Soon after Ariana Grande finished her concert in Manchester, England last night, two explosions rang out in the Manchester Arena. We now know that at least one suicide bomber detonated an explosive device within the arena. Twenty-two people died and there are 59 people reporting injuries, some from the bomb and some from the stampede to leave the arena. Witnesses say that the bomb went off in the foyer of the arena as people were leaving.
Ariana has “indefinitely suspended her world tour” in the wake of the bombing. She was scheduled to perform in London tomorrow but that show is canceled, and the entire European leg of her tour is being put on hold. Her manager, Scooter Braun, made a statement: “We mourn the lives of children and loved ones taken by this cowardly act. We ask all of you to hold the victims, their families, and all those affected in your hearts and prayers.” Ariana was reportedly “in hysterics” after the bombing. Late last night, she tweeted this:
broken.
from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words.— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 23, 2017
She has nothing to apologize for, but I understand the guilt she must be feeling. That’s the whole point of these kinds of terrorist attacks, they want you to feel guilty for doing normal things, like going to a concert or having dinner with friends or what have you. The fact that alleged terrorists struck a concert which was mostly full of Ariana Grande’s core audience of young girls and young women says a lot about what terrorists find dangerous these days. Ariana is a dangerous woman because she doesn’t apologize for being a woman, for being sexual, for being political. Her fans are dangerous women because they like Ariana Grande.
Other artists sent their thoughts and prayers to Manchester and Ariana:
Broken hearted for the families tonight. Broken hearted for Ari. Broken hearted for the state of this world. 😔
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) May 23, 2017
My heart hurts for my sister, Ariana & every family affected by this tragic event in the U.K. Innocent lives lost. I'm so sorry to hear this
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 23, 2017
My thoughts, prayers and tears for all those affected by the Manchester tragedy tonight. I'm sending all my love.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 23, 2017
every musician feels sick & responsible tonight—shows should be safe for you. truly a worst nightmare. sending love to manchester & ari
— Lorde (@lorde) May 23, 2017
Tearing up imagining innocent concert goers losing their lives.. praying for everyone and all #arianators. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) May 22, 2017
Sending love to the U.K., @ArianaGrande and all of her supporters who were caught up in this awful attack. Heartbreaking.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) May 23, 2017
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I hate to say it but my first thought was: “What will Donald Trump say/tweet about this terrorist attack?”.
It’s just because we all know he likes to use terrorist attacks for his hate/fear campaign.
Yes. Or what will Katie Hopkins say? Oh, too late. She already called for a “final solution”. Lovely.
You wouldn’t believe how many right wing American commentators suddenly have intimate knowledge of Manchester, too. I wish they’d eff off. We’ve got enough of those worms already, thanksverymuch.
Katie Hopkins is one scary woman, I often ask myself what has happened in her life that she hates everyone and everything.
Bloody woman. I complained to the radio station that employs her. Again.
Excuse me? She what???
Katie Hopkins is a special kind of horrible-there are two groups of people that rejoiced at these kind of terrorist attacks. Those that support them, and those that can’t wait for tragedies like this to exploit. Disgusting.
@KJA
Yep. Katie and Donald belong to the second group.
She said “we need a final solution”. Seriously.
KH sounds like a mentally disturbed person but also functional enough to court super ueber ultra low controversy. She KNOWS what she is doing/saying. And editors ENABLE her. I’d rather be in the company of rats.
@Pumpkin: The DM readers LOVE her, it’s disturbing.
I reported Hopkins twitter account, not that it seems to do much good.
Katie Hopkins, like Nigel Farage, are disgusting trolls who enjoy causing outrage because social politics is just one big game to them. They’re the same danger as Trump except Trump has dangerously low intellect and rationality while Hopkins and Farage have dangerously high levels of arrogance. They don’t think their hate speech will have any detrimental effect on the cosy little society they live in. They just like to play and push tensions like the sociopathic, overgrown children they are.
eXo – yes, I know about that. Very disturbing. It says a lot about them.
The top comment on the new DM Katie Hopkins article is that she should be Prime Minister.
Katie Hopkins would dig up and shag the remains of her dead grandmother if it meant headlines.
You remember that gross segment on ‘The Word’? “I’ll do anything to be on TV”? That’s her.
I am so sick and tired of the Katie Hopkins of the world shilling hate and divisiveness to make a buck. I hope Roger Ailes is readying her special place for when she joins him in hell.
She has really severe epilepsy and has had major brain surgery before. I can’t help wondering if there is some neurological damage, because she seems to be lacking some basic wiring. She just doesn’t seem quite right, really.
The Katie Hopkins of this world calling for war on the Muslim world or the final solution are obviously bad at math and reality. They have no idea how many Muslims there are in the world, on every continent. They think all Muslims are in the Middle East and the Western Powers can overtake them.
Presidents Obama and Bush know the score that’s why they didn’t go around using “Islamic Terrorism”. The vast amount of Muslims are normal peaceful people who just want to go about their lives. It’s like going around and calling all White people serial killers just because a majority of serial killers happen to be White. Older generation’s terrorists were Christians but no one called them “radical Christian terrorists”
Well done, calling the radio station. You weren’t the only one too, because Hopkins is referring to “complainers” in her The Fail article: “People have rung my bosses on the radio demanding I am sacked for my tweets because my divisiveness is what ISIS wants.”
There’s being a professional agitator and there’s employing the symbolism and the language of the Holocaust as hate speech to incite the proto-fascist bottom feeders among us.
She crossed a line today. A worse line than the many she’s already crossed.
She’s a ghoul. Piers Morgan, too.
I read on Twitter he called them “evil losers”. Not a presidential comment.
I rolled my eyes so hard when I heard “evil losers” – he sounds like a little child.
He did.
Read also he didn’t want to use the term “monsters” because they want to be called that.
Yeah, he’s a real statesman, NOT.
Sending my heartfelt condolences to all in Manchester and praying for those who lost loved ones.
Well, broken clocks and all that.
Well it’s not like we’re in an age of intellectualism…
Evil losers. So like a 7th grader would speak
I rolled my eyes at that too but God knows he is perfectly able to identify a loser at the first sight, like when facing a mirror, that’s why I was not surprised by this remark.
As long as he didn’t make any assumptions about religion or national origin, that’s good enough for me. Yeah, he’s not eloquent and sounds like a 7th grader. But this is refreshingly restrained for Trump, so kudos to him.
Thought the exact same, such a childish statement, he just always says the wrong thing, never sounds sincere either, ugh.
Trump and his team blew it again. If Trump wanted to sound presidential he would have spoken of justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators, not hurled childish insults.
Trump is truly surrounded by the least capable staff of any president in the history of the US. I am going to need to see a chiropractor for the all head shaking I do.
His following comment about refusing to call them monsters…he somehow made it all about HIM, and how he frames the event. He is utterly incapable of empathy. I truly believe this. Sad. For all of us.
That’s because he is not presidential in any way, shape or form. He is an idiot, a moron, an Alzheimers sufferer, a malignant narcissist, and I am praying his KFC buckets of saturated fat do their work on him.
And I don’t even feel guilty hoping for that.
Eloquent he was not.
