Since the snap election was announced in March, I've become the Green Party candidate for Wirral South. This isn't what I wanted to discuss. I wanted to discuss a cross-party pledge email I was sent by a Mr Aleks Lukic less than 48 hours after the atrocities in Manchester.
I have gone to a number of concerts in the MEN Arena over the years, as well as in and around Manchester (namely the academies and O2 Apollo). I've had some incredible evenings in these venues, met fantastic people that you get chatting to in the queue, and it never once occurred to me that something this heinous could happen.
I think we can all remember a time when we've waited months, if not years, for our favourite bands to finally do a UK tour, where you've waited for hours in suspension for the tickets to finally go on sale, the sheer joy of knowing you have your ticket and you'll finally see your idol.
To the excitement of the day itself and travelling to the venue, not wanting to blink for fear of missing a single moment, the adrenalin coursing through your veins, hotly anticipating which of your favourite songs they're going to kick off the show with.
Seeing a show at the MEN far surpasses anything in your wildest imagination, the atmosphere's electric, surrounded by people who understand how incredible that moment is to be alive in that room. It's a shared experience that you could never hope to replicate.
That's why the atrocities in Manchester that they targeted children, young people, and families - many of whom were probably experiencing their first concert - was such an abomination. You're still reeling from the ecstacy and elation, to then face complete devastation and heartbreak.
That sheer joy to terror, it's unfathomable.
My heart goes out to all those families affected, to the victims who will forever hold those physical and mental wounds. If only I could take some of your pain away, I would.
That's why, when I received an generic email from Mr Aleks Lukic (an independent - former UKIP - candidate for Batley and Spen), I was disgusted and felt compelled to respond.
Mr Lukic's email to all parlimentary candidates:
"On 2017-05-24 18:42, Aleks Lukic wrote: > DEAR FELLOW CANDIDATES, > > As local campaigning resumes across much of the country today > (depending on local circumstances), I am writing to ask if you will or > will not support a cross-party pledge to eradicate Islamist extremism > and all sympathy for Islamist extremism from the United Kingdom. > > See my video and transcript I have linked below. > > As candidates, we are the closest thing we have to a UK-wide > Parliament at the moment. I think it is very important that we stand > up for the innocent and say we will not accept this as a part of life, > even though we will differ on how to achieve this goal. > > This is obviously something you can do personally without responding > to me, but I will be happy to receive any response you might have. > > The media will be informed about this initiative. > > Kind regards, > > ALEKS LUKIC > INDEPENDENT BREXIT CANDIDATE FOR BATLEY AND SPEN > > _VIDEO:_ > > _HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BREXITLUKIC/VIDEOS/293523931059609/ [1]___ > > _"My name is Aleks Lukic, and I am an Independent candidate standing > in the Batley and Spen constituency. This is a message to all my > fellow Parliamentary candidates nationwide standing in the general > election on the 8th June._ > > _"We have all by now paid our respects to the victims of the > nightmare at the Manchester Arena that took place on Monday night._ > > _"We always see citizens standing together in the aftermath of > horrific incidents such as this. The support the citizens of > Manchester have been offering the victims and the emergency services > has been a testament to this._ > > _"It is now time for all Parliamentary candidates standing to unite > in a pledge to completely eradicate all Islamist extremism, and all > sympathy for Islamist extremism, from the United Kingdom._ > > _"On this occasion, more than ever, politicians must not fade away > when it comes to challenging the ideology that seeks to turn our > communities against one another._ > > _"Politicians need to stand up for their fellow citizens and say we > will not accept this as a part of life in Britain; that the way things > have been recently is not to be considered normal, or business as > usual._ > > _"In my own constituency over the last six months, two people have > been convicted of terrorism offences relating to Islamist extremism. > One for seeking to join ISIS in order to fight for them in Syria, the > other for promoting a speech by the ISIS leader on Twitter.___ > > _"I will admit myself that I let these convictions pass by without > comment, when I should have condemned these people and anyone who > would sympathise with them._ > > _"We should all be doing this on every single occasion, not just > politicians but all people in positions of influence, and citizens > alike across all our communities._ > > _"We will disagree on exactly what we should do, and it is not an > easy goal, but that's politics. We should not let that stop us from > speaking out with one united voice to the world right now: __We will > end Islamist extremism in the United Kingdom. Join me in this > pledge."_ > > Links: > ------ > [1] https://www.facebook.com/BrexitLukic/videos/293523931059609/
My response:
Dear Mr Lukic,
I found your email in
bad taste. As a parliamentary candidate in the North West of England, a mere 45-minute drive
from the atrocities in Manchester (and as someone who has been to the MEN for a
number of gigs, over the years), I found your email insensitive at best, with a
blatant disregard for the families, friends, and the communities at the heart
of this.
