The tragic criminal event in Florida is a domestic hate crime committed by a religious zealot similar to the mass killings committed by a Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik. Both acts are highly condemnable and it is important to find its root causes. But as usual extreme right will try to take political advantage from it whether it is Republican Party’s presumptive nominee or terrorists of Islamic State. Both will try to promote their agenda of dividing humanity based along their narrow definition of religion and promoting intolerance. This creates further dangers of deepening clash of civilisation and continuation of wars in various forms around the world. In Middle East and Central Asia it is war for control of resources while in USA it is war on long held values that nurture and sustain the American Dream.
The events in Florida are a reminder to American-Muslims that they have to become full participants in the political process or else face being marginalised socially, economically and politically. They should form political caucuses not only to support candidates that unite people but also develop candidates to contest elections for city councils, state congress and US congress. Inaction is no longer an option.
Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi
