I have not commented on here in a very long time, though I still usually follow VGChartz and read the various threads to see what is going on in the gaming world. However, reading all of the comments on this particular thread has made me want to add my perspective on the matter.
First of all I would like to say, as a person born in a Middle Eastern country, that I am deeply disgusted by the attacks that took place against these women as well as all the other atrocities that have taken place in recent times. My parents and I legally immigrated to Canada from a Middle Eastern country and we are now proud Canadian Citizens. My parents and I are not Muslims, my mother converted to Christianity after a battle with cancer and I consider myself a Christian Humanist. Furthermore, we do have family members (most of whom still live in the country in which I was born in) and friends that still identify as Muslim but they do not condone things like violence against women, violence against those of other religions (many of my extended family members are of other faiths), and general violence and marginalization of any group. Moreover, contrary to certain stereotypes about Middle Easterners and other immigrants in general, my parents are educated, my mother is currently working, I received high grades in school and am now in University and make time to do volunteer work every week, we do not live off of welfare, my parents and I speak English and we have strived to integrate in Canadian society (and I think we have been successful).
I guess what I am trying to say is that please do not use a wide brush and paint all Middle Easterners and Africans as bad people or people unfit to live in civilized society. Moreover, please do not associate all Middle Easterners and Northern Africans with Islam (I know this seems like common sense to people on VGChartz but I have seen a lot of comments from ordinary people around the Internet who seem to be inferring that Islam is a race) . As with any ideology, people may choose the religion they wish to follow (if they choose to follow any religion at all), so not everyone from a particular regional background follow the same religion; and indeed those who follow a particular religion typically interpret various parts differently and many selectively follow certain parts of the religion.
I know this has become a long comment and a bit of a rant, but I am personally very scared right now. I understand that people are frustrated with the inaction from the governments in power right now to effectively protect their security, but I am afraid of some of the rhetoric coming from those who desire to come into power in the future and their followers. I know this may be a stretch but I genuinely fear that if some of these groups gain traction and come to power I and many others will face persecution or will be stripped of our citizenship and forced to go back to the countries from where we immigrated (which in my case would mean going back to a country that wants me dead due to my beliefs).
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