Blake Hall
UK citizen and wounded warrior Chris Herbert served in Iraq in 2007 when he was only 19 years old. That year, his unit’s armored vehicle triggered a roadside bomb. The explosion shattered Herbert’s right leg, which eventually had to be amputated to just above the knee.
Eight years later, Herbert has taken his disability in stride–and with good humor.
However, the recent events in Paris and San Bernardino have caused his friend and acquaintances to start grilling him on his opinions on terrorism, Islam, and Muslim people. As easy-going and resilient as this wounded warrior is, he got tired of people fishing for validation of their own prejudices.
“Don’t push your views on me, thinking I am an easy target because one douchebag decided it was my day to die,” Herbert wrote.
In a viral Facebook post, Herbert explains why even though a Muslim is the reason he lost his leg, he isn’t going to entertain the assumption that he hates all Muslims. Since his post went live Tuesday night at 6 p.m., it has been shared 77,00 times.
Yes. A Muslim man blew me up, and I lost my leg.
A Muslim man also lost his arm that day wearing a British Uniform.
A Muslim medic was in the helicopter that took me from the field
A Muslim surgeon performed the surgery that saved my life
A Muslim Nurse was part of the team that helped me when I returned to the UK
A Muslim Healthcare Assistant was part of the team that sorted out my day to day needs in rehabilitation when I was learning to walk
A Muslim taxi driver gave me a free ride the first time I went for a beer with my Dad after I came home.
A Muslim doctor offered my Dad comfort and advice in a pub, when he didnt know how to deal with my medicines and side effects.
Herbert then flips the script and describes how white British citizens have degraded or insulted him for being disabled.
A white brit spat in my girlfriends face for ‘f**king a cripple when you could have me [him]’
A White brit pushed my wheelchair away from a lift so he could use it first.
A White brit screamed at my Dad for parking in a disabled bay when I was in the services coming home
He ended his post succinctly: “Get a grip of your lives, hug your family and get back to work.”