Islamaphobia is getting out of control

I don’t think there were more terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland, I know there were more, and so do you.
Yes there were many attacks on the mainland and it was a frightening time, but there were hundreds of attacks in Northern Ireland.

Casdon

You may want to look at this Katie59.
www.statista.com/statistics/539190/incidences-of-terrorism-united-kingdom/

I know there were a lot of IRA attacks in the UK but that does not compare with the global terror and war that Muslims are involved in, often between different sects of Islam.

I’ll be honest, I don’t know why terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland seem to have less significance in people’s minds than terror attacks in London.
I’m not trying to play down the risk of Islamic extremist attacks at all, just pointing out that others perpetrate them too, all terrorist attacks are equally abhorrent, and we are not currently experiencing as many as UK citizens have done in the past. It’s a matter of proportion.

Just listening to the radio - it is day - I’ve actually lost count- of the Anderson story and Tory MPs are still talking the most bizarre gibberish.

Casdon

I’ll be honest, I don’t know why terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland seem to have less significance in people’s minds than terror attacks in London.
I’m not trying to play down the risk of Islamic extremist attacks at all, just pointing out that others perpetrate them too, all terrorist attacks are equally abhorrent, and we are not currently experiencing as many as UK citizens have done in the past. It’s a matter of proportion.

We don’t hear about it but the security services are very vigilant monitoring extremist activity electronically, downloading extremist material online will get you noticed and from there phones and social media also get monitored.
Lone Wolf attacks are more difficult to counter.

What are we doing now? I have lost track. Pretending the IRA are the current threat?

Galaxy

What are we doing now? I have lost track. Pretending the IRA are the current threat?

No, if you read the thread you will see that people are pointing out that we have had worse periods of terrorism in our past than we are currently experiencing, and that threats come from many different quarters. Another important point somebody made is that we as a society always seem to need to demonise a group as the greatest threat to our society, and at the moment it is Islam, but has been other groups in the past, and will no doubt be other groups in the future. Some people jump on the latest bandwagon of fear, some don’t.

I have read the thread.
To me it looks like distract distract distract. Look at this shiny thing instead.
Islamic terrorism is a threat to Muslims too, more so if I remember the figures correctly, dancing around the issue isnt going to help. You (not you specifically) just lose people's trust.

Galaxy

I have read the thread.
To me it looks like distract distract distract. Look at this shiny thing instead.
Islamic terrorism is a threat to Muslims too, more so if I remember the figures correctly, dancing around the issue isnt going to help. You (not you specifically) just lose people's trust.

I think it’s just about keeping proportionality. If you read the stuff online about threats to the UK, and there are many, you could drive yourself mad worrying about one in particular whilst another gains momentum and hits you from behind. Singling out and demonising Islamic extremism is unhelpful when the other threats are brushed aside in the furore.

I hope people are demonising Islamic extremism. That would be a good thing for many minorities.

You cannot compare IRA attacks in the UK with muslim worldwide terrorism, unless you have statistics for muslim terrorism going back - as the Statista ststistics do to 1970.

We read so much about international islamism now because it is reported more widely on all the new media that now floods aour homes. How many Islamic inspired terrorist attacks were there worldwide in 1970? We do not know because, with newspapers and radio being the main sources of news, such attacks happening in the middle east or the Indian sub-continent were not news and not collected.

We can only go on the figures for this country and these show quite clearly that the IRA were behind more terrorist incidents than are muslim terrorists. It makes not a jot of difference whether those incidents happened in Northern Ireland or on the mainland, they all carry an equal wait.

Unless, of course, there still lies in many people a prejudice against the irish as a whole that dismisses violent incidents and deaths and woundings in Northern ireland as being of less importance than bombings on the mainland, because essentially the irish are of less value as human beings.

Or that it's quite easy to discuss terrorism carried out by the IRA. We dont seem to have any hang ups about that.

Just be mindful that the security services (worldwide) have to be successful every time in order to keep the public safe. Terrorists (of any description/demographic) have only to be successful once to cause death, destruction and fear…

Galaxy

Or that it's quite easy to discuss terrorism carried out by the IRA. We dont seem to have any hang ups about that.

I wonder why that is? I suspect that there’s been no discussion on Gransnet about Putin’s associate the other day pointing out that Britain is a small island and therefore an easy target for nuclear attack, or the far right UK terrorists who were in court yesterday for planning terrorist attacks here either. Maybe when and if the Gaza issue is resolved the focus will change again. I agree with Monicaregarding the media influence on the way people view the world.

maddyone

I don’t think there were more terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland, I know there were more, and so do you.
Yes there were many attacks on the mainland and it was a frightening time, but there were hundreds of attacks in Northern Ireland.

