"Mum, don't ever search my name on twitter."

This was my instruction after my first appearance on BBC Question Time. It was an appearance I received a lot of kind praise for but predictably there had been some racist and Islamophobic remarks directed my way on social media which my mum had picked up on. Unsurprisingly, this had upset my mum as well as my wife and other members of my family.

My mum can't understand how people can be so openly racist in 2015 and think they can get away with it - nor should she have to.

My mum and dad are my heroes; they have faced down racism wherever they have come across it. It was my parents who gave me my first life lesson on standing up to racism and prejudice.

Twenty years ago, when I was 9 years old, my parents were searching for a new family home. When they found a house they liked they phoned the estate agent looking to schedule a house viewing - only to be told that there were no appointments available. Disappointed, but not overly surprised, they continued looking. However, when the house remained on the market, they decided to phone again, only to be told the same thing time and time again.

It was at this point that my parents became suspicious, and after an experiment of sorts -involving both white and Asian friends - it became apparent that the estate agents were only granting viewings of this house to white clientele. My parents were furious and offended but, ultimately, they were determined that they weren't going to let the estate agent get away with it. In the end, after several years of fighting, they won a case against the estate agents for racial discrimination.

Despite being on the receiving end of racist hate mail coming through the door and knowing that their children were receiving negative comments from fellow schoolchildren, my parents stood firm and, after many years of fighting, in the end won.

Their determination to stand up to racism, despite intimidation and criticism is why my parents are and always will be my inspiration.

Fast forward 20 years and the hate mail is now more frequent not less, paper has simply been replaced by electronic text. There are several blogs online that refer to me as a "Paki" and that's before the steady stream of Islamophobic and racist tweets.

It has been a tough week in one sense, having been subjected to an unacceptable Islamophobic slur from an elected member. On the other hand, the overwhelming response - messages of support and unity from throughout the chamber and even across the world - has reminded me that the intolerant few in this country are far outnumbered by those who celebrate diversity.

UKIP's response has been abysmal. To brush such vile comments off as a "joke" or demand I "grow a thicker skin" is entirely unacceptable and indicates a complete lack of respect for the community it offends.

You can take it from me as an elected politician you quickly develop a pretty thick skin. Public appearances and media bids can often result in reams of racist tweets. Earlier this week I published five tweets I have received calling me a "paki", which is not an irregular occurrence.

Hard as it is to believe, politicians are human too. Every Islamophobic slur or racist chant still hurts. But it's not just me they harm; they affect my family and even the wider Black and Minority Ethnic community community too.

The reason why I will continue to call for David Coburn's expulsion from UKIP and his resignation as an MEP is to send a clear message - that Scotland is a country that is truly intolerant of bigotry and prejudice, whatever form it might take.

The hatred and division that UKIP attempt to sow amongst our communities can have dangerous consequences. As a politician I'm in a very privileged position, I can do my utmost to highlight this sort of intolerant behaviour - and I will continue to do so until it is eradicated. However, I don't do it simply because I have been the victim on this occasion; I do it for the waiter, the taxi driver, the shopkeeper - all of whom have to put up with this kind of Islamophobia and racism on a weekly, if not daily basis.

Last week serves to remind us that the voices of hope and tolerance are so much louder than those of bigotry and hatred. I am proud to come from a city where those who seek to divide us are sent away with their tails between their legs - let's hope that rich tradition of facing down prejudice, in whatever form it takes, continues forever more.