Brits are losing their mind after knowing that Boris Johnson will be their new Prime Minister.
While the public has shared its concerns on new Prime Minister the discussion on Boris Johnson’s Muslim ancestry has resurfaced. People might be digging into the origins of Johnson’s paternal family to link it with his Islamophobic rhetoric in politics
About Boris Johnson’s Muslim Ancestry
Boris Johnson’s great grandfathers was a Turkish man named Ali Kemal who was born in 1867 in İstanbul, Turkey where he received his early traditional education. He later went on to become a journalist famous for his anti-state critique.
In 1903 he married Anglo-Swiss woman Winifred Brun, the daughter of Margaret Johnson. As a journalist, Kemal adopted liberal views and used to criticize the then Turkish government quite often. His constant criticism of the government got him exiled to London. Kemal was finally executed on the orders of Ataturk.
Here is the video that talks about Boris Johnosn’s Muslim ancestry and his visit to Turkey to meet his extended family.
Why Is He Johnson and Not Kemal?
During the First World War Turkey aligned with Germany so to avoid any trouble Mr. Kemal’s son and daughter who were living in England adopted their maternal name, Johnson. Kemal’s son Wilfred Johnson later married Irene Williams. Their son, Stanley Johnson, is the father of Boris Johnson. He has also appeared in BBC’s TV series called Who Do You Think You Are to find out about his family lineage.
What Makes Boris Johnson Islamophobic?
Boris Johnson is not an unheard name when it comes to British politics. He has often made the front-page headlines for either saying or doing something strange or weird. He has even called Muslim women wearing Burka “letterbox” and resembling “robbers”. Despite having a Muslim heritage, one wonders how one can be so prejudiced.
Perhaps it is because of those Islamophobic views and anti-immigrant propaganda of conservative party that not so many people knew about Boris Johnson’s Muslim Ancestry. Now, when he is on his way to becoming Prime Minister people are wondering how come a person whose great grandfather was an immigrant and Muslim could be anti-immigrant or Islamophobe. Or maybe this is how the populism just works.
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