UK: Five Years After July 7 Terrorist Attacks – A New Direction of Hope

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
www.realcourage.org/2010/07/new-direction-of-hope-in-uk/

Five years after the July 7 terrorist bombings in London, the UK government is no longer holding any public remembrance of the victims, other than a wreath being sent to a memorial in Hyde Park.  The Global Post’s Michael Goldfarb states that “Wednesday’s anniversary is being marked, well, it’s being marked by nothing.”

But while there may be no official remembrance activities, there are many whose lives and passion for democracy and freedom are living memorials to the July 7 victims, and whose efforts represent a new hope for the United Kingdom in the struggle of ideas.

We have been seeing increasing signs of hope and progress among British Muslims who are taking the lead in supporting secular democracy and human rights as a counter-message to extremists who seek to deny democracy and human rights.  While some analysts believe that fighting terrorism can be measured by tactical achievements or failures, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) believes that solutions will come from  a consistent support for democracy and our universal human rights from the public, including British Muslim and pro-human rights groups in the struggle of ideas.

We believe that it will be stories such as Tehmina Kazi’s, the director of the British Muslims for Secular Democracy (BMSD), that will make the difference.  We urge you to read the interview with Tehmina Kazi posted on R.E.A.L.’s website today at bit.ly/tehmina

While groups such as Anjem Choudary’s Islam4UK and the Hizb ut-Tahrir United Kingdom groups denounce democracy and equality, and on the other extreme, groups such as the English Defence League and the Stop Islamisation of Europe groups are protesting Muslim houses of worship, there are alternatives from those such as the BMSD and its supporters who provide an example in consistent support of democracy, human rights, and human dignity for rest of the United Kingdom and the world.

We urge others in the United Kingdom to follow the example of groups such as BMSD and choose to consistently be responsible for equality and liberty.