You have not allowed the dust to settle, for hearts to weep, or even for all families to have been notified of their tragic loss.
You have not allowed the dust to settle, for hearts to weep, or even for all families to have been notified of their tragic loss.
I will not support
your cross-party pledge to eradicate Islamist extremism because this isn't so
singularly a Muslim issue. Jo Cox was not murdered by an Islamist extremist, so
will you tackle the hateful and vengeful white alt-right of this country too?
No, because they are your core demographic.
This is the time where we should be standing together with our friends and neighbours, within our communities, reaching out and embracing those around us, regardless of creed or colour. Now more than ever it is imperative that we build bridges, not walls.
Focussing on Islam reaffirms misconceived ideas that they are all the bad guys. Just like the KKK do not represent Christian ideology, ISIS and associated terror organisations do not represent the Muslim community. By attacking those disenfranchised youth with bigotry, we push them further to a place where they feel accepted - to those extremist groups who seek revenge for their own failures.
They do not sign up to be radicalised; they get swept away in the acceptance those groups provide for them.
To tackle extremist views, to stop British youth from being so readily taken away by those hateful outside forces, we need to be more inclusive and accepting in our attitudes and behaviours, towards our fellow countrymen and women. We need to embrace each community and develop a dialogue that demonstrates that we do indeed have more in common that what divides us.
We will stand up for the youth of this country. But we must do it in a way that is inclusive of our diversity, and does not seek to push their peers towards the hate that compels them to carry out such atrocities. It is no coincidence that the lad that carried out the atrocities in Manchester was in the same age group as many of his victims.
We need to end extremism, but it exists in too many areas of our communities countrywide for it to be relegated to an Islam issue.
I cannot support your pledge when it so determinedly seeks to vilify one area of our community. You failed to mention any other extremist group when they have more in common with ISIS than the rest of society.
This is the time where we should be standing together with our friends and neighbours, within our communities, reaching out and embracing those around us, regardless of creed or colour. Now more than ever it is imperative that we build bridges, not walls.
Focussing on Islam reaffirms misconceived ideas that they are all the bad guys. Just like the KKK do not represent Christian ideology, ISIS and associated terror organisations do not represent the Muslim community. By attacking those disenfranchised youth with bigotry, we push them further to a place where they feel accepted - to those extremist groups who seek revenge for their own failures.
They do not sign up to be radicalised; they get swept away in the acceptance those groups provide for them.
To tackle extremist views, to stop British youth from being so readily taken away by those hateful outside forces, we need to be more inclusive and accepting in our attitudes and behaviours, towards our fellow countrymen and women. We need to embrace each community and develop a dialogue that demonstrates that we do indeed have more in common that what divides us.
We will stand up for the youth of this country. But we must do it in a way that is inclusive of our diversity, and does not seek to push their peers towards the hate that compels them to carry out such atrocities. It is no coincidence that the lad that carried out the atrocities in Manchester was in the same age group as many of his victims.
We need to end extremism, but it exists in too many areas of our communities countrywide for it to be relegated to an Islam issue.
I cannot support your pledge when it so determinedly seeks to vilify one area of our community. You failed to mention any other extremist group when they have more in common with ISIS than the rest of society.
You have used this heart-breaking
act of barbarity as a way to fuel your own agenda, to capitalise on your own
hateful rhetoric, and to strike people when they are most vulnerable. You yourself
are perpetuating the radicalisation you claim to condemn.
Any attempt at ending extremism must be done from the same page, and yours certainly won't end anything.
I was disgusted to find out that you’re a teacher, how
much of what you think impacts the young that you teach? I was disgusted to
find out that you are standing for the seat Jo Cox once held before her
senseless and tragic murder, yet you have done nothing to focus on a
significant issue you have in your own constituency.
That extremism is colour-blind.
I don’t expect a reply; I only hope you consider my
response.
Regards
Mandi Roberts
Green Party candidate for Wirral South "
Tempers and tension are fraught, but inciting hatred only fuels the mission of those extremists. They want division, and it appears that Mr Lukic's mission is to create those divides in our communities.
I was in two minds about whether to post this, but as Mr Lukic has already said he would contact the media, and I didn't want him to assume he has the backing of all parliamentary candidates.
If I do get a response from Mr Lukic, I will make it public on here.
