The Luton I saw today was not the one described in numerous documentaries and newspaper articles. That is the Luton of all manner of extremisms, from far-right patriots to far-right Muslims to proponents of a hyper-capitalist manosphere.
A very different character to the town I interfaced with this afternoon. I’ve just returned from their Eid fun fair. A beautiful gathering of folk of every conceivable background, young and old, male and female, Muslim and non-Muslim, of every ethnicity, all happily rubbing along without concern.
That, of course, is an outsider’s view. My home lies a thirty minute drive away. Theirs is a town ten times the size of mine. I don’t think I would like to live there amidst that urban sprawl, but for a visit it is fine.
Our media likes to accentuate difference, driving a wedge between peoples and communities. Perhaps some extremists have a vested interest in doing that too. But, overall, it seems that people are content to embrace both each other’s difference and all that they hold in common.
Last modified: 28 June 2023
