Individual Anarchy vs. 'Terrorism'

In the 21st Century, words such as 'terrorism', 'fear' and 'racism' are thrown about in relation to attacks that threaten our way of life, our social setup, and the way in which we perceive other societies and religions. Social media and newspapers become the spark and catalyst for people to build some form of opposition, riposte, and personal opinions on matters far and wide, whether or not they are soundly backed up or not. The impact of social media is massive, and the influence it can have on individuals perspectives on news stories and events that transcend within society can be monumental as well. Images and stories to tell one side of the story but ensure the part of the story that the government, newspaper or individual does not want the reader or listener to know so as to wholly put their idea across in a somewhat simple, yet manipulative  manner.

Why do I transgress from the recent events in the news and discuss the influence of images and social media instead? I transgress on the basis that this latest tragedy in Woolwich support this reference to the importance of social media in relation to tragedies that happen throughout the world. On the 22nd May 2013, Drummer Lee Rigby was murdered in cold blood in the middle of the day outside a barracks in Woolwich by Michael Adebowale and Michael Adebolajo, individuals who were on the radar of the MI5 but had not been picked up prior to this attack. Was this an attack to get attention for the two individuals alone? Was it an attack to provoke an even larger scaled backlash throughout the United Kingdom against the 'tyranny' of our current governments and society? Or was it an attack that was so extreme, un-calculated  and individualistic that it was just a freak incident one would hope would never be repeated? Whichever the answer and reasoning behind the attack was, they have been criticised and condemned from every corner of society, in the Muslim based communities as well as other British citizens and politicians alike.

This was the first serious 'terror' attack which Britain had encountered since the July bombings of 2005. The backlash and reaction regarding this unprovoked attack, this devastating blow to the family of an innocent war hero have been vast, condemning and emotional. The knowledge that a heart wrenching story such as Lee Rigby's, and the fear that extremists are getting more extreme over the course of time since the attacks on the Twin Towers on the 11th September 2001. The story goes that both of these men grew in their extremist views when they were in jail previously, and as one can only assume, they will try and expose the weaknesses in some of the prisoners once they are in jail for murder so as to spread the fear and extremist manners. The over-loading of provocative and racist posts on Twitter and Facebook were quite staggering in the days following this attack, classing it as a terrorist attack right after news broke out of this murder. This ultimately led to the outcry of extreme news headlines and life stories relating to the individuals involved in the horrific event that unfolded on that fateful May day. The family themselves did not want any unnecessary backlash and that Lee Rigby's death would not be a reason for inexcusable reprisal attacks and that any response would be of a peaceful nature. This reversed desire of the saying 'an eye for an eye' is a mentality that has to respected and admired, especially from the family of the victim of such a horrific circumstances.

In conclusion, I think that it safe to say that this attack was a freak incident which was undertaken by two individuals who have severe mental issues as well as working on their own and not as part of a larger scheme so as to instil and promote havoc, terror and fear throughout the multi-ethnic communities of Woolwich and throughout the rest of the United Kingdom too. However, it is important to always note the important role the media plays in regards to pressing an ideology across to the readers of the newspapers and listeners of the radio in relation to whether an attack is terrorist based or just a case of mentally unstable people taking the law into their own hands so as to become martyrs in their own minds. Nonetheless, it is fundamental that one understands the notion that the colour of a persons skin and fundamental beliefs are always going to alter the way the media would portray the case, as was shown through some of the high cased murder of Stephen Lawrence by white individuals with radical racist tendencies, and the numerous other cases that have been portrayed through the news as attacks of racism and the London bombings being part of a greater 'terror plot' to provoke fear throughout society. What I'm trying to say is that with murder being outright wrong, it is clear that it is not only people of an ethnic nature that are the individuals solely behind hate crime, and that there are extremists in every society, it just so happens that some are more aggressive than the passive individuals.

Jonathan Whitehead