Thursday 23 May 2013

We are not these people. This is a betrayal of Islam and all decency

Like everyone I am in shock at what happened yesterday in Woolwich.
The PM gave a statement this morning: http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/05/david-camerons-statement-on-the-woolwich-attack/

It was the arrogance that so shocked many of us yesterday. I am adamant that this mad man did not speak on behalf of all Muslims. He talked vaguely of "our lands" and what "our people" have to go through every day. He was presumably referring to the global Muslim family, but he was completely misguided.
As David Cameron said this morning:
"This was not just an attack on Britain, and on the British way of life, it was also a betrayal of Islam and of the Muslim communities who give so much to this country. There is nothing in Islam that justifies this truly dreadful act."
How can a couple of men so thoroughly convince themselves that they speak for all Muslims, to the extent that they seriously believe their savage and psychotic attack on a man in the street is some kind of glorious act of Islamic resistance? These mad men had no democratic right, no justification, no religious backing.
I welcome the widespread condemnation by the law abiding Muslim community in this great country.
It is a harsh fact that there are some bad and mad people everywhere, in every place, and in every religion, colour and creed. But these mad men do not speak for Islam, the Muslim community, or the multicultural way of life that we enjoy in this country.
We should go about our business. Be as normal as is possible. Do not succumb to extremism.
Although all our hearts are heavy and our thoughts and prayers are with the Army, and the soldier who died, this should not affect how we live our lives.