there is no “right” way to feel in a situation like this — a tragedy in manchester

before the night ends, i can’t help but at least write a little on how i feel about the tragedy in manchester that occurred today, even if it’s simply a couple hundred words on a blog no one will read…

Let’s begin with what actually happened. Collecting knowledge from multiple accountable online articles, essentially there was a bombing (in particular, needle bombing) that took place right after the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. Manchester, being one of the most highly populated cities in the U.K., held the concert of a world-wide American artist, Ariana Grande, who’s fan-base consists primarily of young girls, and of course their tag-along parents. While everything was great during the concert, and even after the stage lights were brought up… quickly after that moment, the incident had occurred. 19 killed, 59 injured. 

RETWEET UNTIL THEY HAVE ALL BEEN FOUND.
PLEASE. #Manchester pic.twitter.com/Kly9zYjlcu

— charlie🌹 (@chxrliewtf) May 23, 2017

Scared, frantic, and helpless — all feelings these in-awe-from-an-amazing-concert had to feel in this moment. As someone who lives across the globe, even I don’t understand how to feel, I can only ramble. Reading more and more on this – potential – terrorist attack, I can’t help but put some words together, my thoughts and feelings about this. Whether people care or not, I want to remind myself of how I feel, or maybe how I should feel?

How should I feel?
Based on what other celebrities and politicians and friends are tweeting and posting on social media platforms, I should feel sad and pray for those in Manchester, hence #PrayForManchester. And…well, I do feel these things, but I also feel other things more.

I feel devastated and disappointed. These young people were literally having the TIME OF THEIR LIVES at this concert, which I could tell was absolutely bomb. Ariana’s singing voice is superb, and while I’m not her biggest fan, I know what it feels like to be a biggest fan. It’s so so tragic that people who completely idolized her, had to lose themselves in the process. Yet, even after these people have lost their loved ones, we still see politicians publicly playing the blame game with no shame (whether it be terrorists or others). It is especially evil, I think, to play this game while others are still hurting. Priority No.1 for me is to capture the person who did this, and take care of who’s hurt, give them the support they need (which includes NOT tweeting out insensitive tweets pointing fingers on who’s money to take). The priority shouldn’t be needing to take sides and of course, some how connecting it to Trump, or any terrible politician for that matter.  I’ve seen my fair shame of politicians trying to bring everything back to politics, which I understand, but maybe just for one day (?) or even a couple hours, let these people sulk without need to @them to use their video footage or @them to interview them on how they feel — like really do you NOT know how they must be feeling in this moment?

Anyways, enough rambling. If you’ve read this far, you’re a trooper. My heart of course goes to those who are in trauma and pain, and I can only wish that you are receiving the support and love you need right now for those aching moments that come in time of loss.

Xx,

E

Editor’s note:
I also recently saw this trend on twitter that almost completely expressed one part to how I feel about media and how invasive reporters can be. This is a twitter thread so please click on tweet link to read the entirety of this thought train.

When I was caught up in a terrorist incident 4yrs ago, the behaviour of UK media made the trauma much worse. They don’t seem to have changed

— Em (@DrEm_79) May 23, 2017