My heart goes out to the people of Manchester today.
I could not sleep, thinking of parents waiting to hear from their kids.
Sixer and UK friends, I have read a lot about this awful Hopkins woman. What kind of influence or following does she have?
She has more notoriety as a professional offensive person than actual support. That said, the actual support may come from a minority but it is a minority that is a) higher in number than anyone would like, and b) extremely vocal.
She is the personification of a Daily Fail commenter.
She sounds like the UK’s Ann Coulter. Charming…
I’ve read a few of her headlines and I think she is just lazy. She takes whatever the current problem is and deliberately plays devils advocate every single time, for hits. Who knows what she actually believes, but she enjoys the anger she engenders and receives. Some people need validation, she needs to piss people off so she can go home and laugh. In my world she is known as a shit-disturbing trouble maker of no substance, just like Nancy Grace.
Is really the right place to bring the Trump hate train? We are all mad at this, he is human like all of us, geez.
I think the worst was that the concert was mostly for kids / young girls.
Um yes it is… Donald Trump is the president, a world leader, and he continuously uses these horrendous incidents as a means to create division, spew lies about minority groups, and even gloat about how “right” he is. He’s the one who brings the hate.
Sorry Nance but it the place, when we’re discussing disturbed a***holes.
I’m no Trump fan but I think ”evil losers” is an appropriate term in this case. Condolences to everyone in Manchester, what a hateful and callous attack 🙁
Patricia just out of interest what do you think he should have said..?
Clearly he would have been expected to comment, and while I think he is a joke of a man, it is actually quite refreshing to hear someone speak truthfully about how they feel, instead of the usual politician platitudes. He never made a reference to the possible religion of the bomber, just the fact that he was a terrorist, and while the term “evil loser” may not be the most eloquent of terms, it is pretty accurate.
+1000 Patricia.
@nance,are you serious? You must live under a rock if you think this is not the right time.
Absolutely horrible that this happened at a concert with so many children. It’s horrible everytime something like this happens and innocent people are killed and hurt
At first I thought about the lack of eloquence. Yet he is good at coming up with single word insults (however juvenile). In this case, cowards or losers seems to fit.
Trump calls everyone losers, so therefor it kind of loses it’s meaning when he says it. If you look it up, he has called people losers on Twitter for years. Even saying I wish the haters and a losers a happy… insert holiday here.
He is just not a good speaker, and the bar has really been lowered for him calling the attackers evil losers to seem presidential.
Every day he does idiot things, I feel outrage. So yeah, that train keeps truckin’.
You’re hardly alone. My first thought was, “Let’s see how this tragedy gets manipulated to forward a xenophobic agenda.”
I’m avoiding twitter, the last time I saw a thread after the Westminster attack and had to school an idiot about terrorism.
I am actually more afraid of the racists/xenophobes/homophobes/ etc. than I am of terrorists.
Sending strength, love and prayers for Manchester, and for the world, as we are all affected by this, regardless of where we are from. ❤️✌🏻
Are you all really using an horrific event like this to throw political punches at Trump et al? How does that make you so different from them? It’s time to reflect, mourn, get back up and try to find a solution to these things.
We probably wouldn’t be dealing with ISIS if a former US president and his criminal, racist, islamophobe administration had not used the death of American citizen to destabilize an entire region and demonize an entire religion. So wondering about Trump’s reaction is relevant.
I agree, Anna. Solutions, that’s what we need. I don’t care what country, leader, or political party provides the solution. It’s probably going to take many leaders, countries, and parties. Can we not all come together in this time? Can we not agree that this is a problem worthy of national and international cooperation? This is not a partisan issue. This is life and death of innocents.
@Kate –
Americans tumbled the Iraqi state. Dissolved the Iraqi military. And left too early. Although, Maliki didn’t really want us there any longer. Without the American presence, Maliki started his business of persecuting/frivolously imprisoning Sunnis. And when ISIS came in, they were naturally a better choice for the Sunnis than Maliki was. Lots of poor decisions by the Bush admin., and several poor decisions by the Obama admin. (Yet none of that has anything to do with the fact that Sunnis and Shiites have an old, deep well of hatred for one another).
There’s an ancient Muslim prophecy that says
“There will come a time when three armies of Islam shall simultaneously rise, one in the Levant, one in Yemen and one in Iraq.” That’s was written long before Bush and his shenanigans. The prophecies about the Caliphate, the final holy war and world domination were written long before Bush and his shenanigans.
I think it’s tunnel vision to blame ISIS on any one factor, or even a handful of factors. It’s so multifaceted that even scholars can’t agree.
My husband works in sensitive operations, and his opinion is that sometimes a dictator is better than what you’ll find when you overthrow him.
These ideals existed before the American invasion, is what I’m trying to say.
I think it’s possible to mourn the loss of innocent lives and be outraged by politicians’ behaviors at the same time. I think it goes without saying that we all want and end to terrorism.
Trump makes this into a partisan issue. He will certainly say something about Obama, who he will say enabled the terrorists. Trump shouldn’t even be President – he is a traitor, so screw him.
BTW, he was going to have a plan to wipe ISIS off the face of the earth in 30 days. Still waiting, Loser Donny.
Trump was one of the first things I thought of too. For now I’m just pleasantly surprised he hasn’t put a xenophobic or racist spin on it yet. His supporters probably will though.
@Kate are you serious? ISIS has been around for over a decade. And while I agree that what Trump (and other world leaders) have to say is relevant, blaming him for this is ridiculous and shows little understanding of the conflict in the Middle East.
I think Kate was referring to George Wendy.
I don’t understand Kate’s post. The sick bastards that blew up teens and children at a concert are solely responsible for what they did. I really don’t care if they did it “in the name of” or “because of.” What they did was vile. F ’em.
Ana- the reality is that people in Western countries would be unlikely targets for terrorism from those quarters if their governments hadn’t been killing and maiming people on a grand scale for so long. The civilian death toll in Iraq due to actions of US Presidents starting with the first Bush is massive, easily counted in the hundreds of thousands. People died in the relentless bombings and in the after effects of targeted water supplies and medical facilities and personnel. A group of foreign doctors and nurses investigating after Gulf War 1 said it was tantamount to biological warfare. Babies and young children are especially fragile in such wars. The children who died in the Gulf Wars because of American actions were every bit as innocent as the children who died in Manchester.
In Afghanistan, more unarmed innocent people were killed by US bombs in just the first two months after 9/11 than had been killed by all the 9/11 hijackers.
Really, such gruesome terrorist attacks are hardly unexpected under such circumstances. The miracle is that so few people react to such events by deciding to kill other innocents, or else we all would be dead by now. Terrorism is what some people do when they feel threatened by a force they can’t fight against directly, in this case actions by foreign military. If we were were facing an analogous threat, seeing our cities bombed and our countries invaded and occupied by foreign soldiers, I’m quite sure some here would be following the same path of trrrorism both against the foreigners and against others in our countries that they perceive as threats to them. We have violent people simmering under the surface, too, waiting for an excuse to become what they believe is rightfully the owners of the country, suppressing anyone who is different.
