Hundreds of “We love MCR” banners coursed their way through central Manchester last week, along with signs proclaiming, “Love for all, hatred for none”. Young Muslim women and men proudly displayed them in an act of defiance against hate, in the wake of a horrific attack that left 22 innocent people dead. It reminded me of a great man who once said, “A nation cannot be reformed without first reforming its youth.”
Shortly after the terror attack last week, two narratives emerged.
One was courageously articulated by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. “This is an extremist act and the person who did it in no more represents the Muslim community than the person who killed Jo Cox represents the white Christian community.”
The other narrative was of cowardly anti-Muslim extremists and keyboard warriors such as Katie Hopkins who demanded a “final solution” as a response. It is the latter narrative that continues to dominate media headlines, advances fear of Islam and Muslims, and promotes a sense of hopelessness among youth in particular.
more: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/manchester-attack-isis-muslim-youth-young-people-charities-look-what-they-did-terrorism-a7760061.html
