Australia says #illridewithyou in the face of crisis and racial prejudice
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Today our nation grieves with the heaviest of hearts following the tragedy that unfolded yesterday on home soil. Devastating news has emerged that two hostages lost their lives to a gunman in the Lindt Café in Martin Place, of Sydney’s central business district. The tragic set of events began yesterday around 9.45am (AEST) and swiftly gripped our nation as it played out live on television, sending shockwaves around the world. As a generally peaceful and harmonious democracy, our nation’s response has been a mixed bag. People took to both mainstream and social media with a combination of fear, concern, loss, hate and, more optimistically, love and a deep sense of compassion.
Fear gripped our nation yesterday as suspicions were broadcast wildly, that the events unfolding could be part of a larger terrorist plot, as hostages were forced to hold a Jihadist flag in the café’s window. Flights were diverted around Sydney’s central business district. As in all times of crisis, people respond differently but I was alarmed throughout the day as anti-Muslim propaganda and racial prejudice entered my newsfeed. Australia’s muslim community instantaneously felt the ripples of a backlash via social media, despite the fact that there was a lone and unstable gunman at the centre of the siege.
The gunman, Iranian born Man Haron Monis, was described by his former lawyer as “damaged goods” and an “ideological fanatic”, after being shot and fatally injured in the early hours of this morning as police stormed the café. Well known to law enforcement, the self-proclaimed Sheikh had periods of mental instability and a violent criminal history. During the night of the siege, as the hostages remained huddled in terror, out of the rubble of a country in crisis, grew a campaign against the tide of anti-muslim racism, (which included a widely circulated post insighting rioting). It was clear that the better part of Australia knew the hatred was unwarranted. As muslim women feared for their safety, and that of their husbands and children, strangers began offering safety for those attempting to go about business as usual.
The twitter hashtag #illridewithyou began trending as people offered their hands to fellow Australians in religious attire to make sure they could travel safely, without fear of backlash. It was as though out of the rubble, genuine Australian mateship prevailed and united in the face of adversity. As hate and fear breeds more of the same this was Australia’s time to say “no more” and a broad cross section of the community jumped on board, to create a show of humanity. Law enforcement agencies played a great hand in the safety of many hostages. Sadly for everyone, the siege still ended in tragedy with the loss of human lives. As a hostage attempted to wrestle the gunman he was fatally wounded. A prominent lawyer and mother of three shielding her pregnant friend also lost her life.
The atrocity of yesterday has left us in mourning, and there is immeasurable human suffering being endured. My hope is that Australia continues to pull together. To alienate more of our own at this time would be so counter- productive. The racial intolerance needs to end and we all need to be more alert to the perils and devastation that mental illness and isolation can create. My hope for Australia is that we gain strength from such terrible adversity. We can do this through compassion, kindness and lack of judgement. Our fellow Australians, irrespective of religion or background, are hurting and need us today, and as we continue to grapple with the tragic events into the future.
— We talk about the intersectionality of social issues in popular culture all the time. Want more stories like this? Sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter here. Photo: Nick Perry/AP
Muslim : “Thanks for riding with me, infidel. But if you’re gay or lesbian you still must die.”
The media heroine of the Australian terrorism frontlash has some issues:
http://www.unz.com/isteve/the-media-heroine-of-the-australian-counterbacklash-has-some-issues/
The good thing, Kathy, is that regardless of how hard you try, your message of hatred is powerless against the outpouring of hope and belief in the innate goodness of people which Tessa has triggered. Yes, she’s human, and like all humans, has dark days in which she lashes out against that which weighs on her mind. But as the blog post from which you selectively quoted goes on to show, she’s also willing to learn, and capable of recognizing that that particular issue (the complex outing of a harassing troll using the fight against racism as a weapon of… Read more »
Message of hate? Point exactly to where all the hate is please.
So you fight racism with more racism?
By your reasoning things like the Cronulla Riots were just the lashing out of the darkest days in which people had ‘grown’ to hate muslim extremism?
And why are we turning unrelated muslims into victims rather than muslims working to not have their religion used as a front for violence. They’re not alone. Europeans used christianity as a front for the crusades, Israel uses judaism as a front to wage wars on gaza.
Are you high? http://www.blazingcatfur.ca/2014/12/15/hashtag-jamming-and-the-bbc-manufactured-and-totally-contrived-illridewithyou-nonsense/ In the meantime, spend some peaceful meditation on the words of the girl (Tessa Kum) who supposedly originated this hash tag, because she also wrote this: “I’m learning about hate because I am coming to hate you, white person. You have all the control, all the power, all the privilege, and there is nothing holding you accountable. I hate the double standards and hypocrisy you display, the rank dishonesty of your conduct. I hate that you can harm us, when we cannot harm you. I hate that you have actually impacted on careers, multiple and not… Read more »
Oh dear.