Mixed emotions after shooter pleads guilty
Let’s hope his sentencing will close this horrific chapter in our history books
Alexandre Bissonnette’s guilty plea, less than 48 hours after his initial plea of not guilty, brings with it a roller-coaster of emotions. Feelings of hope and relief are mixed with sadness as a horrific chapter in our nation’s history draws to a close.
Bissonnette’s savage attack on a mosque in Quebec City, described as an act of terrorism by our premier and prime minister last year, led to a period of mourning as Canadians came to terms with the physical effects of hate-filled rhetoric against Muslims.
Thousands of Canadians across the country watched this case closely, scanning for any news or update. Some travelled across the country to attend the hearing in Quebec City. Many people were stunned, upset and concerned when Bissonnette initially filed a plea of not guilty. Some took to social media in anger and frustration and voiced questions filled with grief and outrage.
The news from the courtroom Wednesday brought me right back to where I was on the night of Jan. 29 last year. I still remember freezing still when I heard of the attack that killed six men peacefully gathered at the mosque, and orphaned 17 children. Even now, hearing the names of the victims of that horrific act sends shivers down my spine and brings tears to my eyes. The thought that so many children will now grow up without their fathers breaks my heart.
In the days and weeks that followed, our nation tried hard to absorb the shock and enormity of what had transpired. Ripples of fear swept across our nation. I remember feeling afraid, unsure whether this would be part of a larger, co-ordinated attack. I remember the panic and disbelief that a place of worship had been targeted. Bissonnette terrorized the people of the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec; he terrorized the people of Quebec and our entire country.
I was among the thousands who stood shoulder to shoulder in the Maurice Richard Arena here in Montreal to offer their condolences to the families of the victims. I listened carefully to the words of our elected officials from the front row of the crowd, standing directly in front of the podium. As I grieved with my fellow Canadians, I also waited for the day when we could, as a nation, see justice served, a day where the families of the victims could find closure.
Now, however, feelings of relief that the case did not go to trial are tainted by his Bissonnette’s statement that he is not a terrorist or Islamophobe. The decision on whether he is either or both is not his to make. Any suggestion that this crime was not the product of Islamophobia is insulting to the memory of the victims of acts of terror and to the tens of thousands of Muslims in this country who face Islamophobia on a regular basis. Bissonnette does not get to decide.
As we wait for Bissonnette’s sentencing next month, our nation is watching. His sentence will send a clear message, and maybe then we can, as a nation, close this horrific chapter in our history books. The families and loved ones of the deceased need closure. The Muslim community needs closure, as do all Canadians.
And then, we can look to the future. From the ashes of this horrific crime rose blossoming friendships between faith communities. Open houses at mosques, churches, synagogues and temples were organized in recognition of the importance of building bridges between faith groups.
We all need to hold our elected officials, public figures and media accountable for their rhetoric and actions toward all visible and religious minorities. We need to use this horrific act of violence as a reminder that words matter. Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed is the founder and editor in chief of CanadianMomEh.com, a lifestyle blog.
As I grieved ... I also waited for the day when we could, as a nation, see justice served.