The NZ massacre: an appeal for calm and moderation

The appallingly cruel anti-Muslim terrorist atrocity in Christchurch, New Zealand proves - if proof were needed - that far-right, white supremacist terrorism is now a serious menace and that the ideology behind it as vile as its mirror image, Islamism. 

Both need crushing.

Of course, no terrorist atrocity these days would be complete without armchair warriors on various sides of our many culture wars vying viciously to score points off each other. 

The wilder shores I'll ignore, but within mere hours one 'respectable' side was trying to smear prominent critics of Islamism - from Melanie Phillips to Boris Johnson, from Maajid Nawaz to Julia Hartley-Brewer, from Sajid Javid to David Aaronovitch - with the Christchurch killer's murderous evil, while the other 'respectable' side was furiously countering that this was obscene opportunism. 

(You might notice a certain bias on my part in the way I phrased that).

And, of course, no terrorist atrocity these days would be complete without the authorities thinking that the first thing needed is to crack down on social media.

On these points, here's an appeal posted yesterday (as events were unfolding) from North Northwester at the They're Joking. Aren't They? blog:

The NZ massacre: an appeal for calm and moderation

In light of the unconscionable and apparently anti-Muslim attacks in New Zealand that may have been inspired by anti-Islamic sentiment and which all decent folk everywhere will condemn without demur or qualification (as do I ), now might be an appropriate time to point out that not all anti-Islamism activists and commentators are inspired to or approve of illegal violence.  

As our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and the bereaved, it is important that just condemnation of these criminals should not be used as an excuse for counter-attacks and blaming the innocent. 

Indeed, the overwhelming majority of Islam sceptics are simply decent, law abiding people who wish to go about their lives at peace with their neighbours while reserving to their consciences the basic human right of expressing condemnation of the 34,725 documented deadly Islamic terror attacks since 9/11, 7/7, the horrors of Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, Telford and the rest of such events and who harbour – for whatever reasons - deeply held convictions critical of the motivations behind the Ariana Grande concert massacre and the ISIS-led attempted genocide against (amongst others) the Yazidi people. 

Please try not to make this sad situation worse by blaming, quite without evidence, any or all of Islam’s present day critics and detractors for fear your intemperate words might inspire violence or legal persecution against this much-maligned and diverse group of individuals: no matter how much you might personally disagree with their opinions and obsessions. 

Thank you.