OPINION - Many Muslim individuals are already speaking out against Islamophobic rhetoric, but non-Muslim individuals need to step up and combat Islamophobic language as well.
The New Zealand mosque shooting took place against the backdrop of a rise in Islamophobic hate crimes, racist violence and an increase in far-right extremist activity.
Attacks on Islam and Muslims are the central organising principles of far-right movements across Europe.
Islamophobia is deeply structured into European society because it has played a central role in attempting to create the conditions in which Europeans can fight unpopular foreign wars, particularly in central Asia and the Middle East.
Whether it’s extreme right-wing Christian fundamentalism or Islamic extremism, fear and hate continue to fuel much of the violence and destruction that continues to afflict communities worldwide.
We must continue to speak up against all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination.
There is clearly a need to better understand and study the growing trend of Islamophobia.
Hiresh Ramthol Sandton