A belated #EidMubarak! Tried not to comment on an eventful 48hrs for the UK Muslim community so as to enjoy (socially distanced) time with family but so much to unpick... including with some of the stories that have come out since #thread 👇👇👇👇
As mentioned by many, it would be unfathomable to be told on Xmas Eve that Xmas Dinner is cancelled. We had days to prepare for other changes like masks in shops or #LockdownLeicester (also informed by epidemiological data) so what went wrong here?
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Everyone knows *that* person who refuses to listen -Muslims and BAME Britons are no different. But to suggest as a whole the communities are being complacent is egregious and not evidence-based. We know we are at higher risk, mainly due to inequality
If there is evidence, please share it. As @IndependentSage have noted, there is 'broken trust' between BAME groups and the govt after the disproportionate loss, #BarnardCastleEyeTest, and an ongoing failure to acknowledge mistakes (which obv will happen!)
Of course it doesn't help when several elected representatives parrot these prejudiced views, and the PM refuses to condone them outright.
The dogwhistle is becoming a foghorn... and may result in the (preventable) deaths of more people #BAMEnotBlame
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
The dogwhistle is becoming a foghorn... and may result in the (preventable) deaths of more people #BAMEnotBlame
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
British mosques have been INCREDIBLY proactive- shutting down a week before the national lockdown. Muslim & BAME community orgs like @MuslimCouncil have steppted up to fill the huge void left by govt to get messages out the grassroots (w/out govt support)
Good local relationships with councils, police forces, CCGs and communities ARE yielding results.
But they are sadly undermined by poor judgement from the Govt's insistence on a command & control response, with mixed & inconsistent messaging.
But they are sadly undermined by poor judgement from the Govt's insistence on a command & control response, with mixed & inconsistent messaging.
The irony being that #EidAlAdha is a day commemorating sacrifice of Abraham (s), and mosques across the country chose to remember the sacrifice of the 300 NHS workers who died fighting #Covid19, including the 33 amongst them who were Muslim.
Sadly this rhetoric has led to Muslims & BAME communities experiencing a rise in abuse, despite the NHS being made up of 20% of BAME HCWs and 95% of #Covid19 deaths amongst doctors. It also (falsely) signals to other communities that they are safe.
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-m…
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-m…
The same voices seem to conveniently ignore the rise in cases amongst the very "un-BAME" communities in Trafford, Manchester.
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-m…
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-m…
Or see the subtext to the reporting of events pertaining to BAME communities and #COVID19, exceptionalising them to a higher standard & disproportionately punishing them when they step 'out of line' (also see how BAME were fined x2 for lockdown breaches: bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…) 
And then today... this distressing story of a Muslim father being dragged by the police from his dying daughter, triggering a heart attack, was utterly appalling. There may be more to the story but cant imagine what would justify this response.
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8…
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8…
These actions are not borne in a vacuum: what was said of him to the police by the staff, what prejudices were there of Muslims, what made a police officer call him an 'absolute animal' when being pulled away from their dying child, and then blame him for having a heart attack?
These incidents highlight the dangers of ignoring faith & racial equality. Our current institutions are struggling and we must confront this with an authentic purpose, for anything else will fail to heal the divide, and more lives will remain at risk.
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Summary: in a complex phenomenon like #Covid19 it is convenient to #BlameOnBAME- it builds on a narrative of othering that we have all internalised to some degree & avoids accountability and critique. Be aware of our biases, be authentic allies & be brave, so we can all be better