We hardly understand ourselves, so it is not surprising that our government routinely stirs up age-hold hatreds that had been barely contained in the countries it attacks for selfish and greedy reasons. In Iraq, for example, the loathsome Saddam and his secular Ba’ath Party, including different types of Muslims, Christians, and even women in high places, turned out to be keeping a lid on even worse. Destroying them let the local Pandora’s box open wide. Maybe that’s part of why people put up with Saddam. In any case, he was their problem to solve, not ours. Lack of faith in true democracy (and in a real sense, every country is a democracy because no government can rule without at least the tacit consent of the governed) has gotten us into all the wars I’ve seen in my lifetime, and I was born just a few years after WWII.
Brava, my dearest darling jwoolman, for speaking everything the world of us is thinking. We are all so vulnerable. Do not deliberate – Go On!!
If you need, go to a museum, look at Rodin, feed your soul, and do not deliver us to the evil that hates. There is so much beauty, – how do we not see that about one another, and about one another’s religions?
I understand this is not a joke, but painful flesh ripped by nails and whatever. I don’t look at disgusting stuff, pretty much – perhaps sometimes, to shock myself! I do not consider myself good, or worthy of heaven.
However, I love being alive! Just like all the other cellular beings! Soak up the sunlight in greens. Bunnies/ and wolves.
My first thought isn’t what will Donald Trump, or any world leader, say. My first thought is for the victims, their families, and this horror-filled world, in general. I do wonder what any one is going to try to DO. Words, prayers, vigils, pulling-together is all important but unless something is done then where are we? Just waiting on the next attack.
God knows I don’t have the answers. I just am less interested in what politicians say right now and more interested in what active solutions that they can provide.
This has truly made me sick to my stomach. Sick of all of it, the politics, the nationalism/globalism, all the -isms, the left, right, center, and any other political affiliation. I just want it to stop.
amen^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don’t care what he said. Stupid said stupid. Losers. It’s always about “winners” and “losers” for him. Innocent lives were lost and as usual he doesn’t have any empathy for any of the victims or their families.
Prayers going out to all those affected by this horrific act.
Every attack by this religious group has caused emotions ranging from horror to “how dare you?” This time, I felt deep sadness, instantly. Condolences to the world…because I know that we are all feeling this. This group is not winning the war of public opinion!!!
For ladies, deeply affected by the news. 22 beautiful human beings were taken away in a conflict, not their own, not to mention those who are in hospital. The “other side” feels this is a small price, compared to the heavy hits that their countries have taken, due to war, refugees, and an Islamic cult! Have you witnessed the photos of their children’s death? None of us could bear this.
There is no answer to this, but grief.
Perhaps the Middle East could be more responsible for their terrorism – apparent Saudi Arabia has shit-loads of oil money. They should stop their own shit – unless they are at war with the world.
I know people are concerned about Russian ties – but who wonders at the $100 million dollars given to Ivanka by the Saudi”s. What are they asking in return, of our stupid American president?
Why are we sending more guns to this region? It’s an arms race – that America will lose, in the end. Guns and bombs are intended only to kill other human beings. This is disgusting – guns and war.
they honestly shouldn’t be called a “religious” group. they are a terrorist group.
AsIf, this were merely a war of words…
How can the world be so beautiful and so ugly at the same time….This was done to hurt kids…so sad
It’s just heartbreaking. Such senseless violence.
I know. When the NPR story popped up on my phone last night, I had this dizzying moment of “Ariana Grande? Why would anyone…OMG they were targeting little girls..” And my mind turned to all the times young women have been targets of these horrifying attacks just for little things like attending school.
I think Ariana Grande also has a fairly large gay fan base, so it was probably the perfect target in their hate-filled eyes.
The news is saying that the youngest victim was 8 years old. A little girl who was excited to see her idol lost her life. Jesus wept.
This hits home for my family because my tween nieces are major Ariana fan girls. My sister says they are too young to grasp why someone would do this. Well I am three times their age and I can’t grasp it either.
OH my god 8 years old I didn’t know that and now I”m crying at my desk again
Ariana Grande is an outspokenly feminist role model for little girls and young women, especially in terms of sexual autonomy and rejecting the double standards, and owning your own sexuality, and speaking out over objectification. She’s clear that women should be their own arbiters of what is acceptable, and set their own courses in life.
It’s outrageous that they targeted her fanbase, given their ages, but not surprising, as you say. Trying to force women into line is key for oppressive regimes of all shades, whether Kinder, Kuche, Kirche under Nazism, or the Taliban and their desire for illiteracy, ISIS and their concubinage, or the Duggars and their Handmaid’s Tale approach to women’s lives. It’s just same shit, different flags.
The irony of the Trump slaverers now savaging her online over her liberality, when her fans were targeted because ISIS loathe liberals as much as the Trump fans do appears too complex for them to grasp.
Its so sad to think these young girls and boys were just going out for a night to enjoy themselves and have some fun and this terrible senseless act happens, its just unbearable to think what family members are going trough, innocent people who have nothing to do with politics are getting killed, my heart goes out to them all.
I don’t have the words for this. This was a concert full of children. The perpetrator was a monster, a waste of molecules, end of story.
broke my heart this morning to read the news stories
I am a mancunian and the kindness shown from my fellow Manchester residents has been heart warming. People have opened their homes and free taxi services are uniting families. One of my friends was at the concert and is still missing. Praying we find him soon and prayers to the people that lost loved ones. Thanks for this post, Kaiser.
Solidarity and sympathies, Tila. I saw the reports of taxi drivers giving free rides, and people bringing food and water for the emergency services and offering rooms for the night. Mancunians are great. Also, the homeless man who rushed in and held an injured woman (she died) so that she wasn’t alone.
Oh my God, that report about the homeless man. I was reading the news and just shaking my head in disbelief, and that’s the story that finally brought on the tears. Apparently he also comforted a little girl whose mother was killed. That was a beautiful thing he did, and I hope someone will help him out and improve his situation now.
Everyone is shaken and the inevitable attacks on people with anything from head scarves to a brown hued skin tone have begun. We are the most multi cultural integrated left leaning city in the UK outside of London. It’s messed up.
This will not break us – ‘ This is Manchester, we do things differently round here’.
That report about the homeless guy, and a Manchester rabbi talking about interfaith initiatives while his voice was breaking are the two things that have made me cry today.
It makes me so sick that the attacks on Muslims and other minorities do, indeed, seem inevitable.
As a lifelong New Yorker, I will never forget the way my amazing city came together after 9/11, and I hope for the same for all of you. Stay strong and show the world what your city stands for!
I pray your friend is safe.
Mancurians showed amazing kindness and strength last night, so quickly offering their homes and taxi services. Look for the helpers, there is good in this world.
My thoughts are with each and every one of you and your fellow Mancunians.
I have struggled all day with watching this unfold. Beautiful, innocent and bright young lives taken so cowardly and barbarically.
I hope you hear from your friend soon and he is safe and well.
It is said so often, but it is true. We see the worst and best of humanity.
I was born and raised a stone’s throw from Manchester and, while not exactly in my back yard it was in my neighbour’s back yard which is the same.
