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Emails to the MCB on issues and concerns
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Page 202
08/07/2005
| Miriam Lindley |
Dear Sirs, I am writing to extend my sympathies to anyone who has been affected by the bombs in London yesterday. I heard on the television that you have recieved many, many abusive emails and I would like to try in some small way to reverse that trend. I know your community will face some difficult times in the coming days but I for one would like to say thank you to the Muslim Council of Great Britain for all that you do. I don't have much opportunity to extend the hand of friendship to anyone who is not British or white because I live in a part of the UK which is not particularly diverse but trust me, if I could, I would. Mad people who use bombs, from whatever race or religion, need to know that they will never succeed.
I wish you peace.
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| 08/07/2005 |
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Dear MCB,
In the coming days a lot of people will direct their anger
towards yourself and other British muslims. This is of course unfair and
silly in the extreme. Such gut reactions are sadly human nature and i hope
that it doesnt happen like in the Netherlands or America. To my knowledge
several people have posted letters of solidarity to you and i felt i would
do the same though as i am a Brit in Japan i have emailed instead. Most
non-muslims fully understand that it is an act of an extremist minority and
not the feelings of the majority. We all hope there is no reciprical
violence against innocent muslims, Mark Wollacott, Osaka.
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| 08/07/2005 |
| Richard E Taylor
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Dear Sir,
Please pass on my support to your council.
I am ashamed to hear on radio 4 this afternoon that you have received so
many bad e-mail's from so called British people.
I feel that we should all stand together at this time what ever our
beliefs and not let these bigots of any persuasion divide us.
Regards
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| 08/07/2005 |
| Michael Watson
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I live in East London I would like stress that there is no resentment in
our community against mulsims or any other faiths we all understand that
the people who carried out this act have nothing to do with the true
muslim faith and i pray and hope that your community do not suffer any
backlash from this.
Regards
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| 08/07/2005 |
| Mick A
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Sir/Madam,
I am a man with no religious pursuasion.I would think that you have had
a number of "hate" e mails with regard to the bombings.I would just like
you to know that myself and my group of friends do not hold the Muslim
Faith and their genuine followers to blame, but as all things in this
nature, a very small group of fanatics.
I wish you all the best for the future.
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| 08/07/2005 |
| Dr Cath Filmer-Davies |
Hello:
I am a Christian, but I want with all my heart to express my deep sorrow
that you have been receiving hate mail. True Christians believe that God
created us all, and that Christ died for us all. I know our faiths are
different, but you are people God loves. Every Muslim I meet will be
greeted and treated with respect and affection. I am so sorry that
wicked people indulge in hate -- it is destructive and negative to them
as well as to those whom they hate.
Please know there are many like me, who do not 'blame' nor hate in this
way, but reach out with an attempt to understand how you must be
suffering at this time. I wish I could make up for what the haters are
doing, but at least I can tell you that I for one respect you and admire
the stand you are taking at this tragic time.
Sincerely,
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| 08/07/2005 |
| Philip L. Morgan MA |
Dear Sirs,
I am a 52-year old lawyer in Cardiff. I write merely to do what little I
can to express solidarity, because I am appalled, though not surprised, to
read in the papers today that you have received many hostile e-mails since
yesterday's events.
Without evidence, one cannot be certain of who exactly was behind
yesterday's bombings, but it does seem very likely that it was a handful of
people who would claim to have been acting in the name of Islam. That is no
reason to blame Islam, or other Muslims, for the behaviour of those few
individuals. There are many occasions on which individuals have claimed to
act in the name of a religion or cause but whose behaviour would not be
condoned by their fellow-believers. Many dreadful things are done by all
sorts of people in the name of all kinds of faiths and causes, as we have
seen in this country for the last couple of thousand years at least. One
has only to consider the appalling conflicts in this country over many
centuries between Catholics and Protestants which have led to behaviour on
both sides that has nothing whatever to do with Christianity. The message
does not become flawed by reason of flaws in the messenger.
