Young people and the recent unrest
20 August 2024
Bea Hulme, who will become the new Methodist Youth President from September 2024, has written this blog as a response to the recent disturbances from the point of view of a young Methodist.
As followers of Jesus we are called to follow his example and love radically and unconditionally. We are especially called to love those in the margins, those who are vulnerable and need our help such as asylum seekers. However, we are also called to love those who go against this, who spread hate and violence. Radical and unconditional love can be an uncomfortable subject to enact, especially at times like this.
The Bible, more specifically, speaks to situations like this directly:
“do not plan harm against your neighbour who lives trustingly beside you. Do not quarrel with anyone without cause, when no harm has been done to you.”
(Proverbs 3:29-30 NRSV)
Our neighbours are being treated unfairly without cause, when we should be living together in community.
In the statement by the President and Vice President of the Methodist Conference, Revd Helen Cameron and Carolyn Godfrey, they address these riots with the message that diversity is God given and should be celebrated. They pray for peace and that we might love our neighbours.
Several areas in the Methodist Way of Life also speak to this situation. The Care station encourages us to love God, other people, and ourselves. When we have unconditional love for everyone, everyone is welcome. The Serve station speaks of helping those in our community and beyond. And most topically, the Open station is about practicing hospitality and generosity, encouraging us to welcome migrants and asylum seekers with kindness over anger or suspicion.
So what does this have to do with young people? Extremism in most cases stems from uncertainty; when we look for answers for difficult questions we can be vulnerable to instances of misinformation or manipulation
Anger and frustration from other sources end up aimed towards places that give the comfort of blame. Young people have the added factor of dealing with frustration and disappointment in their societies, as factors such as being too young to vote lead to their voices not being heard. This grouped with recent events such as the cost-of-living crisis and covid have prompted young people to search for a sense of agency and control, which the far right have recognised and utilised.
The riots themselves were mainly incited and escalated through social media. This has led to far-right sentiments being far easier to come across, and provided a new and younger demographic. Groups dedicated to spreading anti-Muslim and anti-migration messages, as well as many others such as anti-LGBT+, are actively targeting younger audiences. Those targeting young people for these types of groups understand the power youth hold. Maybe we need to ensure that young people feel their frustrations heard, and can respond with love rather than hate and violence.