Backlash

I'd been discussing whether there would be any backlash by ignorant scum on both "sides" concerning the London bombings with a colleague at work and we'd both agreed it would be bound to happen. What I didn't expect was that it would be personal to me.

My other half is currently on his way back from casualty at Whipps Cross after being "bottled". He's apparently got stitches in his scalp and as he put it when he rang me at 4am "a splitting headache" oh the irony. The reason for this unexpected hospital highlight? He defended a Muslim who was being racially abused by some ignorant bitch who was loudly accusing this bloke of being "one of them bastards who bombed London". When OH made the comment that this type of talk sickened him, he was attacked by a man who was with the girl. This wasn't in some hot bed of religious oratory, it was in a takeway in Walthamstow.

OH is apparently OK, I haven't actually seen him yet. I am glad that there are people prepared to challenge the bigotry on a local level, even at a personal risk to themselves. Why? Because it proves that decency does still exist and the scum won't win at any level.

OH probably doesn't look the type of person that most people would think as being the sort to defend someone being racially abused. He is one of those wiry, skinny blokes with shaved head (due to going bald) and generally is described as being "moody looking". When we went to vote locally and he'd trudged along to the polling station clad in England rugby shirt, the BNP candidate positively beamed at the sight of him and said on the way out "Count on your vote then sir?" I'm sure the BNP would have welcomed the fact that his reply was very much fluent anglo saxon. Just goes to show how deceptive appearances can be all round. Actions are what count, not the way things look or are spun by the media.

I see the dawn is breaking - I've been up for 24hrs now without sleep - I'm going to savour the sunrise.