This whole tragedy has been such a reality check, and that feels like such an insult to the actual tragedy that took place. The idea that 51 deaths is somehow a lesson for the rest of us makes me sick to my stomach. But it's still so sobering now, watching all of the victims speak, and seeing some people react with such an incredible lack of empathy. The bloke in the Warriors jersey, for example, was getting pelters from some people for speaking in the way he did. "Inappropriate for the courts", "what about the muslims who kill people" -- I wish I was making this up. It's so depressing.
The uncomfortable reality is that there are many people in NZ who hold some of the same beliefs that the shooter did; even if it's just the seed of it, or the watered down version, or the tacit, unthinking forms that they assume. It's a minority, but I know for sure that it's so many more than most of us are willing to admit. I would love for there to be a zero tolerance policy on all of that bullshit, and for us as a society to immediately crack down on any of those views being propagated -- dog whistle or otherwise -- by anybody anywhere. Preferably with a healthy dose of realism, context, and loving education. But even just saying that is going to cause people to go further into the other direction.
Pretty depressing post on what should be a relieving day, but it's upsetting to know that there are people who are more comfortable in feeling empathy for someone who murdered 51 innocent people than feeling empathy for someone a little browner than them. In any case, I'm glad this person has been put away for the rest of their life with no hope of seeing the freedom that the rest of us enjoy, and I'm glad we didn't make him any kind of martyr. He went through the same court process as any other vile, uncaring worm would have, because he isn't special.