Friendship not fear: Standing up against hate

An alarming wave of Islamophobia is sweeping our nation. It has taken the form of hate crimes, profiling and verbal attacks. Increasingly inflammatory political rhetoric has included calls for internment camps and halting the resettlement of Muslim refugees who are fleeing war and terror.
As people of many faith backgrounds living and worshiping in Sonoma County, we, the undersigned, are committed to working for justice, equality, inclusion and safety for all the members of our community.
We are keenly aware that the scapegoating of religious minorities has never ended well – in this country or elsewhere – and we do not want to see it in our county or under our watch.
We call on this community to oppose and reject Islamophobia in all its forms. We will not be silent or indifferent. We call on all people of good conscience to stand up for peaceful coexistence. We call on this community to extend the hand of friendship to our Muslim neighbors so they know they do not face this challenging time alone.
Signed:
Interfaith Council of Sonoma County – ICSC