Day to remember and to reflect
After seven days we never thought we would see in New Zealand, we stop to remember and reflect. We remember that in Christchurch a week ago 50 people were killed while at prayer. And we reflect on that which New Zealanders of all races and religions have learned about themselves since, both good and bad.
Two minutes of silence to honour the victims will be observed nationally, and an Islamic call to prayer will be broadcast on TVNZ and RNZ. It is a beautiful and fitting gesture at the end of a week in which the country’s non-Muslim majority started to understand more about the beliefs and values of our Muslim neighbours. We only wish it had not taken such an appalling event to make this happen.
For too long, media companies both overseas and in New Zealand – and Stuff has not been immune – have helped to perpetuate ignorant and fearful stereotypes of a religion of peace. Some commentators have made the welcome decision to apologise for such content. Others have yet to do so.
Vigils and similar services nationwide will be matched by other, participatory gestures. New Zealanders of all religions have been encouraged to wear headscarves in solidarity with Muslim women who believed headscarves identified them as terrorist targets. Schools and businesses have been encouraged to take part in a ‘‘colour your day’’ movement.
In Christchurch, businesses donated time and materials to ensure that the Masjid Al Noor is able to open for Friday prayers.
There will be the familiar complaints from the Right of politics of ‘‘virtue signalling’’, but thankfully those voices are quieter than usual this week. None of the gestures, from a child at a local primary school dressing in bright mufti clothes, all the way up to the prime minister wearing a headscarf, are empty and meaningless. They have been and will be noticed in New Zealand and internationally.
The Newsroom website published a perfect example. Summer Joyan, 13, is a Muslim girl living in Sydney. In an open letter, she praised Jacinda Ardern’s leadership, which she contrasts with the ‘‘dark . . . anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant language . . . that permeates Australian society’’. Joyan had assumed there was no other, better way for politicians to talk about her people. She contrasted scenes of Ardern talking to students at Cashmere High School in Christchurch with her experience at school, where ‘‘not a single teacher or figure of authority even mentioned the attacks’’.
New Zealand is far from perfect, and the soulsearching we saw this week has revealed we needed to urgently fix our gun laws and be more critical of everyday, so-called ‘‘casual’’ racism, as well as more obvious kinds, but there are things we can and should pride ourselves on. This week has demonstrated again that, by and large, we are compassionate, welcoming and willing to listen. Political and media extremism is rare, although not unheard of.
Only time will tell if the reflectiveness and generosity we have seen this week will continue. Will this event permanently alter us for the better? That is up to us. We must try to avoid the pessimism and cynicism that would see a return to the old normal once the grieving finishes and the tragic event begins to pass into history.
None of the gestures ... are empty and meaningless. They have been and will be noticed in New Zealand and internationally.