Explaining the events of yesterday’s dastardly terror attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand is difficult. Anger, grief and disbelief are amongst the first thoughts and emotions that come to one’s mind. Killing 49 innocent people for their religious beliefs or values is nothing less than terrorism. It reminds us how the world is increasingly becoming intolerant with the prevalence of nationalist and far-right ideologies in societies where secularism and globalisation were the hallmarks of progression not long ago. Post-Cold War era is complex, especially when the 9/11 Attacks are taken into consideration. The shift from a bipolar to a multipolar world reshaped the global order in which the great powers fought for influence on a multifaceted front. For the West, terrorism was one such front. It revolved around sectarian angles of Islam which were linked to non-state actors that fought guerrilla warfare in the Middle East and South Asia, including the Soviet-Afghan War which changed the entire course of history. But the greatest causality in this context was Islam itself. The prejudice in mainstream media was fed with impunity which caused resentment and fear amongst a number of West-based commoners. Associating a religion with terrorism was the last nail in the coffin when the broader spectrum is taken into context. Indeed, some of the vilest acts of terrorism were committed in the name of Islam but were they really representing the religion? Evidently not! The motives of Brenton Tarrant, the Australian terrorist who committed the Christchurch massacre, were all about racism and Islamophobia. He had no qualms in admitting his actions and being inspired by fascism while writing his manifesto called ‘The Great Replacement’. For him, Muslims were a great threat for Europe who would dominate the continent in the future. This eerily reminds us of the pre-WWII era when Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini ruled over Germany and Italy. For Hitler, his Nazi ideology was all about hatred for the Jewish community and superiority of the Aryan race. Modern white supremacist groups across the globe have been duly inspired by such theories but this time it’s the Muslim community at the receiving end. Perhaps, the time has come for global leaders and mainstream media groups to introspect the gravity of the situation and make efforts in reducing the deep polarisation of cultures and religions. Facts must be presented about how dangerous far-right is if it resorts to armed attacks or given unprecedented access to power corridors. Nothing can teach this better than history. * Published in Daily Times, March 16th 2019.