I learned about the mass shooting in Toronto's Greektown right before I went to bed very early this morning. Upon learning about what happened, I texted my older brother who informed he was alright and had not heard about the shooting. It reminded me of when my mother in Thunder Bay knew about the Boston Marathon Bombing before I did.
I have fond memories of Greektown. In August 2001, I saw Ron Sexsmith play an outdoor concert there. Unfortunately, I now have another memory of Greektown and so do many, many other people.
Two people have died and 13 people have been injured. The suspect is a 29-year old Muslim named Faisal Hussain whose family has claimed has had a long history of mental illness. Color me skeptical. There was an attempt to paint the ISIS truck attacker in Nice, France two years ago as mentally ill. It bothers me there is an attempt in the mainstream Canadian media to paint Hussain as a victim. This isn't to say Hussain wasn't mentally ill. Killing people is an abnormal thing. Yet this only further stigmatizes people with mental illness as most mentally ill people don't shoot up a restaurant and kill a child much less have a predilection for violence.
It should be mentioned that Alek Minnassin, the man responsible for killing 10 people with his vehicle in Toronto back in April, also had mental health troubles but because he is a) not a Muslim and b) targeted women he did not receive similar sympathy and nor should he.
Of course, it is possible that an ISIS inspired attack wasn't part of Hussain's motive. Yet at this point it cannot be discounted. I also believe in this era of identity politics, Hussain is receiving more sympathetic treatment than someone who behaved as he did ought to receive.
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