White supremacy isn’t a mental illness

A 28-YEAR-OLD white man from Australia opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch minutes after sending a copy of his racist 74-page manifesto to New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, several media outlets and lawmakers.

Fifty people were killed and another 50 were injured in the attack.

In his manifesto, the shooter conveys a deep hatred for people who aren’t white, who he called invaders, as well as an intense anti-Muslim sentiment throughout the document.

With each mass shooting we’ve seen more and more how social media and the racist, Islamophobic words of politicians and the media have prompted people to commit these acts.

In the aftermath of the Christchurch shooting, Australian senator Fraser Anning blamed the tragedy on immigration, a sentiment that sounds very similar to what Trump has said in the past.

The real cause of the bloodshed is unchecked xenophobia and white xenophobia, which inspires people to commit unthinkable crimes.

Brenton Tarrant is a white supremacist who took the lives of 50 Muslims in two mosques and injured 50 more. Tarrant acted out of hatred, not fear.

It is necessary to recognise that this was an act of terrorism, because massacre is not a side effect of mental illness.

SAIF SOOFIE | Sherwood, Durban