Anthony McIntyre with some thoughts on the death of a thirteen year old from Coronavirus. 

He was thirteen years of age and died alone. Father having predeceased him, his surviving loved ones were unable to be at his bedside as he laboured to breathe his last. No mum, no siblings, two of whom had developed symptoms of the Coronavirus that snatched his life in his first year as a teen. As he died they self-isolated. What mourners were there to say a final goodbye were compelled to observe social distancing. When there has been public discourse about herd immunity, the image here conjured up anything but a herd. I was reminded of Lily Tomlin's observation "remember we're all in this alone."

At his funeral in the Eternal Gardens dedicated Muslim burial ground in Kemnal Park, Chislehurst, Greater London the boy was lowered into the ground by four men wearing protective clothing. The contrast was stark. A child without any future surrounded by grave attendants attired like characters from a futuristic movie.  

Under Islamic custom, the body is traditionally taken to the mosque first for special prayers but because all places of worship are currently closed, Ismail was straight to the cemetery from a mortuary in south London before his burial. 

Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab’s death is a salutary reminder of the wide reach of Covid-19. Dead from the virus at thirteen with no underlying health conditions that anyone was aware of. Admitted to hospital last Thursday, he died on Monday after his lungs collapsed inducing a heart attack. This is the reality and rapidity of Covid 19. Children are best equipped to overcome it but they are by no means immune to it or, as the death of the London teen showed, beyond the reach of its fatal grip.

The appeal for funds to help cover funeral costs was met with a response that suggested strong social and community solidarity. Most people certainly will be saddened by the death. Nevertheless, there are some who will derive satisfaction from it. They are in the grip of a different virus - hate. Already the religious wackos have featured online, salivating  at the thought of Covid-19 being a punishment from the spite-wracked fiend they have created so that their own hatred can be projected onto their Heavenly Hitler. In that memorable quote from Annie Lamott "you can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." The monstrous old tyrant from the bible is punishing Jews, gays, women who have abortions. Joining them have been the immigrant-hating racists promising to spread what they call the joy if they become infected.

People sometimes ask me why I allow my kids to curse from no age. I explain that the one word I have always discouraged them from using was "hate". They could say fuck this or that but I never wanted them to use the word "hate" particularly in relation to other people. They could hate certain foods or television programmes and say as much but I wanted them to have an awareness of the deleterious effects of the word when cast the way of human beings.

So when the hate filled, religious or racist, exhibit their malign wretchedness for the world to see, the writer Mayo Angelou springs to mind:  When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.

Rest In Peace Ismail.

Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab

Anthony McIntyre with some thoughts on the death of a thirteen year old from Coronavirus. 

He was thirteen years of age and died alone. Father having predeceased him, his surviving loved ones were unable to be at his bedside as he laboured to breathe his last. No mum, no siblings, two of whom had developed symptoms of the Coronavirus that snatched his life in his first year as a teen. As he died they self-isolated. What mourners were there to say a final goodbye were compelled to observe social distancing. When there has been public discourse about herd immunity, the image here conjured up anything but a herd. I was reminded of Lily Tomlin's observation "remember we're all in this alone."

At his funeral in the Eternal Gardens dedicated Muslim burial ground in Kemnal Park, Chislehurst, Greater London the boy was lowered into the ground by four men wearing protective clothing. The contrast was stark. A child without any future surrounded by grave attendants attired like characters from a futuristic movie.  

Under Islamic custom, the body is traditionally taken to the mosque first for special prayers but because all places of worship are currently closed, Ismail was straight to the cemetery from a mortuary in south London before his burial. 

Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab’s death is a salutary reminder of the wide reach of Covid-19. Dead from the virus at thirteen with no underlying health conditions that anyone was aware of. Admitted to hospital last Thursday, he died on Monday after his lungs collapsed inducing a heart attack. This is the reality and rapidity of Covid 19. Children are best equipped to overcome it but they are by no means immune to it or, as the death of the London teen showed, beyond the reach of its fatal grip.

The appeal for funds to help cover funeral costs was met with a response that suggested strong social and community solidarity. Most people certainly will be saddened by the death. Nevertheless, there are some who will derive satisfaction from it. They are in the grip of a different virus - hate. Already the religious wackos have featured online, salivating  at the thought of Covid-19 being a punishment from the spite-wracked fiend they have created so that their own hatred can be projected onto their Heavenly Hitler. In that memorable quote from Annie Lamott "you can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." The monstrous old tyrant from the bible is punishing Jews, gays, women who have abortions. Joining them have been the immigrant-hating racists promising to spread what they call the joy if they become infected.

People sometimes ask me why I allow my kids to curse from no age. I explain that the one word I have always discouraged them from using was "hate". They could say fuck this or that but I never wanted them to use the word "hate" particularly in relation to other people. They could hate certain foods or television programmes and say as much but I wanted them to have an awareness of the deleterious effects of the word when cast the way of human beings.

So when the hate filled, religious or racist, exhibit their malign wretchedness for the world to see, the writer Mayo Angelou springs to mind:  When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.

Rest In Peace Ismail.

6 comments:

  1. Anthony

    My dad also said to me never use the word "Hate" and he is so right. We can all cite innummerable examples from history and today as to the consequences of hate; by all means hate the actions and words of those we condemn but never the person themselves.

    Thnking about the restrictions that now surround even funerals and burials; the grieving process for those who have lost loved ones in this pandemic is going to be so much more painful I guess. No wakes; not the slightest element of touching to show sympathy and give comfort to the bereaved.

    RIP Ismail also.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ever heard of 'fake news'? Good news is corona has eradicated the common cold and flu. I predict hay fever will be wiped out too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hardly 'fake news' for the nurses and bus drivers who died last week after contracting the virus om to of the tens of thousands around the world bereaved by it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. https://thesaker.is/the-coronavirus-and-galileo/

    Stay indoors! Sunshine,fresh air,exercise is bad for your immune system! All you folk prone to depression etc were being giving the wrong advice. Here take a pill better still take an injection......its for your own good!

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  5. For what it’s worth Anthony , I regret saying that about spreading the virus if I get it.
    I have never claimed to be mentally sound to you, and you have taken something an ill person has said at a time of crisis in comments and made an article about them. Others in the site wouldn’t know this about me, but you definitely do, or should.
    An ill person that only ever wanted to be a net positive to you and the site, who tried to materially make up for the obvious flaws I have.

    I won’t be bothering you or TPQ again.

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    Replies
    1. You were offered the opportunity to withdraw your hateful comment but you reaffirmed it. Henry Joy also asked you to row back. You declined.
      Nobody claims to be mentally sound to me. I take it as a given.
      There was no article made out of your comment. It got a line although it deserved a lot more.
      I don't give one fuck whether you come back to the site or not. Your racism and hatred of immigrants has put you off my social radar.

      Delete