Mass shootings have become such a trend in the US that I don't any of us expected to hit New Zealand. I think the police arrived so fast to the situation because they know what mass shootings are now because of the U.S., which is so sad to think about. We are so used to these shootings that we know what to do and how to respond correctly. Yes, that is also a good thing but if we know how to handle these situations now, why haven't' we been able to stop them? It is hard to stop mass shootings but if we make it more public and teach people about this topic than I think less would happen and we as regular people would know how to react in the situation.
It is incredibly sad that this trend of mass shootings has spread to New Zealand, which is considered to be a far more peaceful country. I agree with the opinion article on the root of the source, because, unfortunately, for every person standing up against gun violence and racism are a few people who still believe in the value of the two and may even practice them themselves. Although thoughts, prayers and even protests are important, these loud leaders are not enough to overshadow the invisible actions of the people against reform. Because these actions are in the shadows, they will continue to build up until the next attack occurs. This build in the shadows is really only possible because of the platform of white supremacy instilled in the world. We need to focus less on only taking steps to avoiding safety from guns at public events and institutions, and work further on avoiding the causes all the way down to their roots. The actions of this man, and the unfolding of these events is a sign of what has not been achieved as far as understanding others and using our conscience.
People who risk their life and stand up against attackers are really what makes this world a better place in times like this. They were very fortunate that police just happened to be my the mosque that day because even though it didn't take them very long to get there, it still took too long considering what was going on, had they not been there, the story would be a lot more tragic than it already is.
Abdul Aziz is a true hero for his brave actions in risking his life in order to prevent the loss of others. Even though he states his actions were some sort of automatic reaction to the horrific event, I think what he did was truly incredible whether he was conscious of what he was doing or not.
This event is horrific, and there is no way of downplaying events like this in our global community anymore. That being said, I don't think a big group of people are to blame with this. You can't equate someone who goes out and shoots many people with others who talk about a country ban as a way of immigration reform. Also, during Obama's stint in the Oval Office, he placed a ban on immigration from Muslim dominant countries as well. The double-sided left media didn't knock him for it though. It amazes me that when someone crazy does something crazy we blame the sane. These murderers are individuals, and there is an extremely small proportion of people who would do something like this, so let's start to find ways to weed them our, or other prevention methods instead of punishing the innocent by impeding on their rights.
@Kevin W It's interesting that you bring up policy rather than rhetoric, because immigration policy has always been a tough issue for US presidents, and neither Trump nor Obama are exceptions. In terms of rhetoric, however, Trump is much more irresponsible with his language, and has said many more things that perpetuate white nationalism and Islamophobia.
It's relieving to see that people not just from the community, but from law enforcement are spreading messages of accountability and denouncing the actions of the attacker, as well as spreading messages of unity. Particularly Prime Minister Arden's messages of sorrow, unity, and reform, are things that I don't think we see enough in tragic events like these. As for leaders like President Trump, I feel like to some extent he is to blame. When, as the leader of a diverse country, you say things like, "I think Islam hates us" and in the face of events like Charlottesville, you say there were "good people on both sides" you make it seem okay for these acts to happen. Like one will not receive scrutiny if they commit such actions or perpetuate a society where "others" are unwelcome. Why is it that the President is quick to irresponsibly demonize a religion, but won't call out white nationalism, something that is inherently harmful to our society? As for Prime Minister Arden, I hope that she also takes more time to denounce white nationalism. I understand that for the moment, it is a polarizing rather than unifying issue, but it's something that needs to be discussed between world leaders and the media.
My thoughts are all over the place with what happened in New Zealand. Reading these articles and watching the videos I feel an overwhelming feeling of sadness and disgust. I can't begin to imagine the pain that the families, and New Zealand as a whole is feeling. My deepest condolences go out to the families affected by this mass shooting. The part that is so amazing to me is the Prime Ministers response- she has promised the people that she would work with parliament in efforts to have stricter gun laws. Yet our president, Donald Trump, wants more guns in our teachers hands.