I am amazed at the resiliency and kindness of everyone in Manchester. And I hope Ariana Grande can find some of the same resiliency to help her cope with what must be an awful, awful feeling.
Hoping your friend is safe. Every time something tragic and awful like this happens I ask myself why? Why is there so much hate in the world?
I don’t think I’ll ever get an answer but I’m buoyed by the outpouring of love and support I read about in the wake of this horrific event.
How could anybody target CHILDREN?
These big stadium events are rites of passage for little kids and tweens. They get so excited for days and days before going to their first one. And the parents of some of the slightly older ones were stuck outside, waiting to pick them up. Kids trying to find parents. Parents trying to find kids. Imagine.
For some it would have been their first concert, or first event alone. It’s horrifying on so many levels.
Exactly. Just as you think things can’t get any worse… they do.
The real question is: how can you target people? I don’t subscribe to this idea that it’s worse when children die. It’s terrible when people are killed. Period.
I think it is worse hhhh. Even the warped minds of the bombers can’t argue that children in any way contributed to the events that allegedly motivate the bombers. Children have no political agency. They are totally innocent of even the most passive participation in wars. No child voted for war. Not that I am suggesting adults who may have are in any way culpable for this. Children also have their whole lives ahead of them. At least some of us have managed to have life experiences. Last but not least, and it hardly bears thinking about, adults are at least a little more equipped than children if they are dying in fear and pain. To put a child through that is inconceivably vile. I hate even typing those words. RIP to all who lost their lives.
Annetommy, well said. RIP indeed. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Manchester.
I agree with you hhhh, I always think of that Bill hicks quote: “what, they reach a certain age and they’re off your f***ing love list?”
No,@ Dr Mantis. It’s the same reason we don’t permit children to work, that they aren’t permitted to enter contracts, that they may not drive vehicles. They are immature – weaker, in many ways, if you must think of it that way – and it is a specially disgusting tragedy to kill them.
Of course any loss of life is tragic but come on you’re really saying the death of a 60 year old would be equally as tragic as the death of a 6 year old? It’s not. They had their whole lives ahead of them and think of the shock waves in their families. I mean both are horrible taking someone from us who was not their time but to argue that it’s not worse when it’s children is just insane to me.
Pinetree both of those people have family who love them and feel their loss. Why can’t it be equal? If my mother was killed tomorrow you bet I’d be absolutely devastated but does that not matter? Neither is worse, neither is better, both have their ripples across society.
Of course it’s worse. Children can’t vote. Children can’t work. Children can’t consciously make decisions that affect society at large. They were innocents who simply wanted to enjoy a pop concert.
Well, that’s the point, isn’t it? To inflict maximum pain and damage and go for the weakest targets. How much more terror and fear can you inflict? I honestly don’t think this is about women or what Ariana Grande stands for. It’s about showing us that they can get anyone anywhere any time, even innocent kids having fun. And there is nothing we can do about it. Which of course we can’t accept – who could? – and will from now on think twice about letting our kids go to their first concert. Or festival. Or theme park. Or Christmas market.
As detritus said, this is just so horrifying on so many levels. And that was the point.
Yep. It just makes me want to cry.
I agree. I don’t think it was to punish people for attending her concert-it was to show how they don’t care and are willing to inflict pain on the most innocent. It’s so horrible and heart breaking.
The reason that these types of acts are committed is to sow hatred of of Muslims in western countries. IS wants us to hate Muslims in our own countries, it fuels their purpose; they want otherwise non-violent Muslims to either begin committing these violent acts on those that hate them, or flee back to the Middle East and join them. Hatred of Muslims fuels these attacks, and these attacks fuel hatred of Muslims.
They targeted it precisely because it a Western “rite of passage” they disapprove of. They don’t think little girls should be out late dancing to love songs. But then again they don’t think little girls should be out at all,
This guy wasn’t a monster. Thats the easy dismissal I’m seeing everywhere. This what happens when you dehumanise a group. It becomes easy to put your narrow interests ahead of their right to life. This guy did it. And when we shrug at drones hitting wedding parties in far off distant lands, we do it too. It’s complicated. Thats all.
I agree but I don’t think it was because it was a rite of passage. I think the logic was more an eye for an eye. It’s all horrible and I don’t know how the world, as a collective, will ever come back from these last few years. It’s beyond the point of return now.
@Nyawira – mte to everything you said. That is how those people think and it’s also on us to not take the easy way out with the dimissal.
I don’t know if we can ascribe any kind of logic to terrorists’ actions, other than knowing the point is to scare us and make us live in fear. I don’t think those little boys playing in the youth football (soccer) tournament in Baghdad last year were doing anything “western” and yet they were targeted, too. Targets are merely places where enough people are around, doing something completely innocuous as part of their daily lives. That’s how they get inside our heads.
RIP Saffie Rose Roussos, 8 yrs old. 🙁 Today will not be a good day.
@NCBoudicca I meant reasoning. Of course logic has nothing to do with something this heartless, the word escaped me.
“Targets are merely places where enough people are around, doing something completely innocuous as part of their daily lives.”
This completely. That is the goal of terrorism: to strike fear in the hearts of people while they go about their lives, to make them feel that NOWHERE is safe. Whether it’s happening in a mall, at a sporting event, at a concert, on the subway, on a busy tourist-y bridge—none of these places are particularly relevant beyond the fact that these are gathering points for large groups of people.
Sending thoughts and positive vibes to the people of Manchester and the victims’ families. Tragic, awful, horrendous…none of these words seem appropriate in terms of describing the magnitude of this tragedy. So sick of this shit.
I take the point about bombs and drones. And I honestly don’t shrug. And I’m not a great believer in objective evil, so take the monster point also.
But I disagree with the us and them characterisation. We don’t know for sure yet, but it’s highly likely this is domestic terrorism, not some foreign “other” force. The perp will likely prove to be a British national, at least second gen, or as likely, even third or fourth.
I don’t give much credence to organised fifth column tinfoil hattery either, but when we have members of our population so disaffected or so vulnerable to radicalisation that some of them blow up children at concerts and others assassinate pro-refugee politicians in the street in broad daylight, then I am lost for words or adequate explanations.
I also think the biggest impediment to ending terror is our complete inability to view the story from the other side. We as citizens need to move away from easy narratives. “They evil. We good” falls apart quickly when we pay attention to the actual grievances.
The very reason Islamic fundamentalism has gained such a foothold among Western muslims is because they feel the grievances are unheard. Sometimes the grievance is rooted in Western racist meddling in the Middle East, the hypocritical propping up of authoritarian regimes just to harvest oil, the financng of war and the use of the term “collateral damage” to describe dead children. Other times its rooted in the racist social exclusion of first and second generation brown immigrants and the disenfranchisement of poverty. Most times, its BOTH. These are very valid grievances. And while I grieve with the survivors of Manchester today, I cant in good conscience be all “we should not be afraid or they win”. We should be afraid,….we are on the wrong side of history. And we should use that fear to get our governments and corporates to just stop their various overseas shenanigans and at home work to ensure inclusive communities.
