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Demosthenes's avatar

Do you think attacks like the one that happened in New Zealand will increase in frequency in the West?

Asked by Demosthenes (15315points) March 15th, 2019

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about the mass shooting that occurred in New Zealand:

https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/new-zealand-christchurch-shooting-intl/index.html

During Friday Prayers, a group of four people were involved in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. The ringleader of the attack, an Australian national, apparently posted a white nationalist manifesto online decrying Muslim immigration.

I’m concerned that this kind of extremism and hostility toward Muslim immigrants (the synagogue shooting in the U.S., now this) will increase or if these are just flukes.

You don’t have to answer the question I asked. Any thoughts on this shooting are welcome.

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14 Answers

hmmmmmm's avatar

Umm…we have a Muslim ban in the US, and our tax dollars go to bombing and killing Muslims all the time and supporting the brutalization of the Palestinian people. We have a white nationalist president and a Democratic “opposition” party that spends much of its effort attacking their own Ilhan Omar for speaking the truth on lobbying and setting laws against BDS.

It’s a shit show. Islamophobia and attacks on Muslims are very common. The rise of crimes against Muslims isn’t isolated to the US. And I suspect it’s not going to get any better considering that there is no powerful force that can push back against it.

Here is a list of some anti-Muslim attacks in the US. Wikipedia lists Islamophobic “incidents” for other countries as well.

rebbel's avatar

I’m sure you don’t mean it that way, and also I’m not sure if maybe we use different definitions of the word, but fluke seems a bit inappropriate in this case.

Demosthenes's avatar

@rebbel I’m using “fluke” to mean “one-off extremist situation that is not reflective of a societal sickness”. I’m using it with the implication that it is not that. That this is part of a larger, societal problem.

rebbel's avatar

@Demosthenes Gotcha.
I watched snooker in the past, and the flukes in that sport are one-off, very lucky pots (as in potted balls).
And that was the only fluke I’ve ever heard off, hence my amazement.

Yellowdog's avatar

Islam is not tolerated by white supremists because some Muslim groups are violent terrorists and have done much harm in the western world.

That being said, there are white supremists and various nationalists who “fight back” by killing Muslims and bombing their places of worship—even though their victims are not a threat to them.

Antisemitism, regardless as to whether it involves Israel (antisemitism usually DOESN’‘T involve Israel), is far more common. But police are on high alert for these types of crimes.

There is no Muslim Ban. Muslims from all over the world come to the U.S. every day. But isn’t it fun to call Trump a racist, or spread garbage about Israel to incite violence? Trump supporters don’t usually get bomb threats, but attacks on college campuses, individual assaults and vandalism of cars are the usual results of having MAGA stickers or hats.

I don’t think Anti-Muslim activity is on the increase, although it happens more often than many realize. Most hatred in America is focused on President Donald Trump.

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Demosthenes's avatar

Most hatred in America is focused on President Donald Trump.

Aww, poor persecuted white Trump supporters. :( Honestly they are the real victims here.~

Really? You think the reason white supremacists don’t tolerate Muslims is because “some are violent”? Do you even know what a white supremacist is? Pretty sure they don’t give a fuck who’s violent or not. Pretty sure they’re okay with the killing of non-violent people as long as they’re not white.

Yellowdog's avatar

Isn’t what I said, that they kill those who are not a threat to them?

Demosthenes's avatar

Another question: do you think this will cause Facebook to re-think their live streaming feature? And what should be done with extremist views on the internet?

KNOWITALL's avatar

Yes, I think they will continue to increase. 1400 years of history doesn’t dissipate quickly.

We’re talking about Christian criticisms of Islam based on Christian interpretations of the Qur’an, and Muslim criticisms of Christianity, based on Muslim interpretations of the Bible. At heart is the assumption that there is one authoritative interpretation of Islam and one authoritative interpretation of Christianity, and that each can be absolutely and irrefutably grasped by a simple read of history and the religious text of each faith.

The reality is that there are diverse groups of Muslims and diverse groups of Christians. Each group tends to interpret their holy book differently than groups within the same faith. If even different groups within a faith can’t read the same holy book and agree on its interpretation, then how can an outsider to the faith, uninformed by the principles of interpretation (hermeneutics) pick up the holy text and grasp its true interpretation? Yet, this is precisely what Muslims and Christians do with respect to the other’s faith.

http://www.zwemercenter.com/christians-and-muslims-alienate-each-other/

MrGrimm888's avatar

Yes. I think such acts embolden others like the NZ killer(s.)

There are also some powerful people on the right, who are really fanning the flames.

@KNOWITALL . I agree that there has/will be problems between those different religious groups. IMO. It’s just an excuse (currently.) An excuse by white nationalists…

KNOWITALL's avatar

@MrGrimm Eh I’d say its more religion than nationalism, imo.

MrGrimm888's avatar

That’s not what those committing these acts are saying. They openly declared their support for nationalism.

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