A dreadful event in Christchurch

We are united in condemning the actions of a few extremists, whatever their origins and aims or the labels they attract. Squabbling amongst ourselves and creating imaginary divisions in that unity demeans those who are personally affected by them.

This back biting and sniping is so disappointing and is detracting from an appalling act performed on innocent people going about their daily lives. For goodness sake, stop it and show some respect! Stop turning the focus onto yourselves.

After discussing the earthquake disaster in Christchurch yesterday with friends I was shocked to the core to turn the news on this morning and see what had happened. NZ is the last place we would ever have expected such an atrocity to occur and thought our family were safe out there - it seems you're no longer safe anywhere in the world now

Read my post at 16.41 maryeliza. I didn't name any poster specifically; I said some.

Is there not enough misery and anger in the world today without this? Can't we post to say how miserable and upset we are at the dreadful events in New Zealand, without getting into silly point scoring and pedantics?

I'll leave you with it maryeliza.....

What concerns us all is 49 people are dead, at least 20 injured, families are struggling with grief and shock and we are expressing our sorrow

Signed =aimed

Funny * Chew* how you never signed those comments at EV I do do wonder why ?

You've made your point maryeliza. We've heard you loud and clear now.

And the language used to conceptualise the horror is very relevant to how people perceive the horror ( see thread on Boris re attitude to a problem and language and also the SB thread)

Got it in a nutshell Elegran.

The sniping and backbiting from some posters on this thread is very upsetting. What's happened today in New Zealand is bad enough with adding more ill feeling and anger to the situation.

Funny how madman was preferred but the minute it’s anything to do with Islam out comes the t word - which has a very specific legal meaning btw cf madman.

MaryEliza The word "terrorist" may not have been specifically posted, but the concept is there. Terrorists come in all colours, creeds and nationalities, their only common qualification is the use of terror to try to achieve their aims or express their hates. No-one is ignorant of that, or shy of saying it, they just moved past the fact to speak of their horror at the specific deed.

I was about to add that, Anniebach. Time travel would be useful, to go back and stop past exploitation. Sadly, it has not yet been perfected.

quizqueen What matters NOW is the shock and horror of what the white supremacists are capable of NOW.

quizqueen I doubt anyone posting here were around when white Europeans took the land from the Maories .

Until recently, I thought we were winning the war on racism. My DH said the same today after we talked about the atrocities in N.Z.

I was brought up in an environment where it was rife. When I was very small I heard elderly relatives using words I can’t repeat on here.

My father, however (long dead) wasn’t racist. Which was unusual in working class S.E. London back then. I grew up with black kids as friends. One of whom lives in the U.S. and has visited over the years. And my sons have brought lots of kids back to our home, black, white, Asian. We’ve all sat around the dinner table. All have been welcome in our home and theirs.

I really thought (until recently) that, if we stopped the blame (unless blame was very much needed. i.e. racism happening now) and we looked to the future. Stopped even noticing colour. That we would almost be there.

After the comments on the thread regarding Stacey Dooley and David Lammy the other day, however, I held my head in despair. It seems it will never end. So many angry people. People who want payback, not equality.

The atrocities in N.Z. today are shocking as it seems it was white people with the belief they are ‘fighting back’. We all know ISIS is an evil organisation that wants nothing but death to all who do not believe. But to wipe out innocents? Retribution?

I wondered a while ago (around the time of the Brexit vote) whether there would be some sort of backlash regarding race in this country. It seems it’s not just here.

Why can’t we all live together. The hatred is soul destroying.

People, regardless of race, religion or anything else can be so wicked. Why. I really do not know. It breaks my heart.

I hope you all were as equally shocked and horrified when the 'white Europeans' went to New Zealand and took it off the Maoris in the first place.

It's a shame this thread is becoming so heated. Let's try to remember that yet another atrocity has been perpetrated on innocent people by individuals with a very warped sense of what they think is right, and woe betide anyone who doesn't fit their sickening ideology. Whatever their creed, colour, faith or none, anyone who does these wicked acts is evil - I would hope we can all agree on that!

Such tragic news, so sad that terror has reached New Zealand, the wonderful friendly, non judgemental beautiful country.This deranged person must be punished and sent somewhere he cant spread his evils any more. My heart and prayers go to Christchurch and everyone in New Zealand.

Oh I rather think it does - otherwise why so shy about using the word in this context

What are you talking about Maryeliza ? A terrorist is a terrorist regardless of colour.

Obviously the supplier of the weapons etc resides in NZ because you can't enter another country with such, which means there are more of these terrorists in-situ in NZ. How did they get them ?

What sort of a person watches atrocities as they happen, or atrocities anyway ? Again, this sort of material should be banned on the internet. Games showing violence should also be incinerated .

Some people are being very shy about using the word ‘terrorist’. It reminds me of the Homer Simpson cartoon where the authorities determine whether you are a terroist or not by holding up a skin colour chart to your face

This is so sad and deeply shocking, to murder people as they engage in act of worship......words fail me

Elegran : I will blame the Devil. Everyone has free choice to believe in whatever they wish. The Passion is coming up at Easter when Christ died on the Cross for ALL of us.
If you have other beliefs than you are entitled to them, as is everyone, as God gave us all free will.
However, it makes me sad when so many cannot see that the loveliest trick of the Devil is to persuade you that he does not exist!"
The devil, you see, is that friend who never stays with us to the end. It is he who is the author of confusion and lies.