Fantastic comment Craven and very true. Maybe this can stop when we also show an outpouring of grief and disgust when families get wiped out at funerals or when grandma gets killed for picking a cabbage and her entire family get killed when they run to save/help grandma or a 16 year old driving down a road because his mother wanted him to pick up his aunt or the huge amount of children that are killed because it sounds better to call them combatants than children. This is how some are getting radicalized because they see an us and them and don’t see why some lives are worth sympathizing with and others are discarded so easily. Isn’t that what we hate about ISIS?
Craven – so agree. We call our side, heroes, while they are out and about doing the same thing to others. And to think that it’s all about a mind-fu*k – nothing more, creating conditions that destroy everything that each human on this planet loves and believes in. War causes soldiers PTSD, because of what they are engaged in – today, we grieve for what we do to one another.
This is true. Trump attacked Yemen and killed a number of children, including an 8 year old, after saying he wanted to kill the families of terrorists. . When we don’t weep at her death, and take responsibility for it, we give these extremists fuel for their hatred.
It is all so screwed up. We kill their kids. They kill our’s. Is there ever going to be an end to it? I don’t think so, not as long as we think our kids’ lives have more value because they are white, and they hate us because we aren’t Muslim.
That’s what the point of a terrorist attack is. Your city isn’t safe. You aren’t safe. Your children aren’t safe. You are made to be afraid of everything and anything around you; fear controls your every action and thought.
Exactly, Sixer. This is what truly shatters my heart. I think back to the people we lost in the Orlando nightclub shooting, people who were in the one space where they could truly be themselves. This brings back those types of feelings. Children, teens, and young adults who just wanted to listen to music me have a good time. There’s a certain purity about it, and then violence was brought into the space. It’s horrifying. All we can do is move forward, boldly choosing love over fear, and using the heavy shit as fuel. May we take this tragedy and turn it into more light. More peace.
“a certain purity about it”
Yes. That’s how I feel.
@Sixer, reminds me of this quote by Steven Erikson.
“Children are dying.” … “That’s a succinct summary of humankind, I’d say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words.” ― Steven Erikson, Deadhouse Gates
Those poor children, those poor parents. Heartbreaking.
I have family living in Manchester and have been many times, it is truly a city of great spirit and humour and everyone I have met in my visits there have been warm and welcoming. Love and prayers to all this morning. Just no other words really.
Prayers to your family. And yes, prayers and love to all.
This just breaks my heart. I remember growing up here in the cloud of the IRA , and now we have a whole other generation growing up with this , and there really is no defence against these lone wolf attacks . God, it just makes you want to never let your kids out of your sight .
Absolutely disgusting. I feel angry at the world this morning. My heart goes out to the families and people of Manchester. X
It is very hard to understand how a human being can bring himself/herself to do something so horrible. he must have been brainwashed to death.
I can’t remember the last time there was a concert attack of this magnitude. Poor victims and poor Ari.
I disagree though, they aren’t scared of us, that would require some modicum respect. They are hitting the men where it hurts, their innnocent daughters, their children.
The Bataclan attack in November 2015 in Paris. 80+ deaths
You can’t remember? Huh what about the Bataclan attack in Paris? It happened in november 2015, not THAT long ago. 130 people were killed during the attack.
@hhh, 130 people were killed on the coordinated attacks in the cafe, outside the Stade de France, not just in the Bataclan attack. 90 died in the concert hall.
blame the news cycle I guess, I don’t remember Bataclan at all. The closest I could remember was the shooting in the movie theatre, or the club shooting recently, but my news tends to be fairly north america centric. Its appalling how bad thing are that this isn’t that unusual though.
@Detritus,
It has literally become so common that it is difficult to keep track of all of the attacks and all the dead. Each country (USA, England, France, Germany, etc.) all have had attacks. Each country has expressed solidarity with these others and will continue to do so. Unfortunately, the solidarity that we have isn’t going to stop the people that are planning something right now as I type.
I am so heartbroken.
Yet we fight a war just as violent and bloody, on their soil, and complain when war comes to our personal doorstep. It is hypocritical of us – we are just as deadly to their beloveds. Every child is infinitely valuable to the world – it’s not just about our white children…
War is unholy -both sides – end of. There is no goodness in jihad! – which is simply the killing of one another’s most beloved. When do we listen and learn to make peace? What are the important things that every human desires? Can’t we make peace with that simple respect? We are not so different.
I doubt that it had anything to do with the person giving the concert, if that’s any comfort to the people involved in the show. It was just a convenient large gathering. Just another pointless mass murder, traumatizing everybody else.
But Grande does need to deal with the shock before continuing to tour. Survivor’s guilt can be part of it. Good luck to everyone.
I live about a mile or so away from the arena and after experiencing the IRA bombs in the 1990s and the other recent terrorist attacks, I thought I had seen it all. I’m so shocked today, they (the police have arrested another person in South Manchester) came into my backyard and blew up a load of kids. Apparently, the bomb contained nuts and bolts to cause more damage. They targeted this concert knowing there would be young girls and boys there. MY backyard. Even the IRA on 15 June 1996 had the decency to give a warning. I’m furious. I daren’t say anything else as I’m struggling to write without using expletives.
I feel desperately sorry for Ariane Grande. Whatever you may think of her, she has been caught up in a terrorist attack. I hope she and everybody else caught up in this are able to get the help they need. I hope those who died, an 18 year old girl being the first to be named, are able to rest in peace. Their poor poor families. And damn to hell the idiot who did this. I hope they never release his name.
Edit: The young lady’s name is Georgina Callendar. She was 18. Eighteen.
Sending you hugs and prayers.
Thank you so much for your kind words, and to you Sixer. I’m heartened by all the good deeds and love that have been shown to Manchester overnight and this morning, and by how Mancunians have come together to help each other. We must remember there are more of us than there are of them. Manchester as a city will be fine, we’re a tough, stubborn bunch (like all Brits generally) and will rebound. I just feel so desperately sorry for those people whose friends and loved ones have died, I can’t begin to comprehend how they must be feeling.
Solidarity to you, too. Suddenly, Arndale doesn’t seem so long ago.
I am so unbelievably sorry you and your city are going through this.
I’ve let a lot of expletives go today. It’s so wrong.
I saw a photo of Georgina – she had shared a photo of her and Ariana. She has her arms around her and looked so happy. It was a beautiful photo. How heartbreaking on what was probably the greatest day of her life.
I recently attended Adele here in Australia and I had the greatest experience. I remember how crazy it was in the crowd as we left and thought how lucky I was that it was safe and everyone was there for a good time. I don’t think that I’ll ever feel that ever again. I’m shattered.
Sending love from the US. Wish I could offer some kind of comfort.
I’m so sorry, Debbydoo. I don’t know what to say other than this should never have happened, innocent lives are never acceptable ‘collateral damage’ in these fights.
Hugs to you and your neighbors. I don’t know very much about Ariana, other than she’s a young and likely popular performer.
The cruel plotting of something like this defies human decency. The perpetrator(s) sought a very young, innocent group as they were leaving a fun event. So heartbreaking.
I wish I had the right words to help. I offer my sincere sympathies for the loss of those poor kids and their families.
