My politics and Mehdi Hasan’s politics are poles apart and it’s highly unlikely for us to agree on much when it comes to our political views. However, we are similar in that we are both human, British, Muslim and belong to an ethnic group plus of course enjoy our politics and unafraid to speak our mind.

But it is the first one that matters to me. As members of the human race there are certain regards most of us instinctively share and in many cases they happen effortlessly. Concerns such as caring, to not deliberately cause pain or harm to others – treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves, feel empathy for others sorrows are universally shared basic human traits. To show our humanity, we needn’t go around attempting to eliminate all pains and sufferings, we just need to have a heart. And recognize that most people are basically good, lucky and blessed; they mostly hope, pray or simply want what’s good for themselves and their loved ones. Most people spend their lives bettering what they can about them and their surroundings or keeping themselves to their selves.

A simple and easy concept, it is what primarily differentiate us from other living species. We humans feel and empathize. Other beings feel too, however, we are not yet sure if they have empathy. For example a lion in the jungles of Africa does not see a baby deer walking by and go ‘look cute little Bambi seems lost; let me see if I can help him find his way. The lion sees Bambi and only one thought occupies him, lunch.’ That is what I see when people violently attach each other for the sake of attacking, it feels predatory.

This blogpost is dedicated to Mehdi Hasan, his family and friends. Because yesterday I came across his Guardian’s article and I found myself very depressed reading it. I knew from Twitter he gets attacked for his views and comments. And could see some were ignorant, uniformed, and had nothing to do with the topics, they were purely personal. I know from personal experience these kind of assaults can affect his family and loved ones, but I never realized the extent of the hurt they caused. That was shocking. I felt like reaching out and wrapping my arms around both Mehdi and his wife with a great big bear hug. I mean what else can you do – you can either get angry and more or less act like the offenders or ride the wave and acknowledge, what was done is wrong, hope and trust that people are better than that and can do better.

This kind of bullying – and it is a form of bullying, happens in all circles to different people for different reasons. Once a person becomes a public figure abuse, praise and indifference will become a part of their life. Most public figures know it and work with it but it doesn’t make it right or easy to deal with and I hope it shouldn’t silence, deter or stop new talents from coming forward and raising their head above the parapet.

I might not see eye to eye with Mehdi, but I think he is a formidable commentator, journalist and writer and that is a talent we should admire and respect not try to silence.

Dear Mr. Hasan,

Your piece ‘Not a dull grey man in a suit’ about the relationship between Baroness Warsi and the Conservative party had what I call a number of lazy assumptions. As a card carrying Conservative since 2000, I know a thing or two about my party. Add to that, I am a woman, black and also Muslim. I also know Sayeeda on a personal level and find her business minded yet down to earth, she is plain talking easy to understand and relate to. That’s why I find your article in the New Statesman unfair, not only did it manipulate the truth but it painted the Baroness as an unable woman.

Under Baroness Warsi’s chairmanship and while in government [parties usually do badly at the ballot box whilst in government] the Conservatives did better than expected during the 2011 local elections and very well in the Alternative Vote referendum. Nonetheless, most party members’ frustration with Warsi come from the feeling that she is invisible when the party or its leadership is under attack. I see you covered yourself regarding recent events by claiming ‘your sources’ had informed you that she wasn’t asked to take to the airwaves on the Monday morning because the decision had already been taken to send out Maude and Michael Fallon. However, last year during and after the London Riots where her no nonsense Northern charm would have been a tremendous help she was nowhere to be seen. Also her interview with Andrew Neil about party membership [her brief] wasn’t helpful.

There is no denying in many areas the Baroness is doing a great job – confronting Nick Griffin on Question Time and the extremist Anjem Choudary on Newsnight are testament to her abilities and no other Tory could have handled both men better than she did. But it is that level of skirmish that grassroots and party members expect form her when the party is under attack, and when she vanishes they feel disappointed and letdown. Now, if as your sources say, Downing Street has decided not to use her then they [Downing Street] are doing both her and the party a disservice!

Nonetheless, here is where your laziness shine through; Judged by the intensity and sheer volume of the anti-Warsi vitriol, it is difficult to come to any other conclusion than that her critics don’t like her because she ticks three very un-Tory boxes: she is female, Asian and Muslim. Since it is 2012 and they can’t say as much in public, her right-wing opponents target instead her alleged lack of “competence” and “ability”.

Here is a genuine question for you, do you actually believe that, or is that what you and the left are prepared to accept because it is what makes you feel righteous ……

Finally, thank you for acknowledging our progress, a 450% increase in one parliament is not a small task but it is only the beginning.

Yours sincerely

Walaa Idris