I think that attacks like the unfortunate one in Christchurch are fueled by global ideology. I think the media and Trump paint a picture that emanates white supremacy and makes Muslims the victims. The media takes one bad action committed by a Muslim then applies it to everyone associated with that group which is untrue and unfair. Mr. Aziz was very brave and probably saved many lives with his act of courage which helps to show that the media portrays Muslims in a bad light.
This event is extremely terrifying, as many people were shot and killed in this act of hate. Abdul Aziz essentially saved many lives when he put his on the line and went at the gunman. Aziz is a true hero, as he was willing to die (having 4 kids) for his community to be safe. Thoughts and prayers go out to the people in New Zealand who were affected by this tragic event.
I somewhat share Mr. Ali's stance. I think white nationalism encourages actions of violence. The terrorist was pushed by white nationalism to commit this act. The root of the problem must identified for further safety. I think that Donald Trump can be held responsible for fueling white nationalism. Though it might be more indirect and never mention white nationalism. But, the problem is how would he be held responsible. This I don't have an answer for.
It's unfortunate that other people reposted the shooting video and even promoted the live stream while it was occuring. Fortunately people there did the right thing and defended themselves and tried to stop the shooter.
These attacks prove that the rhetoric of today's modern right such as claiming immigrants are invaders and that Islam is incompatible with the west (all of which Donald Trump has said). These ideas eventual lead to violence and until we push back against this, these ideas are going to become more extreme and more commonplace. And if things get bad enough, mainstream politicians might start to support these ideas of white nationalism.
On Saturday, I had a work meeting for what to do in case of a shooting in the workplace and the officer said "Yet again, we are just two days away from the New Zealand shooting." That piece of information, in addition to reading the news reports, really got to me as I thought about how tragic this shooting was. Races should not be singled out and even if someone, for any particular reason holds a grudge against a certain race or group, they certainly do not need to exercise that grudge. White nationalism is a problem world-wide, and in other countries besides the US. Abdul Aziz is a very brave man who, literally and metaphorically, fought for what he believed in, even though it meant that he could have lost his life. The actions he did were very brave of him, but he knew during the act that even if he got hurt while doing that, he would have died for something he believed in, and that is the most important takeaway.
White Nationalism has never been limited to the United States, it is present in many countries around the world, but until some extremist attack like this happens do people want to do anything about it. It shouldn't take the deaths of roughly 50 worshipers of the Christchurch to make the problem apparent. World leaders like Donald Trump, president of the United States, that make light of events like these and do not use them as an opportunity for change are the reason so many people do not understand that White Nationalism is a deadly problem. World leaders like Trump only further the gap between religion and race in our "fluid" society when they promote White Nationalism and threaten to throw up barriers and target other religions. These attacks can be prevented, people don't need to die but our leaders are unwilling to change either out of fear or simply because they don't see it as a problem(and that's an even scarier problem). They need to be shown that it is a problem, people need to see that change is necessary. When is enough finally enough?
this is a sad moment for the New Zealand people for the ones who had got killed by that 28-year-old men i give you my prayer god bless you
Abdul Aziz decided to fight instead of responding by hiding when faced with danger to his family and his mosque from the shooter. By putting his own life at risk and taking action against the killer he was able to prevent more deaths during the attack on the mosques in New Zealand. Despite the fear his family felt for him, Aziz knew that he had to do what he could to save others by putting himself in a very scary situation which most people wouldn't put themselves in.
This was an extremely horrific event, and it is terrible to think that this keeps happening around the world. Abdul Aziz is a man who ran outside to stop the gunman. He was so brave during this event and saved many people from potentially getting hurt. It would be really hard to risk everything, especially when he has four kids, but he was willing to risk his own life to save others, which are the qualities of a true hero. He had already killed more than 40 people before he chased him off, so I cannot imagine how many more people would be killed if he had not done what he did. He should inspire others to act when they see that something is not right.