Sending love, virtual support, and every good thought to you. Isis has now claimed responsibility. I guess it’s just how you phrased it, they want to show that they can come into our backyards and terrify and hurt us. Damn them all.
I hate to be the devil’s advocate here – but what are we doing in their backyards? To their homes and children? Why are we not listening in sympathy to the death of their children? Why are simple men fighting in the streets? Is it pride? After WWII, we thought so well of ourselves to divide their country – and arm Israel with nuclear weapons, because that was the distance of long-range missiles in that hour. I honestly get tired of the poor jews conversation – the millions that they lost in death camps don’t get a mention to the even millions more lost everywhere to tribalism. (I never hear about Africa or Stalin – so why do I have to listen to stories about the jews, over and over on American TV? Propaganda is rife! They play with Us.
I sympathize with the victims of a bloody sport that is played by all.
I feel angry that religions can be the arbiter of such bloodshed. Religions – ?!
My kids go to these concerts. One direction, Justin Bieber. I can’t believe this. It’s never crossed my mind something like this cpuls happen.
My heart aches for the parents who can’t contact their children. I honestly can imagine no worse pain.
Yes my nephew and her schoolmate too…awful, awful.
I kept hoping against hope that whatever happened was unrelated to terror or an act of any one person, but it looks like they finally have an arrest. The only remotely bright spot is that so far no terror organization has claimed responsibility, although that won’t stop Theresa May, 45 and all their little cronies from exploiting this tragedy to push their agendas.
Those poor kids. The beauty and escape that music offers is more necessary than ever these days and to have this happen AGAIN is just….I don’t have words.
Daesh just claimed it. But they claim everything so we need to just wait for the police.
Well, f**k.
Daesh hates being called Daesh. I’d rub it to their faces: DAESH. And yes, f**k.
My headline alerts are popping saying Isis is claiming it.
As I understand it, Daesh is a pejorative of the name. Is why I use it.
But as Sixer says, Daesh claims everything. Best to wait until the police provide information on the killer.
Sixer – DAESH is the acronym of iSis in Arabic. DAESH believes that the acronym in English gives them more “prestige” and “credibility” so that’s why they hate being called DAESH. I learnt about this after the attacks in Paris but don’t remember the source. But you are right, they consider it a perjorative. That’s why I use it too.
Daesh claim stuff if the perp watched a single video of theirs a decade ago. Our press have started to say things like “inspired by…” to emphasise that there’s very often no organisation behind these atrocities. But either way, we don’t know anything yet.
By the way, most people in the Middle East do not believe the propaganda put out by ISIS. My son believes that the young males, with no access to sexuality, go to war. I don’t know…-what is the excuse for the older men, directing? The young men are passionate.
It’s about women and the power not allowed. A group may never hold another down – historically, there will always be battle when this occurs. When do we stop raping our planetary home – that we emerged from as human beings, and to whom we return?
It’s a very spiritual question that we must ask ourselves, that has nothing to do with any particular religion or region, but as a species, what do we love most and are willing to give one another, simply because we love – which is the DNA that has the possibility of succeeding?
It’s horrific and cruel and I still can’t fathom that the scum who did this deliberately targeted children.
This is so awful!
I’m always concerned something like this will happen. It’s heartbreaking, but it also makes me incredibly angry at the POS’ behind this. When your religion or religious leaders interpret & direct you to kill people, it’s time to leave the “church”. I’m talking about radical extremists from any religion.
It just kills me because religion is supposed to be about love & light…yet people turn it into hate & death & darkness.
For many of these kids, it may have been their first time at a concert. It’s so awful. And as a person that has struggled with PTSD for decades, I know some will have that to face now.
My heart goes out to them all 💞 To the commenter above, I truly hope your friend is safe and sound.
Was so heartbroken by this. Concerts are a place of joy and fun and this night ripped that from so many. Most of the casualties are children under 18. Awful and apparently AG is hysterical (understable) by the attack hence canceling the tour. My heart is sad for her and every single person in that arena.
There is NO god that justifies taking a life. I’m friends with people across the religious spectrum and they would all say the same. The one thing we cannot give into is hate which is what right winged asshats don’t understand. All that does is galvanize more terrorists. When we hate and give into fear they win. Manchester showed its colors last night by banding together to help people connect, find places to stay and find rides home.
Stay strong Manchester. Much love from NYC.
I just came online and the first victim I see is an eight year old girl named Saffie.Probably her first concert, her sister and mom are in the hospital.The article didn’t mention their conditions.Hopefully they will survive.
RIP to all the victims who were murdered after attending a pop concert.
I just saw that too. Was fighting back tears on the subway into work.
Even though I live in Britain, I too come from a war torn country.
My family and I have seen unspeakable horrors but not a single one of us have ever felt the bitterness you feel.
Your country is suffering because of people from your country.
On one side, people like you attack western countries for interfering in your country’s civil war.
On the other hand, you blame the same western countries for not doing enough.
The worst you wrote is that you are actually okay with people dying because people around you die. What justice is that?
@Maya. These terrorist don’t care. They are just doing this as “Eye for an eye” excuse. You blew innocents in my country, we will do the same. That’s their thinking.
This will not get better unless people from around the world come together and stop terrorism. Also show love for your fellow man.
You make some pretty sweeping generalizations….
I’m not sure I agree with you, but would like to hear more about your experience.
Maya, I hear you.
And Im sure she not only feels guilt because of her fans that died and were injured, but she also probably has running through her head “If there had been delays with the concert, that could have been me right now”.
Definitely scary.
*Comment to which I replied was deleted.
Turkey?
Simply awful. For the victims, the injured, their families, Ariana and her team. I don’t know what to say.
Prayers for Saffie Roussos, age 8 (yes, only 8 years old) and Georgina Callendar, age 18.
Just heartbreaking.
Awful.. just awful, I don’t have any other words. I feel sorry for Ariana too, I hope she won’t feel guilty.
I can’t stand Ariana, but god I feel sorry for her today. I want to hug her. I hope she’ll be okay from this and doesn’t blame herself.
I know. I found her annoying, but her impressions were pretty good.
Now my heart will soften every time I see/hear her. Poor kid.
Firstly, of course, thoughts of families, mamas who lost babies.
My heart goes out to the injured and the families of the injured and the dead, all their friends, the people of Manchester, and our British friends here. So sad, wasteful, infuriating, horrifying.
—
As for Trump – while “evil loser” may be good enough a term, what is he – an evil loser himself – doing to promote peace? All his actions have been provocative, and his thinly staffed government is making his own country more vulnerable. No one sleeps well with him in office.
Well said. Thank you.
Sending all my love to Manchester. As a Parisian, this senseless tragedy hits close to home. And to think that when I saw Manchester trending on twitter, I thought it meants Antoine Griezman had signed with Man U. If only
I see my own children in a couple of years…it’s too horrible for words.
No offense, but do you believe that brown people do not care for their own children, as we do our own? Why is it a terrorist attack – when we are doing terror to them?
I could hate myself for not feeling the nationalism – but I feel empathy for all humans, instead. Am I crazy or merely uninformed? That’s it – it’s just me! However, I call it, the blame game is overwhelming!
