Opinion: Today is not another day
150
views
I was among the thousands who fled the arena, moments after hearing the explosion. I was among the thousands who were evacuated, unscathed, unhurt and alive. I am among the thousands, if not millions, grieving the loss of Monday night. That is why I am writing this article today, out of grief.
It has been a day and a half since my friend and I escaped the bomb in the Manchester Arena. Like most, we are watching the news, reading the articles posted on social media, following the Tweets and speeches.
Many people are continuing with their routines, as normal, despite the additional police, train cancellations, building closures, and other disruptions. Most people are going to work and school and college as normal. But for me, today is not a normal day.
loading...
To find out, a girl of 8, a girl of 14 and girl of 16 were killed in the explosion, is deeply saddening. I cannot imagine the pain their families are enduring. I wish it were me in that foyer, instead of their daughters, just to lessen their suffering. I wish there was something ‘right’ I could say or do, to counteract the loss of 22 innocent human beings.
The attack, the target makes no logical sense. It benefits nobody. There is no gain or advance or advantage. Just sadness… and anger.
I am angry at those selfish people, who are using this horrific event as an opportunity to vent their racist and bigoted views. How on earth is inciting violence or exacting revengeful attacks on more innocent people, respectful to the families who are grieving?
I did not escape a bomb, only to see my neighbours attacked.
I am particularly angry at the audacity of those who are abusing the attack to raise their own profile or further their own racist or anti-Islamic agendas.
But even if I ignore the ignorant and hateful, the sadness is brimming over. I keep thinking, how we left Manchester alive, and we are awake to complain about the chores of the next day, but all those young people who happened to head home, a few minutes before me, are not.
They are not here. And it is not right.
loading...
Loading...