Saturday 20 July 2013

Peace in multiethnic Brum

I'm sitting in a peaceful café in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter where people of different ethnicities and probably nationalities (at least two Germans, I'm married to one :-) ) are enjoying their coffees. 10 minutes walk away the extremists of the so-called English Defence League are vocalising their inability to cope with living in a country where not everyone is exactly the same as them. Sad, and stupid, and dangerous if they're given any leeway.
There have been a number of attacks on mosques reported since the awful killing of Lee Rigby. It's all so wrong. Most people want to live on peace, to enjoy an afternoon off without violence and hate-filled demonstrating or attacks.
Birmingham is made by its mix, of peoples and cultures and backgrounds, it always has been, it'd be so much poorer without. Extreme groups want to damage and destroy the mix, reduce all to one narrow strand, to their narrow minded view of what makes us who we are.
No way.
Extremists, you are not my England, and I don't want your defence. Count me out of your league, of hate and violence and phobia.
Leave us to live in peace with our diversity and variety and the rich mix that makes Birmingham.

Location:Birmingham

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