You clearly stated, maddyone that the IRA attacks were only in NI. I even quoted your statement in my reply. Perhaps you should thank people who jogged your memory about them rather than change your tune...

It occurred to me that if we'd had the internet and social media back in the time of 'the troubles' the Irish would have been far more disliked and reviled, (in the same way that people are currently blanket hating 'muslims',) than they actually were.

MaizieD you posted in the same way that people are currently blanket hating all Muslims. I haven’t seen anyone alluding to hating all Muslims on here.

I have seen many posts regarding the influence of radical Islamists, and the risk posed by Islamic terrorists worldwide, which is not the same thing as blanket hating

Thats where the huge number of attacks took place

Perhaps you read that as all IRA terrorist attacks took place in Northern Ireland Maizie but it is clear that huge number does not mean all unless you want to be as difficult as possible.

Anyway, as pointed out, the IRA is just a lot of whataboutary.
This discussion is about people being afraid of Islamic terror attacks, which as pointed out, take place all over the world.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD you posted in the same way that people are currently blanket hating all Muslims. I haven’t seen anyone alluding to hating all Muslims on here.

I have seen many posts regarding the influence of radical Islamists, and the risk posed by Islamic terrorists worldwide, which is not the same thing as ^blanket hating^

Quite GrannyGravy.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD you posted in the same way that people are currently blanket hating all Muslims. I haven’t seen anyone alluding to hating all Muslims on here.

I have seen many posts regarding the influence of radical Islamists, and the risk posed by Islamic terrorists worldwide, which is not the same thing as ^blanket hating^

When people write "Muslims" without any determiner such as "some", "many" or "most", in standard English the implication is that reference is being made to everyone belonging to that group.

maddyone

^Thats where the huge number of attacks took place^

Perhaps you read that as all IRA terrorist attacks took place in Northern Ireland Maizie but it is clear that huge number does not mean all unless you want to be as difficult as possible.

Anyway, as pointed out, the IRA is just a lot of whataboutary.
This discussion is about people being afraid of Islamic terror attacks, which as pointed out, take place all over the world.

The pertinent word is 'the', maddyone. The huge number..

Not 'the greatest number', not 'most of', which would have acknowledged that some happened elsewhere. 'The' clearly implies 'all of them'.

I don't think that the IRA is whataboutery. It is pointing out that acts of terrorism by a particular racial group leads to demonisation of the entire group, exactly as is happening today.

maddyone

^Thats where the huge number of attacks took place^

Perhaps you read that as all IRA terrorist attacks took place in Northern Ireland Maizie but it is clear that huge number does not mean all unless you want to be as difficult as possible.

Anyway, as pointed out, the IRA is just a lot of whataboutary.
This discussion is about people being afraid of Islamic terror attacks, which as pointed out, take place all over the world.

It's not a lot of "whataboutery". Maybe you didn't experience it, but I certainly experienced anxiety when the IRA was active. I had to travel through Liverpool Lime Street on my way to school and I saw the increased police presence, the notices about not leaving unattended luggage and the removal of rubbish bins and I knew why. I witnessed the discrimination against Irish people. How is that any different from what people feel today when they go to London?

Irish attacks were from BOTH sides of the divide ,I do wish people on here would accept that instead of always making it about the "catholics" who in fact were fighting for civil rights right up until the 70's .I repectfully suggest a wee bit of education amongst some of you wouldn't go amiss

paddyann54

Irish attacks were from BOTH sides of the divide ,I do wish people on here would accept that instead of always making it about the "catholics" who in fact were fighting for civil rights right up until the 70's .I repectfully suggest a wee bit of education amongst some of you wouldn't go amiss

I have been wondering when someone would point out this reminder.

I was frightened too growstuff and I think we all were. I was always aware if I went to London, exactly the same as now.

paddyann54

Irish attacks were from BOTH sides of the divide ,I do wish people on here would accept that instead of always making it about the "catholics" who in fact were fighting for civil rights right up until the 70's .I repectfully suggest a wee bit of education amongst some of you wouldn't go amiss

I didn't mention Catholics paddyann, although at the time it was mainly Catholics (IRA) who were demonised. I also remember the original marches with Bernadette Devlin and was horrified when I discovered how much discrimination Catholics experienced in N Ireland. My point is that it was an anxious time and people were scared of public places, just as they are today. What education do you suggest I need?