Diversity. Race. Social Justice
This racist and Islamaphobic incident did occur. We have to accept that because doing anything less would be minimizing the pain and seriousness of the incident. The response from the community was also loud and clear with the phrase “One Community. One Family. Hate Has No Business Here.
- Wale Elegbede
Helping communities stand up to Bigotry. Hate. Racism. Islamophobia. anti-Semitism.
Fighting Hate, Racism and Islamophobia
Looking for where to start? Here are simple things we can all do.
Get to know one another: Seek neighborly relationships with Blacks and underrepresented minorities, Muslims and immigrants. Be honest with yourself. Are all your friends white, black or from a specific religious group? If so, expand your circle. Talk to people who look different than you do or worship differently that you do. Be your brother and sister’s keeper.
How do we avoid the mistakes of the past? We do so by learning from history so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes. Have these conversations in your household, with your kids, at the workplace, religious institutions and schools.
Visit a local mosque or synagogue or church, have a respectful conversation with people of different faiths or no faith. Break bread and eat with one another.
Do not stereotype and scapegoat Muslims, Jews, underrepresented populations, immigrants and refugees.
Stand up against bigotry, racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, intolerance in a peaceful, respectful but direct manner. Resist xenophobia.
Laugh and Learn - Little Mosque on the Prairie
There is strength in diversity and diverse perspectives. Below are good resources about Islam and things we can do individually and collectively as a soceity to resist the urge to stereotype and scapegoat minorities, Muslims, Jews, immigrants and refugees.
If you are a comedy, watch Little Mosque on the Prairie to start of.
Watch The Message (Good historical account on Islam. Video produced in 1976. Amazon Prime
Seek out neighborly relationships with Muslims.
Resist the urge to stereotype and scapegoat minorities, Muslims, Jews, immigrants and refugees in this time of anxiety.
Remind people that American Muslims and Muslims of the world are peaceful people. They do not support terrorists.
Write public letters of support to the Muslim community locally.
Do not show favoritism or discrimination against minorities and Muslims. All religion should be treated and respected equally.
All people, corporations, educational institutions and governmental agencies should respect the human and civil rights of all people, including Muslims.
Resist a media narrative that blames Islam as the source of terrorism and ignores the economic and political conditions in the Middle East that have led to terrorism and extremism of a small minority.
Stand up against bigotry, racism, intolerance in a peaceful, respectful but direct manner.
Not sitting on the sidelines
When a hate crime occurred, Wale did not sit on the sidelines and helped rallied community to fight the racist and Islamophobic incident.
