Internet Can’t Believe This Amputee Soldier Would Respond Like This To Muslim Man ‘Blowing Him Up’
Chris Herbert lost his leg in 2007, after a roadside bomb exploded next to his British Army vehicle in Basra, Iraq. Aged just 19 at the time, he also had to deal with the loss of his best friend, who died in the attack.
Such a tragic and traumatic experience would break many a man, leaving them bitter, twisted and full of hate. But not Chris. He has managed to retain a positive outlook on life, and refuses to let people drag him down.
With anti-Muslim sentiment on the rise in many western countries, some people saw a valuable propaganda tool in Chris. Look at what they did to this brave soldier who was serving his country! Except he was having none of it. Frustrated by the racism around him and people’s assumptions of him based on his experience, he decided enough was enough and wrote an eloquent piece that everyone should read. Expertly unpicking the case for judging billions of people based of the actions of a minority of extremists, Chris exposes the inherent stupidity of Islamophobia and urges people to see the good in each other instead.
Scroll down to read Chris’ thought provoking piece for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments.
Chris Herbert lost his leg in 2007, after a roadside bomb exploded next to his British Army vehicle in Basra, Iraq
Image credits: Chris Herbert
Aged just 19 at the time, he also had to deal with the loss of his best friend, who died in the attack
Image credits: PA Images
Since the traumatic experience, he’s been continuously asked one question
Image credits: Lewis Whyld/PA Images
So he decided to explain his feelings in an honest and powerful Facebook post
The post went viral as people pushed back against anti-Muslim sentiment in the UK
Image credits: PA Images
Chris has managed to retain a positive outlook on life, and refuses to let people drag him down
Image credits: Chris Herbert
When an Islamophobic group tried to recruit him as a mascot for their organisation, it was the final straw
Image credits: Toe in the Water
And he just had to speak out
Image credits: Chris Herbert
People’s responses were mixed on the whole, but mostly positive
He's so right. Judge every person as an individual and by the things they do. Nothing else is relevant to determining whether a person is good or bad.
The only thing I judge people on is how they treat others. The way you treat other people (especially those who are different than yourself), is a true mark of just what sort of person you are.
Agreed... I don't look at color, I look at character...let's see...the gal that cuts my hair is Iranian, the guy that does my nails is Vietnamese, my auto mechanic is Hispanic, my doctor is Japanese, the people who help my autistic son at the group home he lives in are Nigerian, the people at his school/day program are Armenian, and his little girlfriend is Filipino...heck, I just realized that the only people who are white in my son's life are us, his mom and dad! LOL! My point though, is that every one of these people I've noted in this post are amazing, sweet, kind, have amazing integrity, and they are dear friends to me. Who cares what color they are. My life would be a lot more empty without them.
The shark pic! Lol.
When I first saw this pic, the photo was cropped at the bottom. I thought it was a vacuum cleaner and he was supposed to be a genie in a tutu. Now it is a shark... still funny, but trying to figure out why he is wearing a tutu.
Is not a tutu. Is a deflated life ring. :P
You question that meanwhile he's lying on the floor screaming surrounded by other kids probably at a frat party.
Agree with everything, but I wish people would stop referring to Muslims as a race. Islam is a religion and can be practiced by people of any race. Discrimination against Muslims could be more accurately described as xenophobia, I think?
You must be in one of the privileged races to think this way. No, Islam isn’t a race but it’s not anti-racists who need to learn this. I am an Iranian atheist and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called a “Muzzie,” or been accused of doing something for “Allah,” or been told I’m part of some culture war or other bullshit. Even after 9/11, people acted scared or violent. No Islam is not a race but racists are too stupid to understand that and will single you out BASED ON RACE to abuse or degrade you. It’s racism because they base it exactly on race, not us. They see a middle eastern person and decide we are Muslim by default. The people referring to Muslim as a race are the racists.
maybe "Religionism" should become a term - as the principle is behind most of the evil commited in the name of a "God" since the birth of all religions
I empathize with you, but everything you said applies to America. I'm Eastern European (so not particularly privileged, as race as a concept doesn't operate the same way in Europe that it does in America), people here are much more aware of the difference between being Middle Eastern and being Muslim thanks to our history. The problem with referring to Muslims as a race (aside from anyone looking Middle Eastern getting discriminated against, as you describe) is that racists aren't the only people who can't make the difference. As a result any valid criticism of Islam (even the kind coming from (ex)Muslims themselves) is immediately dismissed as racism and conversations get shut down, which is bad. Conversations regarding the problematic aspects of Christianity don't get shut down the same way. Basically everyone needs to get more educated.
