I'm Pretty Sure There's A Syndrome Here...

Gosh, what's it called? Something Scandinavian, I think.

 

Ah, yes. That's the one.

More than 50 survivors of terrorist attacks, including the Manchester Arena bombing and the London Bridge attacks, have signed an open letter warning politicians to stop conflating British Muslims with extremism. The signatories include Rebecca Rigby, the widow of soldier Lee Rigby who was murdered in south-east London in 2013, and Paul Price, who lost his partner, Elaine McIver, in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. They caution against comments which play “into the hands of terrorists”.

Like these? 

Paul Price, who was badly injured in the Manchester Arena attack in May 2017, said terrorists exploited division, and politicians should focus on what unites communities. “Terrorists want people to take sides and for people to get angry,” he said. “It should be everyone against the terrorists.”

Rebecca Rigby, from West Yorkshire, whose husband Lee was murdered near a barracks in May 2013, said: “Lee’s death was used by some to drive hatred against Muslims in general. That’s not what Lee would have wanted and it’s not what our family wants.

“If we are serious about tackling terrorism the most important thing we can do is differentiate between the vast majority of Muslims who are our peaceful neighbours, and the small number of extremists.”

But what if you've got that ratio wrong, Rebecca? What then? 

Yup, This'll Fix Racism, No Question...

Phrases and words that link negativity with blackness and positivity with whiteness – such as “black mood”, “dark times” or “whiter than white” – reinforce racist connotations and should be avoided, an anti-racism initiative has recommended.

Oh. This again... 

Dr Sanjiv Lingayah, the director of Reframing Race, a non-profit research-based initiative, and co-author of the report, said: “The conversation on racism is stuck. With our trailblazing research we have been able to show how different messages on race and racism affect a mainstream audience.

“The upside is that new ways of talking about racism can lead to new ways of listening. This guidance provides a foundation from which advocates can be confident they are contributing positively to discussion, avoiding pitfalls and tropes, and moving others towards an anti-racist position.”

It doesn't sound very new to me. Does it to you, Reader? 

Manipulating The News...

The 'Guardian' opines:

Kay Marsh, another Dover resident who works for the migrants rights charity Samphire, said that she has seen attitudes of local people harden against asylum seekers.“I used to find that people were more willing to listen. But now it’s more of ‘this is what I read in the newspapers and this is what the government is saying’. Asylum seekers are normal people who want a safe life. Everybody is entitled to that.”

Normal people who want a safe life that's somehow not in France. Or any of the other countries they've passed through to get here. 

Normal people who know they aren't welcome in a country, so they break its laws to come regardless... 

Chris Johnson, who lives just outside Dover, who is described as “far right” and a “migrant hunter” by the organisation Hope Not Hate, stepped out of his white BMW on the white cliffs of Dover to catch a glimpse of the arrival of Rishi Sunak and his entourage at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

Gosh. I wonder why the 'Guardian' didn't see fit to tell us what car Kay drives..? 

One asylum seeker living in Home Office accommodation in Napier barracks in Folkestone, said: “The home secretary’s announcement today is a revenge plan and closes any ray of hope for those whose lives are in danger and seek safety and security in Britain.”

What are they seeking it from? France isn't that bad, comparted to Somalia or Afghanistan, is it? And they aren't all 'seeking safety', are they?