Right after Brussels attack the outraged people on Twitter and Facebook started tweeting #StopIslam blaming the religion for the carnage. This is nothing new; it happens after every terrorist attack especially when the victims happen to be in the West.
So #StopIslam was trending as soon as the attacks happened, but no one even ones questioned the incompetence of the Western leaders in the face of terrorism.
This is indeed surprising because a major part of the problem is their confused and an uncaring attitude towards the very people who elect them.
In fact, a huge part of the problem is the political correctness and unawareness of ground realities which has led them to act like the headless chickens when the time comes to stand up for their people. The Western Press is no better either; it fans discontent among the people by curbing freedom of speech when people voice their fears over the refugee influx.
This fear is not irrational; it has reasons. Europe has long considered itself to be a utopia and has remained cut-off from what many would say are the ‘third-world’ problems like the terrorism, hunger, malnutrition and gender inequality. It always had issues accepting people from other parts of the world especially Asia and Africa. Having them suddenly in the backyard, hundreds and thousands of them, who do not share either the language or the ethos has made them worry about the future of their children and culture.
Now, instead of taking these worries head-on, all the European governments have done is asked those in doubts to keep quiet. Here is just one example:
As a result of this policy, the fear sinks deeper and it surfaces in a distasteful way whenever a disaster like Paris or Brussels happen. It is not the fault of the people who trend #StopIslam; they are afraid and they need reassurance that they will remain safe. But this is something that they never get from their leaders who are busy trying to be philosophers selling a twisted ‘multicultural’ dream which is removed from reality. Understanding human psyche is the key here, but do they get it? No.
Also, the failure of Western leaders to keep refugees in check and make them respect local laws and traditions is a major blunder in this regard. Also, why can’t the Western leaders speak and ask the Islamic nations to share the burden of the refugee population? This step will surely bridge the gap and would break down the walls of doubts and confusions.
People are worried about #StopIslam but what they should worry is the impact that these attacks would have on the psyche of common people. Refugees’ last hope is not the prime minister but the average man who does not begrudge his presence. If the common man turns against them, then no politician can do anything.
Therefore, it is the silence of the Western leaders which is responsible for the bloodshed that is happening, they should understand that the victimization of those who question their policies is not going to help.
They should remember that despite the best efforts to keep a lid on the Cologne sex attacks on the eve of the New Year, they did come to light and now Angela Merkel government has lost its credibility.
The loss of lives in Brussels is sad and the trending of the #StopIslam is sad too but the saddest thing is that the Western leaders do not learn any lessons and continue to make the same mistakes. High time that they come out and take these challenges head-on because terrorism is now everyone’s problem.
