that's a fact. Nothing wrong in stating the fact. It's entirely accurate!

And because of that, we get to read the controversies arising from her remark about Tony Blair's policies towards the Muslims. Some of the gist of the issue can be found in this AFP report, dated Sept 1:

Muslim Miss England blasts Blair over 'stereotypes'

LONDON -- The first Muslim to be voted Miss England hit out at British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday, accusing him of fueling hostility toward Islam following last year's London bombings.

Hammasa Kohistani, 19, born in Uzbekistan after her parents fled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, said that the lethal attacks had united British communities, but added that the government had created "negative stereotypes" of Muslims in the wake of the blasts.

Kohistani was speaking as she returned to resume her studies at Uxbridge College in West London after a year of traveling the world appearing in newspapers and magazines.

She said that the July 7 bombings, which killed 56 people including the four British Muslim suicide bombers, was a "reality slap" for those who thought that such attacks would never occur in Britain.

"I think in a sense it brought communities together," she told Britain's domestic Press Association news agency. But at the same time "there is this hostility," which comes "mainly from the government."

"Tony Blair addressed Muslims in particular, telling them that they need to sort out the problem within. That was a huge stereotype of the Islamic community.

"Even the more moderate Muslims have been stereotyped negatively and feel they have to take actions to prove themselves."

Kohistani's coronation as Miss England in 2005 sparked anger among some highly traditional Muslims who felt that she and other Muslims should not have competed.

Kohistani said that she would be selective about her modeling work as she completes the A-Level examinations that should enable her to study for a politics degree at university, with an eye on a political career afterwards.

She speaks several languages and will study A-Level politics, sociology, and media studies. She has already passed in English literature.

Kohistani said that she sometimes got annoyed about being asked about Islam and politics, given her coronation two months after the London bombings.

However, she admitted that it separated her from the pack.

"At first it was quite rewarding and I enjoyed it. But after the first 200 interviews, I realized that it was all about me being Muslim," she said.

"No one wanted to know my favorite movie or favorite food and other usual Miss England questions." -- AFP