Emma Marshall

 Very well done, Emma. I particularly liked, “My faith teaches me not to compromise on truth or integrity. Through my work with local charities, I see the reality of what people in Redditch are facing every day — hunger, homelessness, mental health crises, and broken systems."

Thank you for your help for me, as here when I wrote on 17 Jul 2023:  You were brilliant last Thursday in mentioning the Kiddermnster bus station slum disgrace in full council to Mike Rouse. You also stood up to Fran and explained things to her so well. I watched you on the recording and that was just what was needed. WELL DONE.  I will continue to pursue the matter - if you could, too please! Worcs CC is losing out to the hundreds of millions spent on transport in the W Mids for luxury schemes (which have also destroyed two mainline railways) that are very nice but hardly essential, especially in the light of the climate/nature crises.

Today I went to pay my respects at the Holocaust Memorial. It’s a stark reminder of where hatred and dehumanisation can lead. Tragically, persecution is still a reality for so many across the world today — Christians in Nigeria, Congo, Mozambique, Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea; Persians in Iran; Uyghur Muslims in China; and countless others whose suffering rarely makes the headlines.

We’re also witnessing, in real time, how quickly antisemitism can surge when society lets its guard down.

So how do we confront this hate? For me, it starts with choosing to talk to people who see the world differently — with respect, honesty, and a willingness to listen. We won’t always agree, and that’s okay. Understanding each other’s perspectives is the first step toward breaking down division. And who knows… we might even discover some common ground along the way.

You wrote, Emma, "Tragically, persecution is still a reality for so many across the world today — " Yes, indeed! For me, it is persecution and violence by all faiths, by all nations and especially by the powerful and wealthy nations like our own, for many centuries. The last century was the most destructive and evil in the history of humanity, courtesy of the Judeo-Christian nations and contrary to the life and teaching of their founder and rabbi. We must learn to live in peaceful co-existence with one another, sharing out the resources of the world or, we will all perish as fools.

I like the blanked out soldier firing his automatic weapon to kill or maim. From my reading, that behaviour has no place in the four Gospels' of Jesus Christ. It must be blanked out from the lives of each of us, I believe.