We, the Guilfordian Editorial Board, are incredibly saddened by the recent shootings that occured in Christchurch, New Zealand. The shooter attacked the Al Noor and Linwood mosques on Friday, March 15, killing at least 50 people and wounding many others.

The deaths resulting from these shootings have made a profound impact around the world, and we stand in solidarity with and in support of those who have been affected by these horrific attacks. As we mourn the loss of innocent lives, we must also stand strong against white supremacy, recognizing its rise and condemning all terrorist acts done in its name.

We must remember the heroic people who risked their lives in an effort to prevent the shooter from killing others. These heroes include Naeem Rashid, who ran toward the shooter in an attempt to tackle him at the Al Noor mosque, as well as Abdul Aziz, who chased the gunman with a credit card machine from the Linwood mosque. We should be inspired by such selfless acts to do our best to fight back against the hatred and violence that we witness, both in our local community and in communities around the world.

We must also acknowledge the role of hateful rhetoric in spreading white nationalism and its ideals. This can further lead to the mass violence that we have witnessed in this tragic event. In order to combat this poisonous ideology, we encourage members of the Guilford community to act on Guilford College’s core values by joining anti-racism and inclusion efforts, both on campus and beyond.

Looking forward, it is important to reflect on how events such as this shooting could have been prevented. We must use this time of reflection as an opportunity to make changes that will minimize the opportunities for violence in the future. As such, we support Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in her promises that New Zealand will see changes in current gun laws. However, we believe this movement toward change to reduce opportunities for gun violence should not be limited to New Zealand. As Americans, we are long overdue for making a similar move.

Reflecting Guilford College’s core Quaker values, the topics and content of Staff Editorials are chosen through consensus of all 13 editors and one faculty adviser of The Guilfordian’s Editorial Board.