Who Benefits from Fear?

Who Benefits from Fear?

By: Erreh Svaia

Goat Dispersion

“Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.”

Mahatma Gandhi

It was sad to read about the news yesterday, a suicidal terrorist activated a bomb in the middle of American pop star Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, UK, 22 victims, just think about it, who goes to an Ariana Grande concert? Very young people, people who are not even able to vote, mainly girls, so you bet the terrorist attack targeted one of the most defenseless part of society, very young women, paradoxically enough this happens on the way to the UK elections set to be happening in June 8, the main contenders, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Conservative Party candidate Theresa May, current prime minister of the UK, May, who felt her own party was coming apart on the road towards triggering Brexit, called for elections in order to concentrate power, on the way she mentioned a law that will tax employers that hire immigrants, and if that wasn't scandalous enough, she is making a common protectionist front with Donald Trump, not a good thing considering that those who stood at the side with Trump (Gert Wilders from the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen from France) were crushed during their respective electoral process, so it looks as if the conservative side could benefit from the machinations of the so called architects of fear, yes, those guys who once helped Bush Jr. to get full authority to bomb Middle East after September 9/11 attacks, the same guys who helped Trump win the 2016 USA elections and those who also helped Wilders and Le Pen become populist nationalist stars in their respective countries, it was thanks to fear, terrorism and social networks that Wilders and Le Pen managed to be world known, their campaign was overrated thanks to the magnifying glass of internet, Wilders did worst on election day than on his previous appearance and Le Pen despite record votes for the National Front, she was far from getting a 50% of the votes.

The terrorist attack was recognized by the Islamic State, but considering the decaying shape of ISIS, it looks that in order to achieve some fame they are in disposition to accept any major terror attack as their own, Manchester events were not an exception, as the suicidal bomber was identified as a 22 year old man, devout of Islam, a shy son of refugees from the Gadhafi regime, a lone wolf, another Europe born guy who acted alone, who seems to be used as an ideological weapon in order to scare Europeans and radicalized fellow Muslims, again all eyes are on the supposed menace of Islam, but considering Islam as the root of the problem might not be accurate enough, as extremism and radicalization could be more of a syndrome than a basis for it, let's not forget that people like Putin, Trump, Le Pen, Wilders and Orbán (even Erdogan in Turkey has benefited from terrorism) have benefited from it in one way or another, nationalist politicians benefit from the global crisis of 2008, as they blamed migration as the major cause of it, and considering the fact that the terrorist menace also helps putting Brexit once again on a fast track.

A world condemnation against Islam seems to be the objective of the attacks once again, but let's not forget that southern Europe was once under Muslim influence and it was a blossoming period of diverse cultures, and that major terrorist attacks have always been perpetrated by European nationalists in places like Ireland or Spain, paradoxically enough part of separatist movements and don't forget Anders Breivik, a Norwegian far right wing practitioner who performed the major terrorist attack in Scandinavia, so just think about who could be the major beneficiaries from such a horrid attacks? Islam? Of course, not! People get angry about Islam, civil society get radicalized against Islam and young European Muslims as a consequence...as someone is sowing the seeds of hate and intolerance, the big cancers here are fanaticism and nationalism, and someone keeps using them as a weapon, as Grande made a statement about being "broken", Theresa May says the UK is not broken, but as singer Morrissey affirms, is May the one who is not broken and knows she gets stronger by instilling fear and hate against the exterior, unfortunately is May's Conservative Party the one that would benefit the most thanks to the attack and to the ineptitude of the opposition, this will only reassure that by the 8 of June “Trumponomics” will rule the UK thanks to ignorance, fear and intolerance.