We recently saw people gunned down in New Zealand, by a man we can only call a terrorist … then we saw a Senator declare that the victims are to blame because Islamic terrorists are usually the perpetrators of violence. Senator Anning was wrong, and in the least downright insensitive. He seems to justify the unjustifiable and forgets that every act of terror can be justified by those who propagate hate regardless of religion or ideology.

We are to condemn violence for what it is and not load the blame on innocent people, regardless of what we think of their ideas. I find it interesting that when Senator Anning was egged by a teen, the country rose up and applauded him. This young boy was wrong, and in the least downright disrespectful. We respect people not because we agree with them but because they are human and understand that every human has a right to dignity.

In one instance the Senator justified an abhorrent act and in another the rest of the country justified the assault of a leader among us (wise or not, still a leader). In justifying these actions we are saying to our young people that there are instances where dishonour and disrespect are okay and that it is okay to attack those we do not agree with. While not on the same scale, that is similar to what the gunman and Senator Anning did. They all said “because you don’t think, look or talk like me, I will hurt you.” “Because your ways, your views or world view is different from mine, you are not worth the dignity awarded humans.”

Lets teach respect and tolerance especially when we don’t agree or even when we hate what someone stands for.