Its very hard to get down to talk about the real issues that are troubling our community when all the time the problems around are escalating. The latest bout of trouble here this weekend (see Times - Luton police quell disturbance by Asian youths and my own coverage: Luton: Riot police break up mob and Luton troubles - the action and some first thoughts) only adds to the challenges we have been facing since anger errupted on the streets during the now infamous Royal Anglian Homecoming Parade in March this year.
The discovery of notes on "how to make a bomb" on a train passing through Luton last evening will not have helped. ( Scare as bomb notes found on train and on the BBC local news here: 'Bomb notes' spark trains alert .) Something like this is troubling but is normally easily forgotten once its happened and the facts are safely in the hands of police. In this case it just adds fuel to the fire. Was it the work of Muslim extremists? Of extreme right wing nationalist groups? Was it genuine? Or was it the work of one trying to set up the other? Presumably the police could tell us. But since that evidence will not be released as it will be the subject of a criminal investigation the blogging world at least will be free to speculate. And while many in that world are contented to vent hot air and leave it at that, some are connected to the trouble makers, and that's where hot air makes it so much easier for fires to catch.
I am not going to simply dismiss the hot air. And I am certainly not going to dismiss the riot in Bury Park on Sunday. But I am going to make a plea to those who read this. And this is especially for those who have found themselves here after a google search - and a pleasing number of "strangers" (see below) do find their way here as a result of searches after events such as happened this weekend.
Its easy in the ongoing heat of events here to just end up describing what is happening, making a few hopefully wise comments,then moving on to the next thing. But now that the demonstrations and riots of the last few months, that have nominally been described as being against Islamic extremism, have been met with a counter riot from members of the Asian community (probably mostly of Muslim background, though I cannot at present confirm that), we have to think harder. It was very easy for many to dismiss the original demonstration in March by a few ultra extremist Muslims as just that - the work of the ultra extreme, and totally against the faith of most Muslims. But now that the anger of a large number of mainly young, white Lutonians has been met with the anger of a large number of mainly young Muslim Lutonians we desperately now need to stand back and look deeper at what is going on.
There are genuine issues here, and we must own them as Luton's issues. We cannot dismiss it as the work of trouble makers from outside. Yes there are trouble makers from outside, and among them those who are skilled at stirring up trouble. They are most definitely there in the group now popularly known as the EDL (English Defence League); some are BNP, some from other far right nationalist groups. They may be there in the Muslim community - time will tell. But the skill of agitators is to take the frustrations, anger and fear of the crowd, the popular feeling, whip it up and direct it.
The frustration and anger that is whipped up is the frustration and anger of ordinary Lutonians. Angry at things said about "our boys", the troops who for no fault of their own have been embroiled in Iraq or Afghanistan. Or anger at what has been has been done to co-religionists by these same soldiers on behalf of our government. Anger at what has happened - on 9/11, 7/7 or whenever. And simply - but nonetheless very real - anger at things that happened due to discrimination at school, at perceived or real economic or academic disadvantage, at any other trouble we are facing. Anger in every direction, between every part of the community.
The skill of agitators is to play on people's very natural fears and cause a reaction. That is what has happened here - the fear of a "Muslim takeover" of our nation, our town. The fear in the Muslim community of reaction and discrimination against them - yet again - in a nation which they look on as home. The fear of a bomb, of death, of violence - whether a Muslim bomb or a white bomb. The fear simply of the unknown - whether a person concealed by a burqua or a hoodie. And as on Saturday - the fear of the EDL, the BNP, Combat 18, whoever, marching on Bury Park. Its easy to dismiss it as a rumour, as an over-reaction. But that is what fear does. Its a natural defence response - it causes a defensive reaction. The EDL or BNP didn't need to be here this time, their ghost was. And the young in the Muslim community were simply spooked.
Just as many in the white community have been spooked in months gone by.
None of the reactions are justified. But all are entirely understandable. And at this time we cannot afford to simply dismiss the over-reaction. We have to get to the roots of the trouble. We need to take time to listen to what the frustration and anger is about. What the fears are about. From all in the community.
There has been a lot of good interfaith relations work in Luton in recent years. I have been privileged in the past two years to join myself to it, to stand on the shoulders who have weathered the stormy days of September 2001, of July 2005. We have often heard in recent months that we are a peaceful town, at ease with itself. None of it is untrue. But its obviously not true everywhere. And at a time like this we cannot sit on our laurels and dismiss the problems.
It's at such times that as leaders in the faith communities we need to lead the way. Its easy for us to say we are people of peace. We Christians do it all the time. But we have to be doing peace for the message to be heard. And the same must be true of Muslim leaders who will rightly say, Islam means peace, so its got to express itself in peace. And reach out to those on the margins of our communities, who claim some allegiance to the faith of their forefathers but are the ones making most of the trouble.
ReconciliationTalk seeks to point people that way. I shall continue to try to do my part to point the way of peace. If ever I seem to be favouring one side or the other the comments facility is open. Its so easy to loose the balance when you are trying to listen both ways. And then I become part of the problem.
Lets take some time out and talk.
This is one of a series of posts focusing on the issues of Islamophobia currently being worked out in Luton and the UK. For the full list of posts see Seeking Peace in Luton - and Multicultural UK
For the Strangers who happen by this way. Traditional people of faith, whether Christians, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or other, to give hospitality to travelers on their way, whether people of their own faith, other faiths on none. I need to develop a Virtual hospitality space, but for now you can read more of my approach to life here.
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