In the News

Faith and civic leaders joined with hundreds of members of the public on March 21 at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee in support of the local Muslim and worldwide communities.

The somber vigil came in response to the twin terror attacks in New Zealand by a white supremacist, who kiIIed 51 worshipers at two mosques in Christchurch. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes joined other representatives from the Jewish, Christian, and Sikh religions in addressing the crowd gathered at the vigil. Congresswoman Gwen Moore offered consoling words, and shared a similar frustration with the rise of white nationalism and the Trump Administration unwillingness to address the problem:

“We are heartbroken and angered by the mass violence at Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand that left 51 people dead and dozens injured. Here in the United States, we stand against hate in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters in New Zealand and the entire global community. Unfortunately, the hate-fueled violence in New Zealand by a white nationalist, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim individual isn’t an isolated occurrence. In the recent past, we have witnessed white nationalists marching through the streets of Charlottesville, North Carolina and attacking our safe houses of worship here in the United States, from the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue attack in 2018, the Sikh Gurdwara Temple in Oak Creek, in Wisconsin back in 2012, and the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015. White nationalist groups, emboldened by an uptick in hostile political rhetoric coming from Republicans, are organizing around the country to terrorize Muslims, Jews and people of color. This is becoming a crisis we can’t turn a blind eye to. We must reject hate and intolerance directed against any religious, racial, ethnic or any group of people. We must not diminish the dangers of white nationalist violence here at home or around the world. Doing so will inadvertently enable them to continue terrorizing people around the world. When white nationalist ideas and conspiracy theories are voiced we must denounce them. All elected officials, individuals and organization must not allow these toxic views to be excused, advanced or spread. Words matter. Divisive and hateful language can become weaponized leading to acts of violence with unimaginable consequences that we have witnessed far too many times.”