Christchurch mosque shootings

Again and again and again we need to understand …

HATRED NEVER ENDS THROUGH HATRED.  BY NON-HATRED ALONE DOES IT END.  THIS IS AN ANCIENT TRUTH.

The Dhammapada: Teachings of the Buddha translated from the Pali by Gil Fronsdal 2008

Whether you are a Muslim, or an ally, this is a moment to show up for those in New Zealand who need our active support. To help support the victims and families of the Christchurch mosque shootings please donate here

Mosques in New Zealand and around the world have been inundated with floral tributes and messages of support after a massacre in Christchurch that killed 49 Muslims.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/16/we-love-you-mosques-around-world-showered-with-flowers-after-christchurch-massacre

For those in Auckland, you might consider attending AUT’s Islam Awareness events this week, starting Monday 18 March. More info here

Other options in New Zealand for showing your support to Muslim communities (courtesy of the Green Party):

As we grieve, there are gatherings happening around Aotearoa to help share our aroha and confront hatred. Here are some of the planned vigils:

• Christchurch – Thursday 21 March from 8.30pm – 9.30pm at Cathedral Square.
• Dunedin – Thursday 21 March in the Octagon.
• Auckland – Friday 22 March from 6pm – 7pm at Aotea Square.
• Nelson Race Unity Day – Sunday 24 March 24 in Victory Square.

Please attend events in your area and do all you can to come together to support each other and all our diverse communities.

Some further suggestions about how to help, courtesy of ActionStation

Listen to the perspectives of Muslim people

Like with any religious, ethnic or age group, there are multiple perspectives and experiences within the Muslim community. Muslims are an ethnically diverse demographic hailing from 80 different countries around the world. They have been in Aotearoa since 1860.

Widening the articles we read, and the podcasts we listen to, to include a range of Muslim writers or producers is one way we can begin to understand these different perspectives. Here are a couple of pieces that have been written in the wake of the Christchurch attack.

• Christchurch mosque terror attacks a dark day of grief, shock and unspeakable heartbreak by Saziah Bashir, a freelance journalist who writes about social justice, race and gender.
• For us, life in New Zealand will never be the same by Sohail Din, a student at the University of Auckland, and member of the University of Auckland’s Muslim Students’ Association.
• The New Zealand mosques massacre and the denial of Muslim experience by Dr Asim Qureshi, research director at CAGE, a UK-based advocacy organisation working to empower Muslim communities impacted by the War on Terror.

Here is a podcast that came out in 2017, but is essential listening for anyone wanting to understand what life is like for a Muslim person living in New Zealand today.

• Public Enemy is an award-winning four-part podcast series from RNZ looking at the growing Muslim communities in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and how elections, counter-terrorism policies, war and xenophobia have changed lives.

Condemn racism

This violent attack on Muslim people who were praying peacefully was based on the gunman’s idea that white people are superior to people of colour. This idea was fuelled by the renewed rise of neo-Nazis, xenophobia and far-right extremism all over the world.

For the last few years, powerful people with platforms (some politicians, some media commentators, almost all giant tech corporations) have stoked racial division to sell ads, generate headlines and create fear among us for cheap votes and clicks.

This racism and hate was also allowed to fester, because we have not been doing enough to condemn casual racism when we see it.

Report Islamophobic and xenophobic comments when you see them. Read this guide from Amnesty International on how to tell someone you love they are being racist.

This is a good book for people working through how they might be complicit in white supremacy.

You can also check out the NZ Human Rights Commission’s toolkit on their Give Nothing To Racism website.

Volunteer to teach former refugees and migrants English

English Language Partners New Zealand has a volunteer teaching programme providing free English lessons to former refugees and migrants. They will train you to provide those who need it with the language skills and confidence necessary to integrate and participate fully in Aotearoa.

Volunteer for The Red Cross

Contact your local Red Cross and see what they need. Volunteer tasks may include setting up a home for a refugee family, helping them with everyday admin such as enrolments, budgeting and shopping, and generally welcoming them into New Zealand.

Take action to end hate speech

For the last few months, our team has been researching the links between online hate, online misinformation and the rise in hate crimes.

One thing is abundantly clear: Extreme words lead to extreme actions. We need to do all we can to stop both.

Sign this petition that we’re delivering in a couple of weeks if you want our government to crackdown on online hate and misinformation:

I support an end to hate speech and misinformation online.

Take action to ban semi-automatic weapons

A member of the ActionStation community, Nik Green, is calling for a ban on all semi-automatic firearms. You can sign his petition today:

I support stronger gun laws

There are many other ways you can take action. Find your local Muslim community support group or mosque and reach out to ask how you can help.

Some people have been pledging to form human chains of protection around mosques so Muslims can worship and pray. Others have offered to accompany Muslims to wherever they need to go if they do not feel safe going out in public. We will be in touch again soon with other ways you can help as we find them.

Sending aroha (love) and kaha (strength) to all at this horrific time. Especially to our Muslim, migrant, and refugee communities,

Laura, Madeleine, Eliot, Leroy and Kassie, on behalf of the ActionStation team.

P.S. If you need someone to talk to about grief or trauma you may be experiencing, please call or text 1737. Both are free, confidential and available 24/7.