Manchester Arena Incident

For what it's worth Luckygirl I understand what you were saying , I think you made a valid well written point. Perhaps they do ,but it doesn't get reported. Or perhaps the media don't ask for their opinions.It seems that these atrocities seem to be carried out by lone wolves & that is immensely difficult to predict or control. Perhaps the answer lies in searching people before they enter an arena if it is practical to do , it certainly seems necessary.

My daughter, who lives in Manchester, has a boyfriend from a Muslim Yemeni background. They both donated blood this morning.

I doubt very much whether condemnation from the Muslim "community" (whoever they might be, because Muslims areas different as Christians) would have much effect. My understanding from my possibly future SIL is that some young Muslims reject the ideas of their parents, just as many teenagers do. Manchester is relatively successfully integrated and some young Muslims see that their parents' generation has given into Western ideas and they are rebelling.

Luckygirl do you believe in 'collective guilt'?

Those who shout loudest are not necessarily sincere (ref Trump).

Many of the cab drivers who were providing free journeys were Muslims, judging from their names, as no doubt were many of the emergency services/NHS staff who are caring for the victims.

Many on GN are of Irish descent - how many of them took to the streets/media at each atrocity?

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Luckygirl it does depend on what papers you read/media you listen to. Early this morning I read the Guardian article on this atrocity and when they got to the section where they where quoting key leaders' responses they wrote this right at the beginning: 'Leaders representing different faiths condemned the attack. Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “This is horrific, this is criminal. May the perpetrators face the full weight of justice both in this life and the next.” ' before going on to quote the others.

Also don't overlook the opening of mosques by the Sikh community for those needing shelter and refuge last night too. Manchester is standing together in support.

It would be lovely if there were a Muslims for Peace Day each year with marches and festivals around the country that we could all join in with and show our solidarity with the community that we are behind them in the fight to root out these terrorists - or indeed the vulnerable members of their community who become corrupted.

It needs to be "out there" and loud and clear. Much more than it is at the moment. Sadly I fear that the Muslim community Might be afraid that they would not be supported or become targets. What a mess for us all.

I have just heard that none of my Manchester GC's friends have been involved - I knew the GC were not there - that is a relief to us. But we must all be grieving for those less fortunate. It does not bear thinking about.

I know that members of many faith communities in Manchester were involved in helping the victims - I would have expected nothing less. I know it is a warm community - I have family there.

I heard this on FB last night from a friend who lives near Manchester. Appalling act, I had never heard of singer but believe she appeals to teenagers & younger girls.Many had tickets that were bought as Birthday/Christmas presents

My heart goes out to the families of the dead & injured

So, so sad. There should be nowhere safer than a concert attracting so many families and young teenagers.
Our son was there with his 9year old daughter, the ticket was a Christmas gift for her.
They left 5 minutes before the explosion via the very exit that it happened. They may have even walked past him!
They are both very shaken and subdued this morning thinking of the poor families and children who were not so lucky.

Terrorists don't have much respect for Islam, as most Muslims know it. As I wrote before, they're actually rejecting the teachings of their parents and grandparents.

Terrorism is a psychological and political act as much as it is religious.

I don't feel that the vast majority of Muslims are responsible for terrorists any more than I am responsible for Jo Cox's murderer, the Norwegian mass murderer, the KKK or Britain First, just because we all happen to be white and nominally Christian.

I live in Manchester and am in two minds about not discussing politics today.
One the one hand, yes it seems like a mark of respect,
but on the other hand it means that we have allowed the bomber to influence our behaviour.

I don't generally use the word "evil" seriously. But today I am. This was pure evil. Targeting innocent people is bad enough, but children? Evil and unforgivable!

The world has gone mad
Poor poor victims

Whilst instantly agreeing with Varian that we should refrain from political comment as a mark of respect, I have thought deeply about this over the morning as events unfolded and changed my mind.

On a personal level, I had opted not to attend the Launch of the SNP's Manifesto, but thousands of others have travelled from all over Scotland to attend only to find it postponed indefinitely. Therefore the slot on the News to reveal/discuss the Manifesto commitments is lost. I had intended to spend the day delivering letters + leaflets, carefully timed to be delivered on the day that the Postal Voting forms arrive through letter boxes, but of course the letters will remain in my house until after the weekend. Also messages on facebook that 2 Public Meetings and 1 full hustings later this week have been cancelled. This will of course affect all Parties throughout the UK similarly.

