Combating racism
It was extremely shocking and saddening to see the victims of racial abuse namely the Romanian population in Belfast flee from their homes. The weekend saw a total of 110 Romanians forced to leave their homes after they were targeted and attacked by a race hate gang which claimed to be a neo- Nazi organisation.
The racial tensions had been simmering for some time, but finally erupted due to a possible consequence of the recent recession, namely unemployment, and the result frightened families, who huddled under blankets escaping the attacks...Such acts raise important questions and concerns about community relations in the UK. These latest attacks illustrate a deeply divided Belfast, and trigger a reminiscence of the 2001 riots in the north of England.
In addition, with the BNP recently gaining seats in the European parliament there are worries and concerns of communities becoming even more segregated. Racism has always existed, in fact it has been said that racism is deeply embedded in Britain. Minority communities therefore, as well as facing cultural changes whilst living here, additionally have had to experience racism and alienation and this has intensified as we have seen, when for example individual communities face hardship as a result of a national problem.So what can we do then? Can broken community relations such as those in Belfast be amended?
Well with me being an optimistic person, I’d like to think so! History tells us diverse communities can and have lived together mutually. Such communities embedded a culture of respect and mutual understanding of each other not only as human beings but also in terms of individual beliefs and values. One such example which comes to mind is the community of Medina at the time of The Holy Prophet SAW, when The Holy Prophet SAW allowed Christian priests to worship according to their religion in His SAW’s mosque!
I leave you with a saying I recently read and which I feel is relevant in this context:
“There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.”
May peace be on you all!!
Peace will only come when religions and nations stop considering themselves special or different, and work together, stand up for “all of humanity” and recognize our “equality” in the eyes of God. If the Spirit of God is truly with you, it will only be known by acts of "unconditional" love and charity.
The plain truth is, God doesn’t have a religion and God doesn’t discriminate. Any religion that preaches they’re the only “true religion”, or that they‘re “special”, in God’s eyes, preaches false doctrine. And to foster a belief in, “us” and “them” is to divide humanity, not unite it.
And so it will be in The End, that those who have set themselves apart from their fellow man will find that they have set themselves apart from God. The worth of a soul will only be measured by how much it has loved. Nothing more, nothing less.
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Woe to those who have taken the widow’s mite and built castles and empires in His name. They have incurred a great accountability. Their suffering will be unending.