“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” – Malala Yousafzai

It has taken me almost two weeks to write this.  Not because of an overloaded schedule or an absence of hurt, but because I have nothing insightful or helpful to say that has not already been said.

But the silence is overwhelming.

I hope the silence in this country over the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand is because others cannot find their words through the hurt.  But I cannot shake the suspicion that something more insidious lurks underneath.

Over the past few years, distant rumbles of thunder are growing closer, louder.  Hate crimes are steadily on the rise.  Fascism is planting new roots in societies across the globe.  The President of the United States is incapable of compassion.  Showing his true colors, he frequently admires authoritarian leaders, ridicules democratic ones, and insisted that there were “…very fine people on both sides…” of a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, VA, in August 2017.

The warning sirens are blaring, heralding the rise of white nationalism and white supremacy.

Yet the silence from those who should oppose it is overwhelming.

We raised our voices in unity for London.  We raised our voices in unity for Paris.  We raised our voices in unity for other countries countless times.

But the silence in the wake of this tragedy is overwhelming.

The terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15, 2019, was a blatant example of unchecked white supremacy.

“You will have heard me say in the media that, yes, this is an event that has happened in Christchurch, that this has happened to our Muslim community.  But you are us.  So we feel deeply in our hearts what has happened to you.  We feel grief.  We feel injustice.  We feel anger.  And we share that with you.” – Jacinda Ardern

My voice is not particularly unique to this tragedy.  I’m not Muslim.  I’m not from New Zealand.  But I am white, I am privileged, and as such I am responsible for taking a primary role in combating white supremacy.

My political consciousness dawned during the 2000 presidential election and was wide awake for the September 11, 2001, attacks.  Every weekday evening, the television was tuned in to the CBS Evening News.  High school involved absorbing obscure Supreme Court cases in a Constitutional Law class.  College was devoted to three and a half years of extensive study of the Middle East, Islam, and governmental systems.

Through the process of learning history and learning from primary voices, I began to awaken from a fog to recognize how ingrained Islamophobia has become in our collective conscience because of America’s knee-jerk reaction of fear, distrust, and misconceptions following 9/11.

“to hate

Is an easy lazy thing

but to love

takes strength

everyone has

but not all are

willing to practice” – rupi kaur

Sending thoughts and prayers to victims of white supremacy is a luxury.  Remaining silent in the face of white supremacy is a luxury.

Have you done any work?  Are you willing to do the work?  Are you willing to continue doing the work?

Leadership is needed.

Jacinda Ardern is a beautiful example of how a leader can be gentle yet undaunted, compassionate yet stern.  She has demonstrated grace and courage under pressure, serving as an beacon to a weary world.  A leader does not need to rule by employing fear and division.

Education is needed.

Break down barriers to understanding.  Unlearn Islamophobia.  Educate yourself.  Read the Quran.  Learn the nuances of Islam [while keeping in mind that Christianity and Judaism also have nuances and contrary themes].  Take a Middle East history course.  Take a world religions course.  Read a book by a Muslim author.  Introduce yourself to your Muslim neighbors or coworkers.

Compassion is needed.

Replace suspicion and fear with kindness and empathy.

With silence, white supremacy wins.

Without effort and work, white supremacy wins.

Islamophobia, racism, and xenophobia are all branches of the same tree, and they must be pruned.  We all should have a loud, vocal role in dismantling white supremacy.  Start now.  Find the strength to love.