Words and actions have consequences.
When Donald Trump whips up American fears about Mexican rapists and Muslim terrorists, there are consequences. When he suggests that violence is the right way to respond to political opponents, there are consequences.
Yesterday, two innocent men were brutally assassinated in the middle of New York City. In broad daylight. Each one was shot in cold blood by an unknown killer.
Why?
Because they were walking out of the mosque where they had been praying.
RawStory is reporting that the Imam and his assistant were each shot once as they left the worship service at their local mosque. The Imam was a well respected father of three who was a Pakistani immigrant. His assistant was 64 years old.
Neither man was armed. Neither had done anything to provoke the attack.
Police investigating fatal shooting of New York imam as possible hate crime https://t.co/iL5c7NV5uV pic.twitter.com/Heah0fGKsA
— Independent US (@IndyUSA) August 13, 2016
The congregation of Al-Furqan Jame Masjid Mosque reacted with horror and grief. As Americans, they say, they were shocked that such an inhuman act could happen right out in the open. One member of the mosque said:
“People being shot in the head in broad daylight is unheard of. Killing people brutally, like they’re an animal.”
Another local man said this:
“For no reason. He had finished his prayers…Somebody else with him. Just a pure, blind, hate crime.”
This sense of shocked disbelief is familiar to many Americans. After every terrorist attack, it seems, people express the same feelings of unreality. How could this happen? How could anyone do something so horrific to a complete stranger?
This time, though, a lot of people feel that they know the cause of the killings. This time, they say, there is a direct connection between the hateful words of a major party presidential candidate and the actions of a murdering terrorist.
Khairul Islam is a resident of the Queens neighborhood. He put it this way:
“That’s not what America is about. We blame Donald Trump for this…Trump and his drama has created Islamophobia.”
They blame Donald Trump for this.
Words and actions have consequences. Donald Trump has urged his followers to attack protesters at his rallies. He has suggested that gun owners use their weapons on Hillary Clinton. He has promised to kill the innocent families of our military adversaries in the Middle East.
When violence is used to gain political ends, it is called terrorism.
Even when the victim is a Muslim.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab.
