By Balwant Sanghera
The mass murder of 50 innocent worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15 has sent shock waves around the globe. Such acts of terrorism must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. People from all over are expressing sympathy with the Muslim community and standing shoulder to shoulder with it. This support was clearly evident at the local Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre on our Highway to Heaven in Richmond on Sunday, March 17. Management of this Islamic Centre had invited the community to join them to Remember and Reflect upon the victims of this senseless tragedy perpetrated by a person with twisted mind. It was very encouraging to see a very large turnout at this event. People from very diverse religious and non –religious backgrounds offered their overwhelming support to the Muslim community in this hour of their grief.
As their next door neighbours, management and congregation of India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) Nanak Niwas, we express our deepest condolences and stand in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters. Naturally, such horrendous acts of terrorism by misguided individuals with twisted minds must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Unfortunately, lately incidents of stark racism and hatred have been on the increase even in a multicultural and inclusive country like Canada. These developments call for a concerted effort by all levels of government as well as every concerned citizen.
The most appropriate time to do this is to reach out to the youth at a very early age. There is no doubt that our schools have been doing an excellent job in this regard. However, they can do only so much. That puts the onus on parents and the community. In this context, we need to emphasize that in the modern era of socialmedia, educationis a very strong weapon against ignorance. Usually, hatred and racism have ignorance, insecurity and fear of the unknown as the main reasons for this kind of unacceptable behaviour and actions. The antidote to racism and hatred is the acceptance that all of us as human beings are children of one God. As human beings we are closely connected with each other. We should take pride in the concept of unity in diversity.
What we need to address these concerns is on-going programs and efforts in ensuring that our young people, especially those on the margins of society, feel included and appreciated. Once they feel as an integral part of society they are less likely to engage in antisocial activities and behaviours. Perpetrators and promoters of hatred, racism and violence don’t pop out overnight. It is a lengthy and complexprocess. This puts the onus on every concerned citizen to accept some responsibility in helping the people on the margins of society become pro-social and productive members. Tragedies like the one in Christchurch, New Zealand should serve as a wakeup call for all of us.
Balwant Sanghera
(Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist)
