Voices United Against Hate
Voices United Against Hate
-A STATEMENT FROM THE INTERFAITH COUNCIL
The news this past week has been filled with threats and violence against our neighbors and friends. We are devastated by the reports of bomb threats to 29 Jewish Community Centers around our country last week including a threat that resulted in the evacuation of our Springfield JCC on Fri., Mar. 3, 2017. We are appalled at extensive desecration of Jewish cemeteries, threats and vandalism against Muslim communities and mosques, and the killing of seven transgender people since the start of 2017, most of them trans women of color. Our Muslim friends are newly vulnerable in the wake of our President’s updated travel ban from six muslim-majority countries and full-stop denial of entry to immigrants from Syria and other war-torn countries.
As members of our diverse faith communities, we are alarmed at the rise in anti-semitism and islamophobia in our country, and are united in condemning all acts of violence committed against anyone, especially in the name of religion. In the words of one of our members, “No one deserves to be killed because of who they are.”
Sacred Scripture says, "Do not stand by idly while your neighbor bleeds. (Lev. 19:17)" Therefore, we call all our brothers and sisters in the Greater Springfield community to stand together in mutual respect and honor of all of us, protecting any who come under attack and standing against hate. We ask our civic and religious leaders to speak out against such actions and to affirm the diversity of our community as a source of pride and strength.
The Interfaith Council brings together Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Baha’i, Buddhist, and Unitarian Universalist communities from the Greater Springfield area regularly to learn about each other, to advocate for justice and to respond to life in our shared community together. We know that all of us share core values of compassion, justice and peacemaking, and our traditions have founders and leaders who call us to extend these out to the world. We are committed to standing together in mutual respect and right relationship, calling each other to the best of each of our sacred teachings, and reflecting that out to our world. As another of our members has said, “We need to educate our communities in love.”
Faithfully,
The officers of the Interfaith Council
About the National Conference for Community and Justice
Formed 1927, NCCJ is a nonprofit human relations organization that promotes inclusion and acceptance by providing education and advocacy while building communities that are respectful and just for all. Celebrating the diversity of races, religions, cultures, genders, abilities, and sexual orientations.
The opinions and information expressed through News Views posts are solely those of the individual authors and not representative of NCCJ’s overall stance on related issues unless specified. Any information presented as fact could entail inaccuracies or be incomplete. We encourage open discussion through our blog, and welcome respectful responses from everyone.
For more information on NCCJ’s variety of social justice educational programs, click here.
Mon, 18 January 2021
Upcoming Sessions
-
Monday ,
FebFebruary 1 , 2021
Monday, Feb 1st 8:30a to Friday, Feb 5th 4:30p
Through this training you will experience one of our programs, explore United States’ history of oppression, learn foundational information and delve into the forms of bias and discrimination. -
Thursday ,
FebFebruary 25 , 2021
Thursday, Feb 25th 8:30a to Friday, Feb 26th 4:30p
Our online training will look at bias, discrimination, oppression, and privilege in the United States. Given the rise of racist acts during the pandemic, as well as the most recent horrific racist incidents, examining these issues takes on an even greater sense of urgency. -
Thursday ,
MarMarch 25 , 2021
Thursday, Mar 25th 8:30a to Friday, Mar 26th 4:30p
Our online training will look at bias, discrimination, oppression, and privilege in the United States. Given the rise of racist acts during the pandemic, as well as the most recent horrific racist incidents, examining these issues takes on an even greater sense of urgency. -
Thursday ,
AprApril 15 , 2021
Thursday, Apr 15th 8:30a to Friday, Apr 16th 4:30p
Our online training will look at bias, discrimination, oppression, and privilege in the United States. Given the rise of racist acts during the pandemic, as well as the most recent horrific racist incidents, examining these issues takes on an even greater sense of urgency. -
Thursday ,
MayMay 20 , 2021
Thursday, May 20th 8:30a to Friday, May 21st 4:30p
Our online training will look at bias, discrimination, oppression, and privilege in the United States. Given the rise of racist acts during the pandemic, as well as the most recent horrific racist incidents, examining these issues takes on an even greater sense of urgency. -
Thursday ,
JunJune 17 , 2021
Thursday, Jun 17th 8:30a to Friday, Jun 18th 4:30p
Our online training will look at bias, discrimination, oppression, and privilege in the United States. Given the rise of racist acts during the pandemic, as well as the most recent horrific racist incidents, examining these issues takes on an even greater sense of urgency.