Taken at the #MayMustGo protest at Downing Street on Saturday 17th June 2017. Garry Knight/Flickr. Some rights reserved.There’s a simple reason politicians condemn ‘politics’ during tragic events: when shock and emotion are raw, people are most receptive to powerful lessons that resonate. The authorities find this threatening, as the most shocking tragedies can shine a bright unwelcome light into their deepest failings, and society's greatest injustices that they have left unresolved. This, in turn, can be a potent force for social change.
It’s only ‘political’ when it hurts the establishment
During such events, explanations favourable to the authorities – those that strip them of culpability – are deemed entirely legitimate and apolitical. Yet, conveniently, explanations that demonise the authorities are rejected for ‘insensitivity to the victims’ and for “politicizing tragedy”.
This was evident during the recent terror attacks. Focusing responsibility on the Muslim community was deemed totally acceptable. By contrast, to question links between terrorism and government foreign policy, or the failure to adequately resource police and security services, was deemed outrageous political opportunism.
