Doctors held for bombing attempts, but NHS defends vetting procedures

I feel that medical training and the medical profession as a whole
encourages courteousness, patience, level-headedness, open-mindedness,
consideration and good temperament, while discouraging prejudice or pre-
judgement of people – professionals and patients. I’ve had the pleasure of
working with some great, good-natured professionals – some Muslim, and
many being non-Muslim, and feel that for the most part, it was the nature
of their training and their jobs that perhaps polished their – probably
already decent – disposition. Though some of these are not Muslim, I
consider their character to be rather Islamic.

The GMC guidelines are Islamic. The principle of the NHS is Islamic.
The fact that Britain strives to become the centre and principle of
certain areas of research, is Islamic (note: the first words revealed by
the archangel Gabriel was “Read! Read in the name of your Lord!” which
also translates to ‘learn’, in the Qur’an). The fact that Britain has a
social support network, and a system that allows the poor to gain
‘benefit’ credits/money, and the fact that however destitute one might be,
there is always (unless I’m mistaken) a way out to improve your position.
These are all Islamic principles of erudition, progression, charity,
fairness and consideration for others.
It was for these reasons that I was truely shocked and dismayed when I
heard about the fact that the most recent attackers were doctors with a
Muslim heritage. I was truly shocked that such people could be so
irrational as to do such a terrible, unIslamic act. I feel that there must
be something wrong with their mental well-being, because doctors were not
even the last people I expected to do something like this.

I’ve only worked for a year now, and was quite pleased to find that I
was regarded as a doctor first and foremost by colleagues and by patients
(except for a few rare occasions) – despite my attire: the hijab
(headscarf), the tunic, and trousers. Rarely did I feel different from
anyone else.

I really don’t think many people quite realise the effects of the
media on people’s perception of Muslims, Islam and brown-coloured/ethnic-
looking people in general.
I am a Muslim, borne and brought up in Britain, and now a doctor. This is
my home, though I do feel quite foreign – especially recently.

Unfortunately, before even 9/11, as a youngster growing up in
England, I received minimal verbal racial abuse from fellow residents in
my neighbourhood – which at that time was quite deprived. Though it was
frightening at first, being so young, it is something I just learned to
live with – I have a different appearance to most of my residents – I am
brown-coloured, so I learned to expect a bit of abuse from some misguided
individuals.

Whilst in hospital, with my ethnic attire, my stethoscope and my
hospital ID badge, patients (the general public, from all walks of life)
receive me well. I sense no ill-feelings. It is partly why I am so proud
of medicine as a profession – because we genuinely care (at least I do!)
and people know it. It is why doctors have so long been regarded as noble
and trustworthy members of society – regardless of your ethnicity or
appearance.
Nevertheless, when outside the hospital grounds, without my stethoscope
and without my hospital ID badge, some are quite abusive. I become that
brown-coloured passer-by who dresses funny. The first time that happened
(about 2 weeks after 7/7) as I was leaving the hospital grounds, and I
realised the protection my stethoscope and ID badge gave me. It was a
pathetic situation, and I felt quite depressed about it.

These are (I hope) a minority group from the general public. But why
do they hold such negative sentiments towards people who happen to be
brown or happen to bear a Muslim-ish name, or happen to look like an Arab
or Muslim? Ten or twenty years ago, the average member of the general
public knew very little about Islam. I’ve witnessed Britain through these
years until today – where the average member of the general public is now
a little more informed about Islam and Muslims, by nothing other than the
media groups that feature on our televisions and in the forms of tabloid
newspapers.
Now the media is not all that bad. It can, if used properly, do some great
things in terms of keeping us informed about worldly affairs; it can
encourage people to at least think about giving to charity; it can give us
the opportunities to learn something new. However, its greatest downfalls
are its ability to damage relations and promote or spread falsehoods, to
encourage prejudiced behaviour by the ignorant, mis-guided or easily-
influenced, and to spread inflammatory gossip about people, mostly the
famous (just because they’re famous, its no excuse to print such reports).
Tabloids which have reported violent acts such as the 9/11 and 7/7
attacks, and the more recent Glascow bombings have persistently used terms
such as ‘Islamic extremists’, ‘Islamic/Muslim terrorists’, ‘Muslim terror
plot’, ‘Islamist’ - all being offensive but the latter I find the most
offensive. Unfortunately, a generous proportion of the general public are
easily influenced by the words that these tabloids print.

Since the Glascow acts of violence, a number of doctors have had to
suffer a bit of prejudice. One colleague has been working in A&E for a
year. He is Arab and Muslim. He looks like an Arab, and even sounds like
one. He recently expressed dejection, that since the Glascow violence
happened, he’s noticed a definite and clear difference to the way patients
receive him. He now finds developing a good rapport more difficult than
ever. Before he enjoyed his job and now he feels silently judged and
discriminated against by people who really don’t know him.
A second doctor in his 1st year of doctor-hood - who isn’t even Muslim
and happens to have brown-coloured skin and black hair – has been
receiving verbal abuse from mostly Caucasian passengers on the bus home
from work, all pertaining to various terrorist attacks that have involved
‘Muslims’, as the media has put it.
Now, I feel that even in hospital, despite my stethoscope and badge,
because of my ethnicity and my attire, some patients will be more
conscious of my faith. Some might be fearful of me. Some might not want to
even be treated by me. Some might hate me for my beliefs or the way that I
wish to live my life.

