Hope you’re all doing ok

[MrsBrightsidde]

After yesterday’s horrific attack in Southport, the usual Islamophobia and racism has jumped up as per usual. Whilst there is no indication the suspect was Muslim and the police have confirmed it’s not terror related, the speculation and accusations on social media were rife, with many still claiming it’s why Islam should be banned in the UK and we should all be sent back.

And that is tough, because the sadness over what happened is magnified by fears for our safety and our future. So just thinking of you all and wanted to say hope you’re ok.

But this is a support thread, for Muslim women, on the Muslim board (their little 'corner' of Mumsnet), not a discussion thread. It's their space to express their personal experiences and fears, and other people have come on to give their support. It's very intrusive to come on and insist that your point of view must be acknowledged and discussed.

why do we all need separate threads - I think your last paragraph demonstrates quite well why... 🙄

Thank you, @EllaDisenchanted . I hope you're doing ok, the situation is so worrying and I'm keeping you and your family in my prayers.

@Scirocco thank you😘

What was relevant to this thread was that compassionate people saw other people experiencing distress, fear and violence, and reached out to ask us: Are you ok?

That's what this thread was about. This isn't the place for academic debates or trying to say the riots were the fault of anyone other than the horrible people who decided to organise and participate in them.

I appreciate that you want to have a debate and express your views somewhere, but please respect that doing so here is not appropriate. Coming to a support thread in a minority group's board and saying the inappropriate things you've said is not ok - you're targeting your words at potentially vulnerable people and causing more harm in the process.

This is brilliant stand alone thread.

Millie, how arrogant to come onto a section of MN for a specific subset of MNetters, onto a support thread for them given the horrendous attacks on their community and demand that they do work for you.

Your posts keep being deleted. I suggest that you take the hint that your thoughts are not welcome or appropriate here in this section, and definitely not on this thread.

The facts are as follows:

This thread was started in the Muslim Mumsnetters board, offering support and solidarity for people who belong to a demographic explicitly targeted by riots and aggression.

There are many threads in different boards, discussing different elements of complex issues. This isn't about refusing to recognise complexity, but about giving different elements the space for discussion that they deserve. That's generally how discussion boards work.

This thread is not about a discussion about the underlying contributing factors to the riots. It's a thread offering support to women at a time when those women have valid reasons to be concerned about their own and their loved ones' safety, due to being targeted because of their faith or perceived faith.

Other groups have also been deeply affected by these terrible events. Would you consider it appropriate to go on to a thread where people were offering support to upset people from another group, try to start a discussion, call them 'too stupid to understand ', and tell them they're 'part of the problem'?

Please, read the room and just block the thread and the board if people offering support to Muslim women is so offensive to you that you cannot tolerate seeing even just one nice, supportive thread.

If you want ALL communities to come together to sort it out, then don't just target one.

Start a thread on chat.

Hi, I’m not Muslim and I really hope this won’t come across as intrusive. I just wanted to pass my solidarity on and how ashamed I feel by the actions of these complete idiots (putting it mildly). I hope everyone on here is ok and I’m so sorry these awful racist riots happened. The UK is an island, it belongs to everyone who is here or comes here and always has done. I’d hate for anyone to feel unwelcome Xx

ps not including the Millie person that keeps commenting as you’re just been rude and need to log off and have a look at yourself!

What makes you think people, including people posting on here, haven't been helping and supporting communities across the country who have been affected by this?

Where is the bigotry and bias of which you're accusing me?

I suspect, if you look around the internet, you'll see lots of people offering support to all the communities and demographics affected by these riots and the terrible tragedy that occurred shortly before them. And yet it's a simple "Are you ok?" thread in a quiet corner of Mumsnet that's offensive to you. That's quite sad.

Hello there, we have been getting quite a few reports about this thread today and we have had to delete several posts already. So we just wanted to remind everyone that this board exists primarily for the use of Muslim Mumsnetters. Others are welcome to post but please be respectful.
MNHQ

Thank you for your support - it really is appreciated, and not intrusive at all - you're very welcome here. The UK is home for many of us here on Mumsnet, and its diversity has been part of its strength and beauty. We need to keep reminding ourselves that those thugs do not represent the majority of decent, caring people. I hope you and your loved ones have been safe through all this.

@PipMumsnet Thanks for your message. Although I've missed all the deleted posts (thankfully) it shows how much it would benefit from being hidden from being active. It's not the first time this has happened in this space where it's supposed to be a safe space for us.

@Millie1501 I started this thread. I started this thread because many Muslim women or women who aren’t white enough lived in fear for several days. We needed a space to show support for one another, a safe space so to speak. So why on earth do you think it is appropriate for you to come on to this thread and start trying to force a discussion that has nothing to do with this thread? If anything, your posts have verged on prejudice and racism. You had an entire paragraph about Asian grooming gangs, but completely ignored that 89% of child sex offenders have been white - don’t pretend you care about protecting children from sex offenders when you disregard the biggest number (by a significant margin) of sex offenders. By choosing to ignore white sex offenders from
your post, it blatantly obvious what your concern is.

And you say a discussion needs to be had and it’s not happening? We have political parties where immigration forms the basis of their manifesto. We had the Rwanda plans. We had Brexit. We have had constant changes to the immigration rules. We have radio and TV shows constantly talk about the immigration and integration. So it’s very odd that you call posters on this thread ignorant when it’s you that has appeared to have completely missed the many discussions that have and continue to take place.

Start your own thread. Many of us have already been made to feel unwelcome in our own communities. It’s not asking for much that this tiny corner of MN is used a safe space.

Thank you @MrsBrightsidde . This thread has meant a lot to people, myself included, and I really appreciate that you started it. JazakAllah khair.

Wow things have really progressed in one hour.

@Millie1501 why do we need help? And why do you need to be the one to help us? Do we need to atone for all hateful acts to white people? Would that then show you we are good enough? Or do we need you to come and show us the error of our ways?

On a side note Millie do you know anything about Islam??

I'm white and Muslim. That's a lot of atoning being expected of me, @TakeMe2Insanity ... Not sure I've got time for it all, but maybe there's an app I can use.

🤪 can you imagine! Click like to atone! As a brown, asian muslim I probably need to atone the most!

Wow this thread has taken a turn since I last checked in 🫣

I never post on threads/boards on here for different religions or race/culture to my own, it isn’t my place to do so ( nor is it my safe space) but I purely posted as a woman who wanted to stand with other woman experiencing a difficult and to be honest at times a very dangerous and terrifying time

As well as standing with you all on here I would also not hesitate standing with you in your communities if needed.

You didn’t have to as I’m white and a non Muslim but you made me feel welcome on this board so I do thank you all.

I feel like every woman on here no matter skin colour or religion should read this thread (and others similar) just to see how Muslim women’s lives have been affected by the recent riots and how at certain times of the day and night your day to day lives were something you all worried about. there is no other discussion that’s needed on this thread, all that’s needed is support by everyone to help you all through a completely awful situation that should never have happened in the first place