Responding to Islamaphobia in Christchurch, New Zealand

As we awakened this morning to the news from New Zealand this morning, of the terrorist attacks at two mosques that have left 49 people dead, our hearts literally broke for the Muslim community. We mourn with each family who lost a love one. We stand in solidarity with all Muslims in our Raleigh community and beyond; and we commit ourselves to fight Islamophobia in all of its forms. We will continue to do all that we can to protect the rights of all people to worship in whatever faith tradition their conscience dictates. We will continue to welcome people of all cultures and races and nationalities into our faith community with respect and honor and dignity. We will continue to worship together in our interfaith worship, calling on the wisdom of all of our faith traditions. We will continue to break bread together to build meaningful and lasting relationships. We will continue to live out of the faith affirmation that we are one humanity created by God who loves us and accepts us all and blesses us all because of, not instead of, our diversity. I, personally, will do all I can to fight the kind of hate and fear that targets the Muslim community, the Jewish community, the LGBTQIA community, and any group of people that are “othered” and marginalized and oppressed in our communities. May each of us find time this weekend to hold space in silence to pray for those who lost their lives while worshipping at their mosque in New Zealand. And may each of us seek out an opportunity to stand in solidarity with our Muslim community here in Raleigh as we go about our lives this week.