It’s clear that the fear of the Muslim faith doesn’t just exist in Trump’s America, but also hides beneath Canadian’s politeness and boasted multicultural society.
On Jan. 29, six men were murdered in Quebec while peacefully exhibiting their right to freedom of religion. The shooting at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec has touched communities across Canada, including Athabasca.
Last Sunday, a vigil was held at the United Church for victims of the shooting and their families. Over 70 people from different walks of life were there.
This show of solidarity is crucial to maintaining a community of acceptance, but it remains that anti-Muslim rhetoric simmers around the world.
We could talk all day about how in the case of Islam, misinformation is being fed to the masses through far-right propaganda and fear-mongers with a clear racist agenda.
Rev. Monica Rosborough put it well at the vigil on Sunday when she said Islamophobia could be combatted through dialogue.
“We combat that (racism) by getting to know our Muslim neighbours and talking to them and hearing their stories,” she said. “We need to be open to conversations. We need to be ready to meet them face to face and extend a hand of friendship.”
At the core of it all, we are all human beings. We all love our families, our friends, our children. We all go home at night wanting the best for our loved ones and ourselves.
So if you do have fears you believe are legitimate, don’t close your curtains and simmer in hate, and don’t rely on the anti-Muslim rhetoric you may by fed online. Go out into your community and meet new people, ask questions, because left to boil, hatred can burst into needless acts of violence.
