www.iamafriad.com
Well, I am just about to go to bed but I have to just note what happened to me today after work on my way to the gym.
I now live in central Bath which is full of many different ethic groups of which all who are not British Caucasian are tourists without hardly any exceptions. This is a little sad as I thought only Exeter was the only place in the UK to be so culturally dull as to have a coloured population you could count using the fingers on one hand.
Anyway, I hope this explains why I was a little taken aback by what I saw on my way to the gym. My route takes me along the tow path of the river Avon and I cut over one of the flood control banks to cut off a corner. As I walk up the bank I was confronted on the grass in front of me by 3 large very full rucksacks laying on the ground. Behind each on is a mid twenties aged male on his knees facing east praying in the style I have seen Muslims pray in mosques on the TV. One of them was of North African origin while another was clearly Middle Eastern and I didn't get a good look at the final one. It was a completely out of place thing to be doing in the middle of a dirt track in the woods behind a sports centre. Now I am sure that these men just fancied some fresh air pray (to which they are certainly entitled) but you couldn't have chosen 3 men who looked more like the 21/7 bombers and they seemed rather obsessed with their rucksacks (they kept moving them between prayers). I walked on by but stopped, thought for a while and decided that it was my public duty to phone the police. Which I did, they were very nice and seemed very interested and said they would send somebody down. I felt like I was targeting the men just because of their religion and looks, but to be honest the more I think about it the more I have come to the conclusion that if they were (by a very small chance) suicide bombers with rucksacks full of explosives and I had done nothing then I wouldn't have been able to live with myself.
So this one is over to you guys: I would really appreciate your comments. What would you have done in the situation? Was I wrong? Am I becoming terrified by terrorists? Please comment....
I now live in central Bath which is full of many different ethic groups of which all who are not British Caucasian are tourists without hardly any exceptions. This is a little sad as I thought only Exeter was the only place in the UK to be so culturally dull as to have a coloured population you could count using the fingers on one hand.
Anyway, I hope this explains why I was a little taken aback by what I saw on my way to the gym. My route takes me along the tow path of the river Avon and I cut over one of the flood control banks to cut off a corner. As I walk up the bank I was confronted on the grass in front of me by 3 large very full rucksacks laying on the ground. Behind each on is a mid twenties aged male on his knees facing east praying in the style I have seen Muslims pray in mosques on the TV. One of them was of North African origin while another was clearly Middle Eastern and I didn't get a good look at the final one. It was a completely out of place thing to be doing in the middle of a dirt track in the woods behind a sports centre. Now I am sure that these men just fancied some fresh air pray (to which they are certainly entitled) but you couldn't have chosen 3 men who looked more like the 21/7 bombers and they seemed rather obsessed with their rucksacks (they kept moving them between prayers). I walked on by but stopped, thought for a while and decided that it was my public duty to phone the police. Which I did, they were very nice and seemed very interested and said they would send somebody down. I felt like I was targeting the men just because of their religion and looks, but to be honest the more I think about it the more I have come to the conclusion that if they were (by a very small chance) suicide bombers with rucksacks full of explosives and I had done nothing then I wouldn't have been able to live with myself.
So this one is over to you guys: I would really appreciate your comments. What would you have done in the situation? Was I wrong? Am I becoming terrified by terrorists? Please comment....
posted by Nurton at 10:15 am
7 Comments:
Nurt,
Wish I knew what to tell ya, buddy. After 2001 I was a little suspicious until I realized that Minnesota was probably not going to be a target for any terrorists who wanted to be taken seriously. I hate that we, formarly trusting souls, are anxious and untrusting of our fellow man.
Last year the heartbreaker was reading the paper one morning and he read me that day's opinion poll:
"Do you feel safer since 9/11?"
Hell no. I felt safe UNTIL 9/11.
Happy to have you back. How's the book club?
And would you have worried if you saw this? What's that on his back?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4133498.stm
Seriously though, think you did the right thing. I'm sure the people concerned, even if innocent should have been able to understand why people may be suspicious. If they couldn't, well...
I could go in to a long-winded rant about how British Muslims have as much of a duty to grass as we do, and how of course they are going to be looked at with suspicion - get over it, but I won't. You did the right thing.
Dear Mrs R.E Teacher
I have a question for you.....
Is it normal for Muslims to pray in groups as small of 3 outside of a mosque, in a public place?
Is it normal for a group of ethicnally very different Muslims to worship together?
Thinking about it these are the two things that struck me as strange.
This whole episode has highlighted to me how little I know about normal Muslim religious practice.
*When I say 'normal' I mean 'usual'
I think all that Muslims need to do during prayer is face Mecca. Given British grab-and-run crime frequency, I'd certainly be keeping close tabs on my rucksack if it were to contain a digital camera, iPod or wallet.
But then again I'm the kind of person who'd deliberately take no notice whatseover just because there is media hysteria.
Noel, it's been too long I know, but here I am.
I think you did the right thing, ultimately - the ethical (or rather, possibly, moral) answer to your question lies in the weighing of harm caused by acting(the Muslims being a bit annoyed when PC Plod interrupts their praying and your discomfort at possibly relying on media racical stereotypes) against potential harm by not (the slim chance of an attack and your guilt had an attack been carried out). I think the balance points towards acting.
However, two points:
1. I'm with Bandick on the likelihood of Islamists attacking a canal in Bath.
2. Most people would have shrugged their shoulders and walked on by - you didn't, so pat on the back.
Mark,
Good to have you back again! Said "canal in Bath" is a minutes walk from the town centre. As the entirity of central Bath is considered a 'World Heritage Site', I thought it was worth protecting.
Also they were near my house, which is even more important!
Nurt.
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