The attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015 were a total atrocity, just like any act which kills large numbers of people is utterly inexcusable. There can be no justification for those terrorists acting in France – but there will be no excuse if society lets its leaders react in a way that further ostracises the already disempowered.
Even as the conflict unfolded we saw racism, hatred, and Islamophobia flood onto social media; even from a human rights lawyer.
Even as the conflict unfolded we saw racism, hatred, and Islamophobia flood onto social media; even from a human rights lawyer.
President Hollande sealed the borders (for the first time in 70yrs) – and the army and elite police units moved in on the hostage-areas to try and stop what insiders were describing as brutal one-by-one executions. Such a reaction is utterly understandable. Such a high risk strategy is rare, but there was little choice in the face of terrorists not willing to negotiate and who prepared to use suicide tactics.
What comes next is the difficult part. There is going to be a lot of hurt from this – and people are naturally very angry, very hurt, and hankering for justice. But society must keep its head and make sure that the rule of law prevails.
The very worst thing that can happen is that the voices and hate of the far right are heard loudest by our leaders. The steps that such voices advocate can only further marginalise those parts of our society that already feel disempowered, whilst doing little to protect against attackers; the gunmen on the Thalys train attack had lived in France for months, and the Charlie Hebdo murderers were French Citizens.
The people that commit acts of violent extremism are not the active participants of every day society. They are the marginalised. The outcasts. They feel that society has forgotten about them – or worse that it actually hates them and does not care that their way of life is being eradicated by the actions taken to “improve” things.
The ordinary Muslim, working-class white person, or person of any minority is a member of your community that believes in your way of life, and believes in supporting their neighbour like you. ISIS, white-supremacists, or gangs like the Bloods no more speak for them than they do for you.
Just because someone has a different skin colour or religion does not mean that they are a terrorist. But if policies are implemented that make people from already socio-economically marginalised backgrounds feel as if the world views them as such, then there’s a real risk that they just might become one. That is a terrifying prospect. If the disempowered believe that there is no way for them to influence society than to use violence, then they may just take that option.
The only way to stop future atrocities like those in Paris will be to talk to the communities and people who feel left out or harmed by the actions and ways of life we live. We must give them a place to speak, and make sure they know that they have a peaceful way to influence society for the better without using guns and explosives. By helping improve society for them, we’ll improve it for ourselves too.
And there is hope that this is what will happen. Even as the racists circled overhead during the violence in Paris, the level-heads were prevailing too.
What comes next is the difficult part. There is going to be a lot of hurt from this – and people are naturally very angry, very hurt, and hankering for justice. But society must keep its head and make sure that the rule of law prevails.
The very worst thing that can happen is that the voices and hate of the far right are heard loudest by our leaders. The steps that such voices advocate can only further marginalise those parts of our society that already feel disempowered, whilst doing little to protect against attackers; the gunmen on the Thalys train attack had lived in France for months, and the Charlie Hebdo murderers were French Citizens.
The people that commit acts of violent extremism are not the active participants of every day society. They are the marginalised. The outcasts. They feel that society has forgotten about them – or worse that it actually hates them and does not care that their way of life is being eradicated by the actions taken to “improve” things.
The ordinary Muslim, working-class white person, or person of any minority is a member of your community that believes in your way of life, and believes in supporting their neighbour like you. ISIS, white-supremacists, or gangs like the Bloods no more speak for them than they do for you.
Just because someone has a different skin colour or religion does not mean that they are a terrorist. But if policies are implemented that make people from already socio-economically marginalised backgrounds feel as if the world views them as such, then there’s a real risk that they just might become one. That is a terrifying prospect. If the disempowered believe that there is no way for them to influence society than to use violence, then they may just take that option.
The only way to stop future atrocities like those in Paris will be to talk to the communities and people who feel left out or harmed by the actions and ways of life we live. We must give them a place to speak, and make sure they know that they have a peaceful way to influence society for the better without using guns and explosives. By helping improve society for them, we’ll improve it for ourselves too.
And there is hope that this is what will happen. Even as the racists circled overhead during the violence in Paris, the level-heads were prevailing too.
One can only hope that their voices are the ones that are heard in the din...