Reality is one thing, but what the public think is quite another.
What the media report, and how they report is a huge responsibility on the
part of the editors and publishers, because what people read as a result
can have huge implications on the opinions and actions of people – the
readers/watchers of TV.
(Note: It’s not for no reason that ‘The Independent’ newspaper is called
‘The Independent’ – because it wants to separate itself from the skewed
reporting of some other well-known publications.)
Prematurely reporting details about such incidents can be damaging to any
future proceedings that may take place. Indeed, once someone who is
initially portrayed as guilty is found innocent, they have to make an
extra effort to rebuild their lives that the media so briskly tarnished.
People remember faces, tabloid headings and allegations more than they do
the truth. Indeed, the final truth doesn’t make the front page anyway.
Islam has been terribly portrayed. It is for this reason that Islam is
considered a violent religion; Muslims are considered as violent,
stubborn, irrational people – when the truth is far from it.

It’s all now very depressing. Sure, there is plenty about Britain
that is unIslamic, but there is so much for Muslims to be proud of about
this country – really proud. There is good and there is bad about every
country, and that includes arab, asian, eastern and western countries. The
key is for Muslims and non-Muslims to promote the good and desist the bad
– in any country/city/area/society. We have a lot to thank the media for,
but at the same time, the media, which is in a position of moral
responsibility, has a lot to answer for.

Competing interests:
None declared

This response reminds me of the Billy Joel hit ‘ We didn’t start the
fire’ – a series of historical events sung at a frenzied pitch as a
rebuttal to the criticism that their generation was responsible for most
of the global problems then!
WMD, Iraq, Jean Charles de Menzes, Forrest Gate, Harold Shipman, British
media- ??? What next?

I agree that it would be unfair to drag one’s race or profession in
this issue. This poison seems to have affected people of all races and
professions if one looks at the recent terrorist activities. Perhaps
because I am a doctor and am foolishly old fashioned I believe that people
from this noble profession should never stoop down to this level.

I also agree with the practice followed in democratic countries like
India, UK and US-‘ assumption of innocence unless proved otherwise’-
rather than indiscriminate beheading and chopping of limbs without a fair
trial which unfortunately still happens in some parts of the world.

I agree that the BMA and the GMC should continue to support all
overseas doctors during this period irrespective of their race, religion
or culture. However one feels that this incident will affect all overseas
doctors in the way they are viewed and monitored and that is very sad. [it
would not be just Arab doctors or muslims]. But that is a heavy price we
all will have to pay now.

Reaction of the public and media- has been on the whole mature and
proportionate to the magnitude of the heinous crime. [ yes, there will
always be some exceptions]. If this had happened in some other countries,
I can assure you, the backlash would have been far more virulent. [judging
by the reaction to works by Salman Rushdie and Theo Van Gogh ,
one would shudder to imagine the reaction to an actual act of killing
innocent citizens].

If you feel that the attention of the media and the investigations
seem to be focused to a particular section of the community, try to
analyze that as we do in clinical medicine. There seems to be a common
denominator and as the old medical maxim goes: ‘If you hear the sound of
hoof beats, think horses, not zebras’.

Competing interests:
None declared

It took me a week to even respond to this cowardly act. I work near
Glasgow, use the same airport many a times a year and it didn't make
things any better, when saw the news on visual media whilst on holiday. We
(myself and family) just went numb.

The media went ballistic, understandable, but then when the dastardly
event is made to paint an airbrush of generalisation, it hurts more.

I am an Indian.Before that I am a human being with family. I am also
a Doctor. And I work in UK and I am proud to be part of the much maligned
NHS.
I come from a secular state, a country ravaged by terrorism decades before
modern world learnt about terrorism, so I can feel the shock.
This is an act of misfits in society, who use religion as a ruse to sugar
coat their cowardice. They are not religious bigots but by people who
haven't got a clue about religion as no religion teaches you to target
children going off to holidays with parents or youngsters chilling out
after a hard days work. And simply you can't justify violence.
The message should be simple, no one invited anyone to this country, we
all came on own volition. If you can't see eye to eye with this country,
please do leave.
I hope the government shows the guts and punishes the guilty... every
Indian will back you Mr Gordon Brown

Competing interests:
An Indian in UK

The author could not be more correct. The silent Muslim majority,
particularly professionals, should make its voice heard now. Accepting a
job (or a living) in an other country is explicit acceptance of the law of
the land. Religion-based radicals are outright criminals, they strive to
create outlows and teach them to behave like pirates. Because mainstream
thought has no voice, Islam is hijacked, just like an aircraft, and used as a
missile!

The majority should speak out now, because the image looks so grim. After
all, what can the rest of the world do with a group that cannot lead,
refuses to follow, and would not get out of the way? Muslim communities -
particularly in the west - should distance themselves from radical
currents, well before they indulge into criminal thinking. Their leaders
should clearly indicat that anti-community initiatives will not be
tolerated to any extent. This should start now. It is already too late

Competing interests:
None declared