Manchester in Voices Windward

The bombing of Manchester hits me harder than the bombing in the Phillippines.

There I said it.
It’s this silly little thing that I resent.

We see so much the media ignorance to global events - often catastrophic - and all to often the subsequent apathy of westerners… sparing their precious social media outrage for the events that hurt europeans or hit our cities.

It’s a subtle trait of our underlying xenophobia, our bigotry our reliance on borders and the secret thirst for security from the wild barbarians who come to hurt the empire.

At the same time Marawi City has seen a (military) hostpital bombed and Maute (Islamic State of Lanao) militia attack the cities, open gun battles spreading through the streets.

It doesn’t occour to me to denounce Islam, religious radicalism isn’t the fault of the parent faith but of social divides, post colonial capitalism and the abuse and influence over the people by removed oligarchs. Most of the terrorist attacks commited in their name are aimed at other Muslims and their Military wing commits genocide against Muslims, Kurds, Christians and Atheists alike… Facism with a spiritual doctrine.

I know for so many, terrorism is old hat, communited by an array of religious and political objectives by lone wolves, organisations and states alike, I know we ignore this constantly, it’s the background noise of a bleak world.

Still the bombing of Manchester hits me harder.

Tho I know people who were there, and who have lost contact with people… I don’t think that’s why.

I think it’s because I used to city in those stands, loiter on those steps and take the foyer route to avoid train fares. I think it’s becuase in 1996 as a kid I was sat in the park and heard a bang - commenting that “That’ll be the IRA” no kidding - and subsequently saw “Town” in ruins, I saw people come together in our stupidly dogged way, grim determination.

It’s not a trait special to Manchester or Britain or Europe… don’t by into that, but I see “my” people standing together and showing love, ignorant of skin tone of faith.

The EDL get’s shut down as thousands pay vigil in the center and we bark louder, that we will not accept hatred here, that we never have a tolerance for facism, not from religious extremists, racist thugs or spiteful governments.

I don’t think Manchester is better than anywhere else and I hardly ever visit home, heck I slate it’s gentrification on a regular basis and cuss the weather like any true manc. I’m an Émigré with romantised love for a Lancashire I was little a part off…

but it’s hit me harder… hard than London, hard than New York, Tokyo or Baghdad.

The city is a part of me.
So it hurts that little bit more.

I guess it says something wonderful that instead of a giant UNION JACK across their profiles we see, I ❤ MCR, The worker bee logo, Little love hearts with Manchester on them and similar…

My hearts with Manchester.
RIP all the innocent lives taken.

RIP all the lives taken, globally.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents_in_May_2017

RIP all the lives taken by Nation States that seemingly are somewhat less documented. I hope this doesn’t foster more death at the hands of drone pilots and MPs like last time.