When Terrorism Is Too close To Home
I have woken up to horrendous news too often. A terrorist attack aimed at children at a concert or random attacks in London of terrorists murdering people using vehicles. Then I hear of the manslaughter of families asleep in their homes. A fire ripping through a tower block trapping many and killing an unknown number of people. In Portugal families have lost everything due to what appears to be a natural disaster, lightening setting fire to the landscape.These disasters are on my screens, I turn the news off before Bear arrives so he doesn't see them.
He's enquiring, he wants to know what is going on. He wants to know what that man is doing, why that lady is laughing, or shouting, or crying. He wants to know how policemen rescue people. He plays with his ambulance and fire engine rescuing imaginary people from imaginary disasters.
"What's happening Nanny?" he asks innocently. I have no answers I can only shield him from the news.
This morning I come down stairs to hear of another atrocity. A man has driven a van into a crowd outside a mosque. A man has targeted Muslims as they finish their prayers. What sort of person could do that?
I hear myself saying to myself, I am not like that. I am not a terrorist. I hope people do not think that Brits are like this, we are not.
And that's the point. Muslims are not terrorists either. They are like me. Horrified at the acts done in the name of their faith. They are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters. They are just as innocent as I am. Every day they have to stand up and declare their abhorrence as silence is considered by many as condoning the acts of terrorism.
Whilst Bear has a nap I watch the news. A man is interviewed, he is a Muslim. He is asked if he is scared and he replies that he isn't because he lives in Cardiff and it doesn't have the problems that other areas have. I live in Cardiff, it is a great city. It is small and friendly. Many years ago I came to visit friends and liked it so much I stayed.
.
I get a message from a friend telling me the terrorist is from Cardiff and he lives near me.
The terrorist is from Cardiff, he lives just across a park from me. I can't believe it.
He is from Cardiff, he lives just across the park from me.
The park I take Bear to play on the swings. The park we kick a football in. The park we throw sticks into the stream.
Please do not judge everyone by their race, faith or nationality.
He is British. He is a terrorist.
I am British. I am not a terrorist.
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That's exactly how I feel every time something happens over here in the states. Every time I turn on the news, I think "Oh great! now the rest of the world is going to think that all Americans are racists because our President wants to build a wall between us and Mexico and he has banned certain countries from even arriving over here and everything else that is happening. Or a crazed man in Portland, Oregon who started insulting two Muslim women on a train then shot the two other men who stood up to him and tried to get him to stop. It sickens me and makes me so sad for my kids who have to grow up in a world like this. I don't want them to be hated because they are Americans anymore than I want a Muslim to be hated because they are Muslim. What makes me sadder is the fact that we should have evolved well past this petty hateful bull by now but we haven't. What kind of world are we leaving to the next generation? Why are we even in this mess? Its up to people like you and me to set the record straight that terrorists like this don't represent the majority as a whole. I'm so sorry to hear this man is from your city but I hope you can take at least comfort in knowing that there are those of us who don't judge your city or your people for what is happening throughout our world.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to comment. Our leaders certainly have a lot to answers for, they are our representative abroad and many of them do not show the tolerance and compassion we have. I do take comfort in your words and would reciprocate. I do not think that you are all the same although I am surprised that Trump got elected but that is the will of the voter. We have had some surprises here too!
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