A dastardly act of terrorism and hatred

To maintain international coalition against the IS, the US administration insists that the terrorist organization has nothing to do with Muslims. But this has given Trump an excuse to exploit American people's fear of "radical Islam" and give a call to"temporarily stop any Muslims from entering the country".

Even if Mateen didn't have any real association with a terrorist group, the pressure on the US government will be no less. This is not the first such act of mindless killing by a suspected religious fanatic. Previous "lone wolf" attacks in San Bernardino, California, Boston and New York City have all highlighted the challenge of detecting and preventing such attacks.

Since a "lone wolf" doesn't have partners in planning an attack, fewer clues and evidence are available to intelligence officers to anticipate, let alone prevent, it. Even though Mateen called 911 20minutes before he started shooting, he had left almost no time for law enforcement officers to respond effectively.

The Orlando attack is not likely to be the last of its kind.Why do such lone wolves, some of whom are second-generation immigrants, still have deeply rooted hatred against other Americans?

For one, the American "melting pot" seems unable to forge a common identity among all immigrants. Given the ever expanding economic disparity, such a rift in identity is increasingly apparent. Second, some of America's political tolerance has not gained universal support in the US. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights groups have got the support of one section of the American public and political spectrum but they may still be hated by others. Mateen's father has indicated his son deeply hated LGBTs, which might have prompted him to gun down so many people in the gay nightclub.

The Orlando shooting, as of now, can be described as an act of terrorism and hatred. Over time, with more details emerging, one may be able to describe it differently. Though the US administration will beef up security in public places for a while, it is a shame that many American politicians still support the gun lobby despite such tragedies.

The author is a professor at and associate dean of the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University.