Acts of hatred should not be tolerated and it is sickening that we live in a world where acts of injustice still exist. We have to remember the victimized individuals and their stories in order to create the necessary change. Additionally, I think the need for people to be held accountable for their words and actions cannot be understated. The rise of white supremacy is extremely concerning as is the lack of any serious change.
The fact that New Zealand has promised gun law reform after one shooting is astounding, considering we come from a country that has shootings so often they start to become regular occurrences, yet not one thing is done by our president to prevent ones in the future.
I would agree that part of the shooting stems from the faults of white supremacists everywhere. After all, if white supremacy was eradicated, would it be the motivation for the many, many shootings we see?
Trump should be held responsible for these ideas that are unsupported by facts. He is blatantly islamophobic and needs to take responsibility for his comments. He also needs to be more like the prime minister of New Zealand and take correct action after a shooting. One shooting is too many. New Zealand realizes this. The US doesn't seem to care, and it's so extremely frustrating and maddening that there are practically no words.
The rise of white supremacy is definitely a cause of these shooting and the rise of other hate crimes. A misconception of white supremacy is that it is a personal set of beliefs or a "lone racist" that can be easily identifiable. White supremacists have taken efforts to "clean up" their image, make it more marketable for more people to subscribe to their ideology. Now, white supremacy has even taken on other names, such as "white nationalism" and "the alt-right."
Take Donald Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric. Yes, he may not directly advocate for white nationalism, but he uses phrases that paint Muslims and other minorities as the "other," people who are inherently "un-American" because of their race or religion. This indirectly promotes the idea that the only people who have the right to exist and live in this country are white people. Of course, this isn't limited to America; anti-immigrant rhetoric is damaging everywhere and fuels dangerous actions against immigrants.
White Nationalism has never been limited to the United States, it is present in many countries around the world, but until something terrible like this happens few people want to do anything about it. It shouldn't take the deaths of 50 people to make the problem apparent. World leaders that make light of events like these and do not use them as an opportunity for change are the reason so many people do not understand that White Nationalism is a deadly problem. These attacks can be prevented, people don't need to die but our leaders are unwilling to change either out of fear or simply because they don't see it as a problem. They need to be shown that it is a problem, people need to see that change is necessary.
It is incredibly sad that this "trend" of mass shootings has spread to New Zealand, which is considered to be a far more peaceful country. I agree with the opinion article on the root of the source, because, unfortunately, for every person standing up against gun violence and racism are a few people who still believe in the value of the two and may even practice them themselves. Although thoughts, prayers and even protests are important, these loud leaders are not enough to overshadow the invisible actions of the people against reform. Because these actions are in the shadows, they will continue to build up until the next attack occurs. This "build in the shadows" persay is really only possible because of the platform of white supremacy instilled in the world. We need to focus less on only taking steps to avoiding safety from guns at public events and institutions, and work further on avoiding the causes all the way down to their roots.
I think that it was extremely brave for Abdul Aziz to take the actions that he did. Most people would run from the noise of gunshots, but instead of running, Aziz went to find the source and prevented more people from being killed. Something that struck me from the video was that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is planning on changing gun laws. It is very impressive that action is being taken. It makes me sad that the US can't take more action following the countless shootings that we have had in this country. Gun laws need to be re-examined and changed, and while the US has still not done anything to try to prevent shootings from happening in the future, New Zealand is trying to take action after just one instance. I'm so glad that New Zealand is able to come together for one another in the aftermath of this tragedy.
This is terrible and so sad. I think it is very scary how prominent white supremacy is all over the world, and that violence is everywhere. However, it is heartening how everybody is reacting with only love and support for the victims. The video had an overwhelming message that this violence and hate is not how the majority of people in New Zealand feel and act.