I should not have to say, but will anyway to avoid comments, that I am as heart sorrow and distressed for the victims, their families, indeed anyone personally affected by this atrocity as all of us are. BUT - I feel that cancelling all Political Campaigning for this enormously important GE whose result will have far reaching consequences for all of us as individuals and for the Country as a whole is completely the wrong way to go. believe the correct response should have been 'business as usual'. We have allowed either one Glory Seeking Nutter or a carefully planned terrorist attack to strike our democracy at its very heart. If this was indeed a carefully timed, planned atrocity then the 'brains' behind it have succeeded in their aim.

@riverwalk why bring Irish descent into these scumbags who killed innocent people?
I am Irish and I despise what the I.R.A. done
Don't tar all the Irish with the same brush please
Muslims are not all bad don't forget

It is a dreadful, horrifying event and words cannot express the pain and grief that it must have caused. As for the Muslim community expressing condemnation, I am sure that this happens on both a personal and public level but gets little attention from the press. (I don't remember the Catholic or Protestant communities being expected to publicly condemn every outrage committed in their names during the Troubles in Ireland.) Of course, terrorist groups want us to turn on our neighbours and thus drive some of them straight into the arms of the extremists. I know it is hard when everyone is so distressed and angry but we have to keep calm, or we're doing exactly what the terrorists want. It's so frightening, though, when you think how easily it could have been your own grandkids there. Just praying now that the injured survive and the missing are found.

dysongirl I think that was varian's point. The Irish are no more responsible for the IRA than Muslims are responsible for terrorism and ISIS.

Ginny42 my children grew up with the awareness of IRA attacks as we lived in London and attended events in the city; it is so sad that their children will now know of the same kind of terror.

I did hear that people were searched on the way in to the concert but that the doors had been opened ready for people to leave and that is when the attacker got in.

Acts such as this are evil beyond belief.

The kindness of the people of Manchester shines through the wickedness.

for all the victims and their families

Luckygirl, you were brave saying that theMuslim leaders had not condemned the barbaric act. How is that rascist. It is humanity. No wonder there are problems if everything is miscobstrued.
I feel that much for those involved in this, there will be all faiths, all young people, we as a nation feel for them all.
You have to keep to a strict criteria on here, just in case your comments are twisted.

The perpetrator of this terrible crime is a coward and a murderer, it may be appropriate to call him a terrorist but he's not a Muslim and IMO he shouldn't be linked to the Muslim faith.

All right minded people are horrified and disgusted at this horrific act and I don't think it's necessary for any particular group or faith to be singled out for their public reaction to it.

An 8 year old girl was killed. This time yesterday she was looking forward to the concert and now she's dead. I cannot find the words to express my own feelings of outrage and horror
and cannot begin to imagine the suffering of those who've lost loved ones.

Luckygirl, I get where you're coming from and whole heartedly agree with your sentiments.
My heart goes out to the 22 killed and all the families whose lives have been changed forever.

Wilma the whole world is watching! Evil scum of the earth, only cowards attack little children. The little 8yr old girl has now died if you had not heard.

Well done the people of Manchester for coming forward and offering their help in any way they could!

I too can see where Luckygirl is coming from, she is not saying ALL Muslims share the guilt just that if the people who follow the real Muslim faith, not the perverted one followed by the terrorists, were more vocal in their condemnation it may prevent some young people being recruited. In my city a young man was convicted of planning to bomb a local shopping centre, he was reported to the police by members of his local Mosque who he tried to recruit to help him.

Muslim leaders HAVE condemned the attack:

www.mcb.org.uk/manchester-attack-muslim-council-of-britain-statement/

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-arena-attack-muslim-leaders-condemn-suicide-bombing-ariana-grande-explosion-a7751576.html

I've just been on the phone to my daughter. A friend of hers is a junior doctor in A&E at Manchester Royal Infirmary.

Last night the friend stayed at work after a full shift to help with the emergency. This morning, after working for 18 hours, she tried to go home, but her flat was in the cordoned off area.

She managed to get to my daughter's flat in the south of the city and is still there, in a state of shock. She had had to deal with dying and mangled bodies. She's supposed to be back at work this evening.

My daughter's friend is a British-born Muslim. If some of the haters on social media (not here) had their way,my daughter's friend would have her religion banned and be deported (not sure where). These people really do have more in common with the people they hate.