Washington, DC, U.S- Peniel Ibe, policy engagement coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee and Co-Chair of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, responded to the murder of eight people, most of Asian descent, in Georgia, Atlanta this week.
As people of faith, we mourn the victims of this heinous act, and pray for their loved ones who are suffering. We pray for healing in our communities.
We also pray that every leader, government official, and person in the United States finds the courage to identify and take action to root out the racism, white supremacy, misogyny, and violence in U.S. society that led to this horrific act of violence. Our faith calls us to do more than just pray, but also work together for a more just society.
Violent acts based on xenophobia and racism are carried out in the U.S. every day, often encouraged by official rhetoric that dehumanizes and devalues members of our communities. Only when we truly recognize the humanity inherent in every person, will every person’s humanity be seen.
We stand in solidarity with all people of Asian American and Pacific Islander origin who are afraid and vulnerable at this and so many other moments throughout our nation’s history.
The antidote to the hate we see is not the increased presence of agents of state violence, whose actions continue to devalue the very lives we seek to honor. We must stretch our limits and do everything in our power to root out hate, and replace it with love and action that honor the lives of those who have been taken from us and we who remain.
Please read this statement from Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta and visit Stop AAPI Hate (https://stopaapihate.org/) to see what you can do to stop violence against AAPI members of our communities.
On March 19th, join the NAKASEC network, UndocuBlack Network, and United We Dream in a discussion about anti-Asian violence and the impact of racism and xenophobia on all communities, and receive their call to action. RSVP HERE.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants.
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