I suppose it was almost predictable that some idiot would take, what he thinks of as, 'revenge'. But this is NOT the way. This childish tit for tat attitude is not helping what is already a desperate situation. It would have been far more poignant if these criminals (for that is what they are) would have gone to the mosque in Finsbury Park, and shaken the hands of those who were leaving.
Understanding the behaviour of others is sometimes baffling. Just a year ago we ourselves experienced some very bizarre and irrational behaviour from some neighbours. The incident is long over, but we are still perplexed by their motivation even today.
Attitudes can become so fixed in people's minds that all logic is left behind. Hypocrisy can replace otherwise rational thinking. Criminal activity can overpower otherwise law-abiding individuals.
Fanaticism, drugs, and alcohol, can all play a part in such irrational behaviour, but there is no excuse.
How all this will end I have no idea, but end it must or the situation will become dire.
I wrote the above in something of a rush; a knee-jerk reaction to yet another outrage.
ReplyDeleteI'm now back from a longer than usual morning walk where I have been trying to fathom the motivation of these criminals.
Retribution, hatred, jealousy, fanaticism, and drug-fuelled irrationality, are all possible motives, but this is so alien to my own way of life that I simply fail to understand.
I just don't understand.
I did not follow the British news , what happened ? Can you please explain ?
ReplyDeleteA white van has been driven into crowds leaving a mosque, killing at least one person. I hardly know what to say any more!
DeleteHorror seems never to end. I just heard about it on my radio station.
DeleteAnother episode of incomprehensible violence. How can all this be happening? The world has changed and all is not well
ReplyDeleteAnd it can only get worse before it possibly gets better.
DeleteI am glad you went for a long walk. It's good for the soul, maintaining equilibrium.
ReplyDeleteOne could speculate as to motive. Sometimes, in dire circumstances to defend others and ourselves, we may be forced to take someone's life. Yet to cut a life short, anonymously, with all the reverberations to a victim's wider family and community? It denotes a deranged mind set. One one can little do to prevent the unimaginable.
It's one hell of a miracle that any of us are here. To squander this gift given to us, to - maliciously - squander a gift given to someone you don't even know is ... I don't know ... Inhuman?
The searing question "WHY"?
U
I'm almost speechless this morning. Absolutely everything seems to be going wrong that could go wrong.
DeletePrepare for riots next: hot weather and riots go together.
ReplyDeleteI just been reading about some far left Corbynistas preparing a 'Day of Rage'. Expect broken windows, torched shops, and Molotov cocktails.
DeleteLily Allen is probably organising it right now.
DeleteAlong with her chum Charlotte Church.
DeleteAnd Mary Beard is forwarding their tweets with glee.
DeleteFor some years I lived in Enoch Powell's constituency (I hasten to add I never voted for him) - and now I fear there may have been some truth in what he predicted. I hope to God I am wrong.
ReplyDeleteThere is definitely a 'them and us' culture developing, which is what he warned of. It's all very depressing.
DeleteI can only see it getting worse. I blame the internet, now everyone can see and hear what everyone else is doing, in an instant. It fuels emotions, those who have irrational thoughts feed off each other.
ReplyDeleteThose who run the most popular Social Media sites certainly must take some blame. They seem very unwilling to censor much of the most evil propaganda. I wonder what it'll take to make them think again.
DeleteI was working and living in the week in London when the riots happened in 2011. It was the catalyst for us to leave. I hope that everyone stays calm. They want to divide us, they (IS) will see this as they have won. We must not let them win. Rachel is right, craziness will follow this if they dont stamp on it immediately.
ReplyDeleteI fear it's the combination of recent events that will make them riot; they naively blame central government for everything. Certain sections of society are always on the lookout for an excuse.
DeleteRachel is always right...
ReplyDeleteWe'll have a branch of Hamas setting up in the UK before too long; and some will welcome them!