I imagine the world after a nuclear attack, and all the strides that were made by great minds made powerless. This is why I believe that we should all rejoice and live our best life – “this is our time”. The earth is beauteous, and we are here for a mere second in cosmological time. We are most fortunate! Gratitude rocks! Everyone here will be dead in 100 years. This is also, our time together.
For 16 years I lived in the centre of Manchester next to the MEN Arena, I’ve been to many many gigs there and I have always felt safe in Manchester.
My heart is broken today, I have cried over and over for everyone involved, I can’t handle the thought of the kids at the gig, it’s just too much.
I only moved away 4 years ago and I miss Manchester every day, my heart is there today x
My dear, there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. I am so sorry that this is a time of mourning. Blessings and biggest hugs – do not be alone in this time!
I seriously can go trough this anymore. I already been thought this, I almost got hit by a bullet once and I went to sleep with the nose of gun shootings every days back in the days in Africa. I am glad I escaped the situation but seing this happening in Europe makes me want to Kill myself because I really can go through the same shit again. I am so done with violence and massacre of innocent people.
Stay strong anon. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through but the world is ultimately a good place and it will get better. We’re rooting for you xxx
Please don’t. The world needs people who care more than ever.
Remember that you can always call for help when you are feeling like this, whether its an emergency line, a friend or family. And remember that people care about you.
Please stay connected to people. Even strangers who have never met you care about you. I am one.
Suicide – blessed relief from this world. But our DNA and cells have fought for existence on this planet for ages. Do you look at the science of being alive? – 5 billion years of earth time, 65 million years since the dinosaurs, and here we are as humans, approximately 100,000 years together.
Don’t leave Us alone, in this battle for sunshine. Don’t leave me alone, I should say because it is hard for me too.
I am a lost of words right now. You know what’s worse about this …. is that the ISIS loves this. What sick people and even worse…. Psycho people like Nigel Farage and Donald Trump use this as hate speech towards ISIS which is not even going to get better because ISIS LOVES THIS ATROCIOUSNESS.
Cowardly is not what to call them because they will do it again. They are despicable, disgusting and cruel. Also, they want everyone to be scared…. however this is not going to happen. All everyone should do is come together as one and defeat them by having intelligence to get these terrorist before they start terror attacks. Instead crazy people like Nigel Farage and Donald Trump wants to “try to get rid of them” with bombs and snipers, which will make matters worse. Wipe a whole Muslim community because of ISIS really? I am not condoning what ISIS has done but the only way to defeat ISIS for everyone especially Muslim community from around the world to pitch in and stop terrorism.
It worked by defeating Adolf Hitler in WW2 why can it work now to defeat ISIS.
Again, I am terribly sorry and so hurt for everyone at the Manchester Attacks. My heart goes out to them.
Someone pointed out a long time ago that these attacks can be considered as recruitment drives. When people respond to them with hatred of Muslims and acting accordingly – their purpose is fulfilled. That reaction feeds recruitment because it convinces the potential recruits that they and their loved ones are under siege and there is no hope for nonviolent change, so they are even willing to die themselves to take down more of their enemies.
It takes a lot to get people past some natural internal barriers to killing other people they don’t even know (military training tries to do just that), but especially the natural barriers to suicide. Every hateful word, especially from leaders who have microphones in front of them, helps to overcome those internal barriers and encourage more attacks.
And as a practical matter, antagonizing the community that has the best chance of noticing behavior that might indicate a potential attacker seems incredibly stupid as well as grossly unfair.
Of course Miley has to post a ridiculous photo of herself, because this awful tragedy is somehow all about her
She posted a photo of herself with a good friend, please just go away now. Not the place for that!
Really? She posted that pic to remind her friend of a better time,a happy time.I have seen dozens of posts of celebs and fans posting pics of themselves with Ariana.Jennifer Hudson posted a pic of herself with Ariana about an hour after the bombing,saying she was praying for everyone.I saw it and it never crossed my mind she was making it about herself.
I thought all the musicians’ tweets seemed very appropriate and heartfelt.
The photo is tasteless, a bunny suit when kids have died? But that’s Miley.
Oh for heavens sake. First it’s her and her friend who was playing at the event that was bombed, in better days. Second. She’s 20 something, maybe she doesn’t have the emotional maturity to react the way you and kari deem appropriate. Why post such negative things at a time like this?
This bombing shows the black hearts of the bomber, all who helped plan it, and all who celebrated it. In contrast are the heroes: the strangers who comforted each other, the police and other first responders, and most of all, those who lost their lives or who were wounded. And then there are the taxi drivers, the people who opened their homes, and the hotels. All of them opened their hearts, homes, and businesses to comfort and shelter those affected. Bless them.
Humans are good- it is simply not a phenomenon of being white in a wealthy country.
WE are taught to hate one another by propaganda. The earth is sacred to all beings – isn’t it funny that the pope finally told us that animals have souls – which every child already understood for all the ages?
This is what I sometimes believe -{Lao Tsu Tao Te Ching # 50}.
“Between birth and death,
Three in ten are followers of life,
Three in ten are followers of death.
And men just passing from birth to death also number three in ten”
Religious beliefs are nearly an instinct, in effect, since the beginning of time; and that gives the 1 in ten, who exist above, or below – being those we call saints or demons a real effect in our lives. (Let’s not forget the priestly caste, who attempt to explain everything for money!) It is hard to be alive! But our cells and organs seldom complain if we feed them the sun. Check out works about the Neolithic Mind. We are fabulous!
Our cells do not give up when we despair of living – nor is it possible for Us to give up, with these odds.
I want the word “TRYING”, placed above my grave, for it is all that I understand – quoting Maya Angelo – I rise!
This is such a terrible tragedy, it really hits home…my girls go to concerts all summer long here in the states. There is a large outdoor venue in our state and I bet they attend 6 or 7 concerts. It is a scary time in our world. Those poor people, I cannot imagine.
My teenage daughter, too. Frightening.
Awful, awful. My social media is full of people looking for missing children and siblings.
Too horrible to even process. I hope the victims’ families can find peace, and that the world together can find some kind of solution to end this plague of terrorism striking the most innocent in our society.
Think what you will about Ariana Grande but I feel bad for her too. She’s famous for singing like a songbird and having a ponytail and now her name will forever be linked to this unspeakable tragedy. I hope she gets some counseling.
Terrible, horrific. Damn those terrorist scums. How do we break this cycle. How do we stop terrorists from being made, from being numb. I hope those injured get eased from their pain soon. Rest in peace to those who perished…
The poor parents of these children.
Also, I am sure Ariana is feeling some guilt. She shouldn’t though. This was out of her control…but she and anyone who was directly affected by this horrific act will most definitely suffer from PTSD.
Poor kid, she must be going through hell. No way she is remotely to blame for any of this.
Per TMZ, Ariana’s mom was sitting in the front row and started corralling unattended kids backstage after the bombs went off.
http://www.tmz.com/2017/05/23/ariana-grande-concert-attack-mother-fans-backstage/
“Ariana is a dangerous woman because she doesn’t apologize for being a woman, for being sexual, for being political. Her fans are dangerous women because they like Ariana Grande.”
I don’t understand the rationale of this statement. Can someone explain, please?
