This girl has been castigated and disenfranchised because
she left the UK to go to the IS. At the time she was 15 years of age. When she
entered the refugee camp in Syria, she was heavily pregnant, and she now has a
baby boy. Much controversy surrounds the mother and child. Many seem
to think that she is a Muslim Jihadist and allowing her to return to the UK
poses a threat to our security. My initial reaction was that it serves her right because the
faction she left the UK to join is without doubt, by western standards, evil.
There are not may people who would disagree with this and international efforts
to erase IS seem to be successful. It would be described in Horrible History (a
humorous book looking at British History) as a GOOD THING and I think few could
argue otherwise. The Home Office Minister, Mr Javid, has revoked her British
citizenship and she is now stateless. Serves her right, did I hear you say? The
regime to which she clung since 2015 was evil. How could she have been
convinced otherwise? Well folks, the simple fact is that there are many older and
wiser British people who have been ‘radicalised’ and convinced to fight for
Islamic extremism. I agree they are mostly unemployed morons who have abused our
benefits system and have no gratitude for the country which has raised them in
safety in an unsafe world. Hence my first reaction was to think precisely that
- yes, make her stateless – we don’t need such people in our country. Thinking deeper though, one has to realise that a
15-year-old is a child; on the cusp of adulthood, but a child nonetheless.
Children make mistakes. I’ve had 4 children in my time, and I can recall many
times when they got it wrong and needed help to make good decisions. Ms Begum
may not be a child any longer but her life-changing stupid mistake was made
when she was. It strikes me that leaving her stateless is an injustice because
although her child can enter the country she cannot. She would be separated
from her child for life and end up somewhere like Kazakstan on her own with
inadequate means to support herself. All I’m saying is that I think we have to question what we
have become – are we really ruthless, unforgiving and unkind? That is not the British
way. It never has been. A little more understanding and kindness is needed here
in my opinion although she has to be watched very closely, we should allow her
back here to show that we are better than the radical fanatics and terrorists
and that our country stands for more than plain law-keeping. I think we need to
show the world our quality. Bet loads of people disagree, but a child who makes a stupid
mistake deserves forgiveness, understanding and guidance, not
disenfranchisement. |