Awful things are done by governments without the approval of their
electorates. I resent bitterly being tarred with the behaviour of my
government. It may claim to represent me, but it doesn't. I may get to vote
in an election every four or five years or so, but that's the extent of the
influence I have over what it does. Why should people outside the country
make assumptions about me on the basis of what is on my passport, or my
colour, my job, or anything else? I am a unique individual, and I take
people as I find them as individuals.
I find the whole idea of making generalised assumptions about people from
their culture or colour intellectually offensive. Generalisation is the
oxygen of prejudice. It is what makes racism and cultural prejudice
possible. All of us experience this to a greater or lesser extent. I spent
15 years in London, and because I come from a Welsh non-conformist
background (actually it is Anglo-Welsh) I had to put up with an endless
series of tedious generalised assumptions about what it means to be Welsh.
It is only a very short distance from that sort of ignorant nonsense to
something rather more serious, and anyone who can be picked on for being
ostensibly a bit different is potentially in the firing line.
Anyway, I know you will be experiencing some pressure today, and I am very
sad about that. I could say a lot more, but I just wanted to put something
in the other side of the scales. I hope you will receive more messages of
support during the day, and that you remember that most of the noise will
come from the empty vessels.
Yours sincerely,
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| 08/07/2005 |
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Dear MCB,
I realise you will have more pressing engagements to deal with, so I
will make this brief.
I speak for the massive, massive majority of Britons when I thank you
for your expressions of solidarity with Londoners, irrespective of
faith, at this awful time. I understand that a small number of idiots
will contact you with ignorant messages of hate or attempt to intimidate
you; please understand that any sane humans are utterly opposed to such
actions. I, and the rest of civilised society, assure you that Muslims
in Britain continue to be a section of British life about which we are
very, very proud and respectful.
Yours faithfully,
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| 08/07/2005 |
| D Leeds |
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It occurs to me that far too many muslims complain about not being able to intergrate in my country and then castigate Sir Iqbal for accepting his well deserved knighthood which is no way to behave if they are truly a part of the UK.
I hope that Sir Iqbal and all other true British Muslims will maimed so many of our citizens some of whom were muslims.
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| 08/07/2005 |
| Ms E Haston |
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I've just read in today\'s Guardian that you have been receiving a lot of hate emails after yesterdays\' bombings in London. While most of them are simply empty threats, it must be very frightening for British Muslims to be on the receiving end of such stupid and abhorrent hatred. Any people responsible are only adding to the misery already felt by people who have lost loved ones, which includes Muslim families.
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| 08/07/2005 |
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i am writing, first, to express my thanks to sir iqbal sacranie and the
muslim council of britain for their statements of revulsion and
solidarity following thursday's attacks on the transport infrastructure
of london.
secondly, i write to express my sincere sorrow and disgust that the mcb
should have received - according to yesterday's /Times/ newspaper -
"thousands of e-mails from right-wing extremists threatening revenge".
at a time of crisis characterised by so much selfless behaviour either
by the emergency services or by people acting voluntarily, whose
motivation was clearly a universal love and care for their fellow human
beings, such messages are truly despicable and introduce a totally
inappropriate sourness into the body politic of our nation.
living, as i do, just a few miles away from luton, where a predominantly
muslim community has turned bury park into a vibrant and commercially
successful part of the wider area, i wish to assure you of what you must
already know - that the opinions of those who follow the insidious
leadership of the british national party and other right-wing groups are
in no way representative of the opinions of the vast majority of
non-muslim british people.
more to the point, if there should be any hint of a direct threat from
these extremists to mosques or to other muslim institutions, you can be
assured that many of us will be ready to lend our support in their
defence, by direct action if necessary - although, heaven forbid that
this should prove necessary - to show our solidarity with the
peace-loving members of the muslim community in britain.
religious and intellectual tolerance has been one of the greatest
strengths of british society for many centuries. there is no way we
must allow it to be imperilled at this moment.
with very best wishes -
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Page 202
For further information please contact the MCB:
The Muslim Council of Britain
PO Box 52
Wembley
HA9 0XW
Tel: 020 8903 9650
Fax: 020 8903 9026
admin@mcb.org.uk
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