Vanquishing fear of the “other”

Politicians and citizens alike have spoken loudly in the wake of the tragic shootings at a Quebec City mosque. We are urged to denounce hatred, take a stand against Islamophobia, be proactive and make a difference as individuals.

We have heard these words of encouragement before, after each tragedy fuelled by bigotry and anger, yet xenophobia and radicalization to violence is ever-present. Why is that?

The answer lies in ignorance and fear of the “other,” which must be countered by our education system.

If every high school student were shown how unchecked prejudice has led to statesanctioned destruction of entire groups of its citizens, their eyes would be opened to the real dangers of intolerance.

They would see that by not learning the lessons of past genocides, society repeats the same mistakes, with the same results.

They would have the critical thinking skills to resist the lure of propaganda from radical groups.

Most important, they would feel empowered to act when they see their society succumbing to hatred.

If the accused Quebec City shooter had received this education, would he have turned to right-wing extremist views and ultimately violence to vent his personal frustrations?

We must urge our government to take the lead with mandatory genocide education before there are more victims of another preventable tragic incident.

Education equals knowledge, and knowledge is what can make the difference.

It is time not only to take a stand, but to act. Heidi Berger, founder, The Foundation for the Compulsory Study of Genocide in Schools, Montreal