Marc Evans, 28, is a nurse from Bristol.
Shortly after the Manchester terror attack, I read an article entitled “We will not tackle extremism by stigmatising Muslim citizens” by Tariq Ramadan. It was timely, calm, and articulate, and really resonated with me because it crystallised beliefs I have long held, and expressed a sentiment that needs to be far more widely propagated.
We appear to have a deep blame culture and, unfortunately, hatred towards people of different races and cultures remains prevalent in Britain. The past few months have been particularly difficult; the sense of “us versus them” has rarely been more strongly felt in Britain.
In his article, Ramadan states: “We should be bringing people together and I mean all people, those with or without faith in a united front against all senseless acts of violence against civilians, here or abroad. To portray such criminal acts as part of an ideological battle between extremist, anti-western Muslims and western people and values risks further alienating Muslim citizens and ignores the fact that Muslims themselves also fall victim to these attacks.”
As a nurse, it’s essential that I treat all people as equals, and don’t pass judgment. I have been truly shocked by the hatred that recent events have brought out in people. It’s the quick knee-jerk reactions that frighten me the most. People are so quick to point fingers, make sweeping statements and draw battle lines.
In response to this, I think the British government could do more – they seem not to have done enough to reinforce the difference between Islam and extremism. I can only imagine how it must feel to be a Muslim in America right now, when the government is publicly stigmatising the Muslim community and continues to attempt to ban Muslims from entering the country. It’s beyond comprehension.
As citizens, we look to our leaders for support and guidance at times of crisis and, when found lacking, deep rifts begin to form in society, contributing to what Ramadan calls “the politics of division”.
It’s not difficult to see how stigmatising a religion can nurture precisely the sense of isolation that can lead to anger, and violent acts. Drawing a clear distinction between the majority of peaceful Muslims and the tiny minority of those who call themselves Muslim and commit extremist acts is step one in eradicating this growing stigma.
As discussed in Ramadan’s article, creating unity in our nation is going to require changes to our domestic and foreign policies, careful reflection on how we can improve education, collaborative efforts between citizens and government, and more courage where it is needed. But, before this and alongside it, efforts to stem divisions between citizens are vital.
