I've come to the conclusion that there are several different kinds of racists. Feel free to add your own observations to this list.

1) The racist who makes offensive jokes around friends/family, assuming that words are harmless. Let's call this the benevolent racist (similar to the benevolent sexist - they think they have good intentions, so that couldn't possibly make them racist/sexist). After all, they're just kidding right? Stop being so PC.

2) The racist who is actually dumb enough to say racist things in public around people who might not be sympathetic to their hatred.

3) The racist who is compelled to verbally harass people from the group they hate so much.

4) The racist whose is actually compelled to do physical harm (eg Charleston, Chapell Hill, etc)

5) The racist who agrees any of the above racists but will never own up to it in public.

Moral of the story here - there are varying degrees of racism, sexism, any ism. These phenomena do not exist only in extremes (saying the N word or another racial pejorative, killing someone) - they exist on a spectrum. We have all met at least 1 or more of these people. The sad part is, a #1 can one day become a #2 or a #3, and so on. When will we stop this sickness from progressing?

Source: http://thetypewriter.org/chapel-hill-man-kills-3-young-muslims-in-north-carolina/?utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=Tumblr_feed&utm_campaign=autopost

In a quiet area of Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the silence of early evening was broken by the sound of three gunshots. Unusual for a small residential community, three young American Muslims were shot at 5:11pm local time on Tuesday 10th of February. Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Abu-Salha, 19, were pronounced dead at the scene. It is reported that they were shot in the head in their family home.

While those on social media and local residents have demanded senior leaders and religious figures condemn the attack, it comes as no surprise that many have labeled this as an Islamophobic response. Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out first degree murder. While there has been little history concerning their interactions, it is notable the Hicks was, according to some reports, an Atheist and in particular anti-religion, regularly posting images and texts condemning all religions. He turned himself in to the police shortly after the shootings.

Mr and Mrs Barakat were both dental students in Chapel Hill, planning on pursuing their career together in dentistry while Razan was a recent graduate and frequently blogged her photography and art. They were a very active family in their area, participating in numerous charity events such as Global Deaf Muslims and raising money for Syrian Refugees. The couple has been married just for two months before they were killed in their own safety and home.

Many local residents are shocked and unsettled at the tragedy that occurred within their area. Many had no idea what happened until the police arrived, only to see that their neighbours had been murdered. The social media response has been incredible, with an outpouring of support for their family and their loved ones. Many tweets compare Tuesday’s attack to the shootings at Charlie Hebdo – an attack on religion and discrimination.

One notable tweet by filmmaker, Zain Khan, reads

“RIP to three #Muslims murdered. I’d like to see the same public uproar as the #CharlieHebdo aftermath. #ChapelHillShooting #ChapelHill.”

Another by Adham Kassem says

“I want to see protests, I want to see news coverage, I want to see marches, I want the same outrage expressed in France. #ChapelHillShootings.”

While many have compared this to Paris, some may argue that this could be more similar to Lee Rigby’s murder in Woolwich, London, in 2013 where two attackers killed an innocent man dressed in a soldiers’ uniform. Yet again, these back-and-forth attacks from individuals supposedly called Muslims and vice versa in the name of religion or belief makes little sense. It will be inconsistent for media to project one story as opposed to another, and although media may always suffer from bias, it is important to acknowledge that any murder, regardless of its motive, is morally wrong.