Cazenove Blog

Your local Liberal Democrat Councillors for the Cazenove Ward in Hackney. Please feel free to make comments and talk about issues in Cazenove, Hackney, London, UK, Europe, the World and beyond!

Monday 25 July 2011

Today we are all Norwegian

I have received an email from Nick Lowles from Hope not hate in regards to the terrible attrocity that occurred in Norway. We would like to express our most heartfelt condolences to the victims of this terrorist attacks and offer our deepest sympathy and prayers to the families and Norwegian people.

It is time now for us to all show solidarity to the people of Norway and work to together to ensure that Terrorism and violent extremism should find no shelter or refuge in any ideology, political opinion or religion. We must unite as one human race against terrorism, violent extremism and murderous ideologies to prevent these types of attacks from recurring in the future.

I leave it to Nick in his email below on his thoughts on what we can do;



Dear Dawood,

I am sure you will share with me a sense of shock, disbelief and outrage at the appalling events that took place in Norway last Friday. The horrors we have seen unfold are almost unimaginable and our thoughts go out to everyone affected.

The response of the Norwegian people has been humbling – a poignant contrast to those who so quickly and hysterically sought to blame Muslims for this act of extremist terror. Instead of vengeance, the Prime Minister of Norway called for more democracy, asserting that their values would not be shaken by the politics of hate made so violently real.

As a supporter of HOPE not hate, and of our struggle against fascism, hatred, bigotry and racism, I would ask that you join me in signing our book of condolences.

Will you join me in signing our book of condolences to the Norwegian people?
http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/today-we-are-all-norwegian

The atrocities were the awful consequence of the politics of hate. While Anders Breivik appears to have acted alone he was motivated and driven by the propaganda and anti-Muslim hatred pushed by Christian fundamentalist, right-wing Conservative and far-right groups. It is the same hatred that inspired the London nail bomber David Copeland and drives groups such as the BNP and the English Defence League in this country.

It is how we respond to this hatred that a society will be measured and the people of Norway have shown us the way. Just as London united after the 7/7 bombings, the people of Norway are refusing to get drawn into anger and hatred. Instead they are fighting hate with hope – standing firm together and reaffirming their democratic principles.

Let’s send them a message of support.
http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/today-we-are-all-norwegian

We will present copies of this book of condolences to the Norwegian Embassy in London and to the youth section of the Norwegian Labour Party.

Although we are stunned by the events we have seen it is also vital that we turn grief into action and hope. If we do, then the likes of Anders Breivik and the EDL that he actively supported will fail.

I dag er vi alle norske. Today we are all Norwegian.

In solidarity

Nick

To follow the HOPE not hate campaign, visit www.hopenothate.org.uk

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