London Bridge: The struggle for power

A week has passed since the detestable London Bridge attacks. The general reaction observed within the British public is one of utter disgust, with an almost unanimous voice calling for greater security.

To express their disapproval of the London Bridge attackers, a group of 130 imams and religious leaders have refused to carry out the traditional Islamic funeral rites for them.

Such a strong opinion against the perpetrators, who have supposedly acted in accordance with Islamic principles, is a timely and necessary one.

In her insightful 2006 publication titled, ‘Londonistan: How Britain is Creating a Terror State Within’, Melanie Phillips creates a link between the influx of foreigners to the United Kingdom (particularly of Middle Eastern and Pakistani descents), with the rise of Islamism lurking on its shores.

Phillips vehemently criticises multiculturalism on the grounds that its tolerant character has been exploited by those with separate agenda, shifting from an innocent wanting of economic opportunity to a more nefarious intention of dismantling the status quo.

Phillips points out that the weak policing of alien families has created a condition apt for the grooming of new zealots.

As such, brazen occasions of dissent by these foreigners are commonplace, adding to the air of negativity that is both cold and widespread.

Phillips added that the UK in general, and London in particular, has transformed into a fertile breeding ground for terrorists of an Islamist bent.

The mobilisation of these individuals in London is akin to that of a malignant cancer cell, maliciously spreading without bounds throughout its unsuspecting host.

Truth be told, the UK is no longer a Caucasian nation.

Steve Doughty, a social affairs correspondent for the Daily Mail, provides an interesting statistic; over a third of babies born in the UK are no longer ‘white British’ (as of October 2015).

It has to be added that more than 10 per cent of these babies from other Caucasian backgrounds, mirroring intensified migration from Europe.

Stricter border control suggested by Phillips would not solve the issue of global terrorism. Neither does heightened surveillance suggested by Theresa May.

A constant eye on the communication behaviours and pathways of citizens will not do much in disarming terrorists.

This Orwellian path, as proposed by May, has been met with much groans, especially from local authorities. It undermines their abilities to aid and protect, to care for and serve the public.

The solutions to such a gargantuan conundrum are multifaceted and it is up to the global community to curb the rise of a poisonous ideology that permeates every aspect of life, one that claims to represent God on this earth.

There is a greater need for solidarity between communities, a need to highlight the virtues of compassion and love, especially the moderates.

As with the London Bridge attack, traction should not be provided to those who create terror.

Messages of sympathy on social media are generally noble in their intentions, but the platform is mistaken. What it does is provide the desired exposure for these miscreants.