Opinion: Time to change the narrative and 'stamp out' racism and xenophobia

Hatred has been being planted within our communities and it’s not only grown but it’s flourishing. We need to stamp it out.

Last week, a member of our community posted a picture on social media of a Mansfield resident accusing him of being a child snatcher and paedophile.

This post was shared more than 2,000 times before being removed at the request of the police.

This post brought out local racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia.

The man’s possible address was posted online, along with various threats towards him, mostly pointing towards his colour, possible race and religion, and that he may be an asylum-seeker. Or, as some worded it, “one of the boat people”.

He was tried and sentenced by the “court of Facebook” and despite the police issuing a statement that nothing untoward had taken place, some are still on a manhunt.

Unfortunately, this is just one incident locally where someone has been vilified for merely looking different, or sounding different.

These witch hunts have been encouraged by Tory MPs who promote division with their comments and posts in the public sphere.

We have had more than a decade of a government who doesn’t believe in the average man.

A government that does it’s best to help the rich while snorting at “common folk”, using them for its amusement, watching them fight over issues they’ve pushed out to distract them from the bigger ones.

A government that has stayed in power through promoting a “white Britain” where we do not have to see a person of colour, or hear a different language.

A government that pays into the bombing of various states and then insults the refugees who are the result of their actions.

It is about time we change the narrative. We are kind big-hearted welcoming people who need to leave no room for hate in our homes and in our towns.

We are better than what is being forced on us by the government.

Let’s make that clear to everyone. Let’s not let hatred continue to take root here.