Theresa May condemns 'sickening cowardice' of Manchester attack

[brooklynite]

Source: The Guardian

Theresa May has said police believe they know the identity of the Manchester Arena bomber, as she gave a speech outside No 10 condemning the “sickening cowardice” of the perpetrator of the attack that killed 22 people.

“All acts of terrorism are cowardly attacks on innocent people, but this attack stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice, deliberately targeting innocent, defenceless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives,” the prime minister said, after chairing a meeting of the Cobra crisis committee.

May, who will travel to Manchester later on Tuesday, said the city had “fallen victim to a callous terror attack, which targeted some of the youngest people in our society with cold calculation”.

Live Manchester Arena: Theresa May says police know identity of bomber who killed 22– latest
Police say attacker died after detonating ‘improvised explosive device’ in foyer of concert hall
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The prime minister confirmed that 22 people were killed and 59 injured in the attack at about 10.30pm after a concert by the singer Ariana Grande.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/23/theresa-may-condemns-sickening-cowardice-of-manchester-attack

[brooklynite]

1. BREAKING: Manchester police have arrested a 23-year old in conjunction with the bombing.

[LiberalLovinLug]

2. I always think that calling them 'cowards' is counter productive

In the same vein as Bill Maher's statement that got him fired from ABC, it is not cowardice that makes them strap on a nail bomb and detonate it. Just as it wasn't cowardice to fly a plane into a building. That is a simplistic way to try and paint them as weak and the couch potatoes that condemn them as the brave heros.

They are sick individuals, brainwashed by cowardly assholes that never do the deed themselves. But it still takes a lot of guts to go through with it, no matter how many willing young virgins you think you are getting out of it.

Calling them cowards might feel good, but ISIS does not consider it a cowardly act no matter how much you call them that. And any true believers like this chap, depressed and sick and on the verge of doing something similar, do not look at it as cowardly either. In fact it is the opposite of cowardly to martyr oneself for the "greater good" by also taking ones own life.

So who are we trying to convince that they are cowards? Ourselves. Because gosh golly, we have the courage to NOT blow ourselves and others up. We are stronger and resist that urge. In other words its silly and counterproductive.

What is scary is that they DO have the courage to carry out these horrible acts. That is what we have to stop. To show them there are better ways to be courageous. Ban hate speech that incites this kind of misguided courage.