To the Editor:
The Interfaith Council of Southern Delaware County raises its voice in mourning for those who were murdered on Friday by a white supremacist terrorists in Christchurch, New Zealand. As members of diverse faith communities united in our values of respect for the right of all persons to worship freely, we stand together in holding the victims of this horrific attack in our prayers. We condemn this violence against the Muslim community in the strongest terms; an attack on one faith is an attack on all faiths.
Though these horrific events occurred in a place that is a world away, we recognize that the echoes of this racist violence reach much nearer to home. We hold our Muslim friends, sisters and brothers, coworkers, students, and teachers with care and tenderness in this moment, as we seek to comfort and defend those who are most affected.
We urge you to join us in fighting hatred with hope, in countering racist resentment with unwavering commitment to the dignity of all persons. May we take to heart the words of New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern:
“We were not chosen for this act of violence because we condone racism, because we are an enclave for extremism. We were chosen for the very fact that we are none of these things. Because we represent diversity, kindness, compassion, a home for those who share our values, refuge for those who need it. And those values, I can assure you, will not, and cannot, be shaken by this attack.”
We call on people everywhere to reject violence in all its forms, and to stand together in building communities of love and respect for all.
The Interfaith Council of Southern Delaware County