Yet again, another shooting. More innocent lives forever taken. Abdul Aziz is 1 in few. He is a hero and put his life in complete danger for others. Unfortunately though, this doesn't solve the problem; shootings will continue to happen. It's extremely important though, to address the rise of white supremacy which is a main contributor to these tragedies happening. We need to start tackling the root of this problem, why these shooters are killing, rather than sending thoughts/prayers.
It's difficult to think of what you would do in a crisis situation, and even harder to realize that you don't know what you'd do. Aziz had a knee-jerk reaction and did the first thing he thought of, and saved himself and everyone else in the building. It;s scary to know that these acts of heroism don't always work. The thing is, though, that shouldn't be a skill people have to have. People shouldn't walk into their place of worship and look around for something to defend themselves with.
The white supremacist who murdered 50 people that day recorder his acts as he was committing them. Now, that video is going around being shared and posted. Many people already know this, but it's important to avoid watching that content. He recorded it for a reason which was to put out fear for other Muslims and now I see posts online about how we should anticipate for any copycat attacks here in America. Trump claims that the group of white supremacists who commit or plan to commit similar crimes as the gunman in New Zealand are a small group of people with a lot of problems. No matter what the size of the group, everyone should be concerned and ignoring it is pointless and harmful.
I think the rise of white supremacy is incredibly concerning and needs to be addressed as it has been fueling these atrocities. World leaders should face consequences for making ignorant and degrading comments.
I think MLK said it best when he explained, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". When a powerful politician places the responsibility of a terrorist group like ISIS or Al-quaeda on an entire group of people, it confirms people's biases and if that person is violent, it causes them to act on it. Politicians are leaders and the words they choose matter, so when a politician is disparaging to Muslims or any other group of people, his words will be taken seriously and believed by his followers. This type of language that Muslims are somehow inherently violent and different from whites fuels this hate, gives cover to murderers like this and prevents us as a nation and as a world from combating real threats.
I think that the heroic efforts of Abdul Aziz should not go unnoticed. He's just a regular man and it wasn't his job to confront the attacker, and yet he did which should be noted. Of course, if this incident never happened in the first place and if we didn't still have racist people among us, Abdul wouldn't have had to risk his life to save many people. Nonetheless, his act of heroism should be used as inspiration for everyone to speak up and stand up for what's right.
Of course xenaphobic people should be held responsible for their words and actions. Particularly, we should care when our policy makers are xenaphobic because they influence the realities of immigrant lives and discourse infinitely more than most people.
I thought it was interesting that the article compared the size of the police forces of the Canterbury district with Boston because the Canterbury district doesn't have nearly enough police officers employed, so although they responded faster than normal due to them all being in gear for training anyways, they were still too slow. By the time they arrived to the Al Noor Mosque, many people were already dead and the shooter was driving away to the next mosque. If they had more police officers, they could have responded faster, saving more people and possibly apprehending the shooter before he was able to move on to the next mosque. I believe that the shooter's motive was purely because the people were Muslim. This type of societal hate and prejudice saddens me, and clearly upset the people of New Zealand. Many of those who were shown mourning placed messages down such as "This isn't us" or "We are one family". The community seemed to come together to show that no matter your religion, they are all one community who has each other's backs. I agree with these statements, and it's nice to see a community all come out to help one another. Unfortunately, the circumstance they're coming together in is very grim.
Aziz was a hero in my eyes. He risked his life for the lives of others, a truly selfless thing to do. I still am in shock about his extreme bravery because it's hard to tell if I would behave in the same manner if I was placed in the same situation. It was a miracle that the officers had increased availability because of their training. I don't know what would have happened if they would have taken longer because time is everything.
First of all, this is truely tragic, and I'm glad to see New Zealand coming together as a community and promising to make changes.
In response to the question of: Should world leaders be held responsible fot anti-immigrant ideology, I don't think they can be. These leaders, even if they do add to this issue, are elected by the people, so his behavior is more a representation of our country. We need to stand together like New Zealand against shootings and gun violence to make real changes, we cant just rely on politicians.