I think because this terrorist mind, woman cant behave like this. Islamic State are said it was one of them, so Ariana Grande it’s everything they hate. That’s why she is dangerous.
There is nothing rational about this sort of behaviour or belief.
There is no rationale. They are sick with perverted beliefs of justice. No humanity in them. Scums.
There is no rationale with these monsters. They’re driven by hatred of anything good and decent and different in this world. There’s no reasoning behind what they do except for hate.
The rational is that we all are free women. Whether it be young women having fun at a pop concert in England or women fighting for basic health care in the United States or even more basic rights in other countries…the young women and their families were targeted because of their Freedom.
Thank you all for answering. I find these generalizations dangerous too, can be seen as xenophobia and that’s what they want to say: see? We were right. People discriminate us…
I don’t think they have any reasoning other than creat shock and horror.
For God sake, explaining why those terrotists attack us and why they chose this target is not racism.
It’s not racism to say they have a problem with music, dancing and free women.
I know people want to be PC and inclusive but this kind of reasonning is crazy.
Seriously, they hate us for what we are, you don’t have to spare their feelings.
These f*ckers knew they were killing kids and teens! perhaps on one of the happiest days on their lives bc they were seeing their idol. I’m so terribly upset. My heart mourns for them, and also poor Ariana, apparently she is blaming herself. Between this and what is happening in the Philippines I can’t process knews this morning. I’m logging off the internet for the day
A week ago I was on holiday in Yorkshire. On the Sunday it was a beautiful day and I did a 4.5 miles walk which took me up onto a ridge where I could see wonderful, peaceful, green countryside in every direction.. At the time I thought “how can this be so lovely peaceful when at the same time there is so much evil and trouble in the world. Then this happened 70 miles away!
But we must always remember for all the evil there are those, as in Manchester last night and Paris 18 months ago, who rush to help and give aid in whatever way they can.
I can’t stop thinking of those children, those poor, terrified babies. I can’t even imagine how scared they were. This is something they will carry with them their whole lives. I am absolutely horrified and saddened by this tragedy. When will it end? My heart is broken for Manchester and the families that will never ever be the same.
Unfortunately it won’t end. With so many undocumented, unchecked refugees coming in and the strength of ISIS things are only going to get worse and attacks will increase. Sharia law is legal in courts in England and the dated, physical punishments are legal. People need to open their eyes and see that not all religions and people can co-exist. I fear that these terrorist attacks will only increase and go up in fatalities until a severe war erupts.
Sharia courts are not legal in the UK. Do pipe down.
In some cases, religious arbitration bodies are allowed in civil matters – mostly divorce. The main secular arbitration body for divorce is Relate, but couples may also forge agreements via a Catholic mediation service, the Jewish Beth Din, or their imam operating on sharia principles. But NO religious arbitration body can produce a settlement that in any way contradicts UK law, Muslim or otherwise – including all equality legislation.
To date, there are over 100 Sharia courts in the UK & these Sharia courts have been issuing rulings that contradict Britain’s common law.
Sixer is right. There are no “sharia courts” in the UK. There are private arbitration hearings which may be governed by religious principles, but they cannot contradict the common law. The Arbitration Act 1996 is very clear.
I am so sad, and sickened by this whole thing. To kill innocent children, there are just no words.
I almost wish she would continue her tour…as a big F YOU to terrorists, but it’s completely understandable why she can’t. This sounds awful, but I’m not even surprised when I see tragedies like this in the news anymore… Sad, yes, but surprised, no… 🙁
I am here so late today-my heart is broken for those who were murdered and injured and for their families. If anyone out there is from Manchester, please accept my love and prayers. I am so ,so sorry that this is the world we live in.
You are mourning at the consequences but refusing to look at the causations. Tearing countries apart for nefarious purposes will eventually catch up with your own – and then you become “collateral damage”. Your soldiers are fighting under the pretense of greed and their soldiers are fighting with everything they have lost. Advanced weapons can’t win over the sheer will of humans – always have been.
That will be of great comfort for those mourning today, I’m sure.
Sadly i fear that you are right about this.
Yeah, ok….
Clearly you know very little about this question.
But whatever.
People die everyday in those war-torn countries via western “interference”. Miss me with that BS until you actually give a sh!t about them. The cycle of hatred started by sheer arrogance will continue to wreck havoc on the willfull ignorance – deservedly or not. I hope at least some will channel their fear into positives and contribute to stop the ppintless wars the world over.
This has really got to me. They were kids. It’s sickening beyond belief.
I think the U.S. intelligence community and/or the current shambles of a White House administration has something to answer for- they leaked details of the attack and the name of the bomber to the press after the Brits had asked them to exercise restraint because it’s an ongoing investigation. It was on NBC hours before the BBC. Ministers and agents over here have said that they’re ‘irritated’ by that kind of reckless behaviour, which is basically Brit code for ‘fucking furious’.
This has made me so angry. Obviously the bombing makes me more furious but the US are supposed to be our allies. They put our investigation at risk over a pissing contest of who could get the details out quickest. Shame on the leakers. Can’t see Britain sharing Intel with the US so freely in the future when this shit happens.
This was honestly outrageous.
As I understand it, details were being withheld because of the (relative) sophistication of the bomb, which led security services to consider the likelihood of accomplices and secondary attacks to be high. This wasn’t the same thing as the guy in London careering across a bridge in his car at all at all at all.
UK intelligence shared with US intelligence as per current protocol. US intelligence leaked to US press almost immediately. US press published almost immediately.
Imagine if there had been a secondary attack that got accelerated because accomplices had been alerted and more people had died.
I have no idea whether this is a consequence of a disastrous Trump administration or if Trump himself (heaven forfend) is actually right that US security services are corrupted leaky sieves. Either way, I’m afraid from where I’m sitting in Britland, the US has shown itself to be currently an entirely unreliable partner.
It’s appalling on every level. I know people who work in news who sat on information for hours because they knew full well that to release it before GMP/MI5 were ready would be to endanger the public. The U.S. and their bloody irresponsible media forced their hand. The government were considering withholding the bomber’s name entirely yesterday (because funnily enough, it looks like he may have been part of a network as you said). I’m so angry about this, and just about everything really.
I think I might just go to my allotment and shout at all the vegetables for the next couple of days. I’m so angry about everything.
Useless US as an intelligence partner and ally, recklessly endangering the investigation of an immediate terrorist threat because of – well, whatever the eff is happening in the US at the moment.
Army personnel redirected to fixed point guarding (embassies, parliament, etc) because the current government has cut 20,000 police officers and that’s the only way they can increase street police presence in the midst of a critical security situation.
Threat level raised to critical but ministers look interviewers in the eye and say, with a straight face, that it can’t stay critical for long – not because we’ll reduce the threat level, but because cuts mean our resources would be too stretched.
And that’s before we even start with dead children.
I was about to comment on that. There’s a reason the government didn’t want his name to be released- if he didn’t do it on his own, other people involved in the plan might feel pressured into carrying out a second attack because now they know they might get caught any second.
This will further destroy our trust in the US as an ally and if they keep on doing that, other countries will stop sharing information with them.