In the advent of any ‘terror’ related event we experience a plethora of apologies and condemnations from leaders worldwide. These are some very important considerations we should all keep in mind before we hurry to issue our responses:

  1. Wait for the truth to emerge. Not every act of violence by a Muslim is “terrorism”.
  2. Don’t jump on the bandwagon. Avoid knee jerk reactions and speculation until a motive is established.
  3. Think before you speak. Public statements must be measured and refer to the wider context in which violence is occurring.
  4. Avoid loaded terms. When you speak, use neutral language to avoid pitfalls of loaded terms such as “terrorism”, “extremism” and “radicalisation”.
  5. Be independent. Maintain your independence in analysis and don’t be led by the government and the media on events.
  6. Be mindful of wider agendas. Act only in the interest of your community, while being aware of wider agendas that seek to further securitise our society.
  7. Avoid collective guilt. Avoid statements that imply a collective guilt. They only perpetuate negative stereotypes about Muslims.

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(NOTE: CAGE represents cases of individuals based on the remit of our work. Supporting a case does not mean we agree with the views or actions of the individual. Content published on CAGE may not reflect the official position of our organisation.)