Challenge our Elected Officials to Stop Peddling in Hate-Filled Rhetoric

Oakland, CA and BLOOMINGTON, MN – Following a horrific terroristic attack on a Bloomington Mosque, faith leaders with ISAIAH and PICO National Network, the nation’s largest body of faith-based groups and congregations, today issued the following statement:

“We are deeply distraught over the bombing of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center. This is a place of worship less than five minutes from our own. All people should be able to have a sanctuary space to pray and to worship. To have that peace disrupted by such an appalling act of violence stands in direct opposition to all that is holy and good,” said Rev. Ben Sandin, ISAIAH clergy and Senior Pastor of House of Prayer Lutheran Church in Richfield, