'If we can take one lesson from the horror of Christchurch, we have to stop this hate and see Muslims as human beings, just like anyone else,' Ayesha Hazarika writes for CNNOpinion
Ayesha Hazarika is a British political commentator, writer and former political adviser. The opinions in this article belong to the author. View more opinion articles on CNN.
When I woke up Friday morning to the news of the massacre at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, I felt sick. But sadly, not entirely surprised. I had been dreading this kind of violence happening, although I would have never imagined this kind of scale -- 49 Muslim men, women and children killed in cold blood with such clinical, methodical precision and filmed for social media.
Islamophobia is on the rise and has been for some time. Muslims have been demonized, dehumanized and scapegoated on an industrial scale by society since 9/11. No other group has been punished for the sins of the father in such a systematic and accepted way. Politicians, commentators, influencers and the media on the right have waged a war against Muslims that has become normalized.
Prime Minister: One of New Zealand's darkest days 02:06This is like saying that because of this atrocity, every white 28-year-old man should now be on a watch list or face prejudice. It's a nonsensical, primitive argument. Yet one that elites in powerful positions repeat, even though they should know better. The trope that all Muslims are somehow predisposed to violence or terrorism is dangerous and wrong.
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