MPAC Signs 'We Are All Sikhs' Solidarity Statement

170 Civic and Faith-based Organizations Express Condolences

August 13, 2012


Last week, MPAC joined the “We Are All Sikhs” statement of solidarity regarding the recent tragedy in Oak Creek, WI.

SEE: ‘We Are All Sikhs’ Solidarity Statement (mpac.org)

“MPAC and the 178 undersigned community of civic, faith-based, immigrant rights, and civil rights organizations express their deepest condolences to the victims and their families affected by the mass shooting which left six individuals dead, at least three others critically injured and many others wounded.

The massacre at the Gurdwara in Oak Creek is part of a history of prejudice and violence that members of Sikh, Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities have endured in the decade following 9/11. Within 24 hours of the Wisconsin shooting, a suspicious fire, now being investigated as a possible arson, destroyed a mosque in Joplin, MO. The level of hate and violence inflicted on innocent Americans because of their appearance or religious faith is now at a crisis point.

 

While our organizations represent a wide swath of individuals from different nationalities, backgrounds, faith traditions, and belief systems, we are bound together by a common purpose: we believe in the core American values of religious pluralism, equality, and inclusion. Our collective voices send out the message that as a nation, we must denounce the hate-fueled sentiment and bigoted rhetoric that has become much too frequent in our public and political discourse. We call upon Americans to respond to this tragedy by supporting the families of the victims and Sikh community members.

MPAC urges you to stand in support of the Sikh community and the values that bind us as Americans by attending a vigil in your area. We call upon our elected leaders, and civic, faith-based, and educational institutions to take steps to address xenophobia, racism, and anti-religious hate in our country today. We ask President Obama to host a summit that brings stakeholders together to identify concrete solutions. As Americans, we must stand together to protect our nation’s values of equality and freedom for all.




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