MadMel2

Muslims are not dangerous. We are human beings like everyone else, with families, love, care, and ordinary lives. Our faith teaches compassion, not hatred. Our Prophet taught respect and mercy. Yes, there are a few extremists who distort our religion and bring shame to it, but they do not represent the vast majority of Muslims. So why is it that many still get profiled and treated as suspects? Is it fear, or hate?

Protesters on Henry Street, Dublin, call for boycott of Arnotts department store in wake of Yves Sakila death.

The response to the death of Yves Sakila definitively proves that identity matters. For decades Irish people have been told that "Anyone can be Irish" and "Immigrants are just as Irish as you or me" and even suggesting otherwise is an act of unfathomable bigotry. Just this week a TV host said that an African man, born in Africa, to two African parents is just as Irish as any of us because he can kick a soccer ball. We've seen criminal after criminal from the all four corners of the globe commit the most heinous crimes only for our papers to describe them as "Dublin man" or "Sligo man" because they've been living in a tax payer funded apartment for 6 months. But today it's all about "Black Irish, Congolese Irish, African Irish, foreign Irish". All of a sudden, identity really matters to these people. As soon as there's a chance to side with their own tribe and attack the natives of the country they take it without a moment's pause because that's where their loyalties lie. If a member of their group commits a heinous crime "We're all just Irish and noticing their race/ethnicity is bigoted". But if a member of their tribe is done wrong, then all of a sudden identity is their most important and defining factor. Watch the news, turn on your radio, scroll your social media feed and you will see dozens of different idenity groups (many of which are taxpayer funded) coming out of the woodwork advocating for nationwide changes trying everything in their power to turn this into some Irish BLM George Floyd. They are doing this because are fighting for their own people, they prioritise their own and they don't care about you. They are telling you directly that it doesn't matter that this country and it's people took them in, welcomed them and gave them a great life. They still won't give you the benefit of the doubt or even wait for the facts. They will instantly side with a violent, thieving, scumbag because he looks like them and they will do it without a moment's hesitation. They are telling you that even though they live in your country, their idenity matters, they value their own people above you and they will beat you down if it helps raise them up. We Irish had better start taking our own side again because this last week has proved, no matter how kind, generous and welcoming we are nobody else is going to.