Softly Softly

A couple of years ago just after the tube bombings a massive community monitoring exercise was ordered. This was to record the expected retribution by an outraged British society against Muslims. I actually worked a night shift on overtime to record the grand total of Nil incidents. There was a central office gathering in the intelligence from all stations in the metropolis so that we could be shown to be on the ball. Quite rightly extra patrols were deployed to offer reassurance at Mosques. This was wound down very quickly when there was little increase in reported racial incidents against Muslims.

I've got little interest in events in Gaza. One side who seek to destroy Israel have bitten off more than they can chew and now face the might of military force. I really don't hold a view for either side, but do have grudging respect for the way Israel deals with terrorists who seek to kill it's citizens. Unfortunately a large number of innocent non-combatants end up suffering too. You can apportion blame two ways. For some reason this spills out onto the streets of London, where the police try to not upset "peaceful protesters".

I'm yet to see the same level of protection given to the Jewish community that was afforded Muslim's previously. No doubt in Jewish areas there are special measures but there is little spoken about racial incidents against Jews. I'm sure there would have been different coverage if the boot was on the other foot.

Of course as always politics play a part. It is now a fact that the Muslim community and their votes dictate and influence government policy. It's the same in America where the Jewish vote holds similar sway.

I just feel stuck in the middle - but are some communities more equal than others?