Kostas, you didn’t get what I was saying and I don’t think you have the capacity to grasp this one. Even though it’s simple as fuck but whatever, you’re going to stick to your incorrect and confused guns. Diane a, I’m right there with you buddy. Religion is the root of most of the worlds problems.
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and what about all middle eastern people who hate Muslims? all Iranian atheists, Christians and others who hate their Iranian Muslim neighbours? they are racist? Iranians racist to Iranians? how that works?
Xenophobia is no more accurate than calling someone racist considering that anyone can become a Muslim, the correct term is Islamaphobic but as people tend to streotype people of certain races people say racist.
Hey, I've seen people use racist instead of sexist LOL
if a book has 100times written you should kill a certain type of ppl and you are this type of ppl do you still think fearing this books followers is irrational cuz thats what phobia means and its 100times in the quran written kill non muslims so islamophobia aint a thing since its rational bein afraid of the biggest terror motivating source called islam
He's so right. Judge every person as an individual and by the things they do. Nothing else is relevant to determining whether a person is good or bad.
The only thing I judge people on is how they treat others. The way you treat other people (especially those who are different than yourself), is a true mark of just what sort of person you are.
Agreed... I don't look at color, I look at character...let's see...the gal that cuts my hair is Iranian, the guy that does my nails is Vietnamese, my auto mechanic is Hispanic, my doctor is Japanese, the people who help my autistic son at the group home he lives in are Nigerian, the people at his school/day program are Armenian, and his little girlfriend is Filipino...heck, I just realized that the only people who are white in my son's life are us, his mom and dad! LOL! My point though, is that every one of these people I've noted in this post are amazing, sweet, kind, have amazing integrity, and they are dear friends to me. Who cares what color they are. My life would be a lot more empty without them.
The shark pic! Lol.
When I first saw this pic, the photo was cropped at the bottom. I thought it was a vacuum cleaner and he was supposed to be a genie in a tutu. Now it is a shark... still funny, but trying to figure out why he is wearing a tutu.
Is not a tutu. Is a deflated life ring. :P
You question that meanwhile he's lying on the floor screaming surrounded by other kids probably at a frat party.
Agree with everything, but I wish people would stop referring to Muslims as a race. Islam is a religion and can be practiced by people of any race. Discrimination against Muslims could be more accurately described as xenophobia, I think?
You must be in one of the privileged races to think this way. No, Islam isn’t a race but it’s not anti-racists who need to learn this. I am an Iranian atheist and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called a “Muzzie,” or been accused of doing something for “Allah,” or been told I’m part of some culture war or other bullshit. Even after 9/11, people acted scared or violent. No Islam is not a race but racists are too stupid to understand that and will single you out BASED ON RACE to abuse or degrade you. It’s racism because they base it exactly on race, not us. They see a middle eastern person and decide we are Muslim by default. The people referring to Muslim as a race are the racists.
maybe "Religionism" should become a term - as the principle is behind most of the evil commited in the name of a "God" since the birth of all religions
I empathize with you, but everything you said applies to America. I'm Eastern European (so not particularly privileged, as race as a concept doesn't operate the same way in Europe that it does in America), people here are much more aware of the difference between being Middle Eastern and being Muslim thanks to our history. The problem with referring to Muslims as a race (aside from anyone looking Middle Eastern getting discriminated against, as you describe) is that racists aren't the only people who can't make the difference. As a result any valid criticism of Islam (even the kind coming from (ex)Muslims themselves) is immediately dismissed as racism and conversations get shut down, which is bad. Conversations regarding the problematic aspects of Christianity don't get shut down the same way. Basically everyone needs to get more educated.
Kostas, you didn’t get what I was saying and I don’t think you have the capacity to grasp this one. Even though it’s simple as fuck but whatever, you’re going to stick to your incorrect and confused guns. Diane a, I’m right there with you buddy. Religion is the root of most of the worlds problems.
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and what about all middle eastern people who hate Muslims? all Iranian atheists, Christians and others who hate their Iranian Muslim neighbours? they are racist? Iranians racist to Iranians? how that works?
Xenophobia is no more accurate than calling someone racist considering that anyone can become a Muslim, the correct term is Islamaphobic but as people tend to streotype people of certain races people say racist.
Hey, I've seen people use racist instead of sexist LOL
if a book has 100times written you should kill a certain type of ppl and you are this type of ppl do you still think fearing this books followers is irrational cuz thats what phobia means and its 100times in the quran written kill non muslims so islamophobia aint a thing since its rational bein afraid of the biggest terror motivating source called islam