New Zealand police after the massacre at Christchurch mosque

The horrific, racist attack on two New Zealand mosques that killed 49 people was fueled by xenophobic, ethno-nationalistic and anti-immigrant feelings that seem to be rising worldwide— a tide of hatred that is taking many of its cues from the United States, according to human rights leaders.

The movement is being led by a small, but vocal group of Americans, who have sought to craft a narrative that white racial identity is in danger. In an interconnected, Internet-enabled globe, their ideas migrate very quickly from one continent to another.

“The United States is the epicenter of the world in terms of how white identity is seen,” said Karam Dana, a professor of Middle East politics and director of the American Muslim Research Institute at the University of Washington, Bothell, outside of Seattle.

The New Zealand attack comes after recent racial violence in the U.S. Domestic extremists killed at least 50 people in the U.S. in 2018, making it the fourth deadliest year for extremist-related killings since 1970, […]