DeleteSomeone on TV this morning calling for some kind of march in solidarity with the Muslim community, but where was the march by the Muslim community condemning the latest atrocities by other fellow Muslims? I must have blinked and missed it.
ReplyDeleteThey established a 'divided community', and now it's being manifested by violence. It had to happen.
DeleteThere were marches of solidarity by Muslims in Manchester after the bombing last month. Perhaps they didn't make the national news but they were definitely shown locally; I saw the coverage. There were also many Muslims who publically condemned the actions of terrorists in London and Manchester.
DeleteMy neighbours are Muslims, and I don't expect them to apologise for the actions of extremists anymore than they expect me to. We just carry on as normal; chatting, sharing, respecting one another and being good neighbours. In fact, they are the best neighbours I have ever had;far better than the white, privately educated woman who was a neighbour from hell.
This is the behaviour of those who are racists and the UK has one or two gangs of thugs.
ReplyDeleteThe thugs will be hitting the streets very soon. Warm weather, plus anger, equals rioting.
DeleteThere was a time when I tried to understand the evil that men do one to another. Then I realised that it was so far beyond my comprehension that if I didn't stop I would be consumed by such thoughts because they just so alien to me. So now I just live in a state of permanent ignorance and bewilderment on the subject.
ReplyDeleteThat's rather how I feel too. I can't even bring myself to try to understand it all.
DeleteWhat happened to "make love, not war". Hate has taken over everywhere. I try to understand how others feel, but it is hard to be tolerant of people's intolerance and cruelty.
ReplyDeleteThat was another age. Now it's just 'make war'.
DeletePerhaps Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech was about the wrong people, but it has come to pass. When a country takes in so many people from one area it leads to non integration and both England and many European countries do not have integrated societies, as we don't here. Less is more and better.
ReplyDeleteI have a home in Brighton in the UK. Brighton is a widely multi cultural town with a fabulous selection of nationalities, but nowhere is there a 'ghetto'. All are distributed throughout the town. There was a small Chinese area for a while, but even that died out. It's a blueprint for Britain, which is being ignored.
DeleteI cannot remember such an unsettled time in the UK. I cannot see things improving or getting resolved. There is a massive division.
ReplyDeleteI heard someone on TV this morning saying 'The driver knew this was a Muslim area'. That is part of the problem, there should be no Muslim areas, or Christian areas, or Hindu areas. People should live in mixed areas, and learn to be with each other.
DeleteApart from Kemptown, in Brighton which is also known as 'Camptown' - Cro eh' eh !
ReplyDeleteBrighton accepts all comers, all creeds, all life-styles, and all sexual preferences. It's what makes it such a great town (city).
DeleteYes. Brighton is a bright spot.
Delete“O tandem magnis pelagi defuncte periclis!
ReplyDeleteSed terrae graviora manent. In regna Lavini
Dardanidae venient; mitte hanc de pectore curam;
sed non et venisse volent. Bella, horrida bella,
et Thybrim multo spumantem sanguine cerno.
Bella, horrida bella, indeed. But lets hope it doesn't come to that.
DeleteI feel like my world is shrinking. I used to feel safe in my country then it shrank to my state, then my city,neighborhood and now inside my home....so far!
ReplyDeleteOne never knows where these events will happen next, it could be anywhere.
DeleteI suspect the guy was mentally ill........and if so, he was not in control of his own actions...unfortunately if he was indeed ill....no one will want to see him as such, they will see a monster
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to imagine that he wasn't mentally ill, no 100% sane person would do such a thing.
DeleteBlowback is inevitable. With 12 times as many non Muslims as there are Muslims the only surprise is that it has not happened sooner and that so few are dead of injured. Personally I think it demonstrates the tolerant nature of the British people that it has elicited such a moderate reaction for so long. One thing is certain though and that is you can only push around the most reasonable people for so long before they snap and I suspect that further Muslim terror attacks will receive far more extreme responses pushing us down a road with no turning back. Dark times ahead...
ReplyDelete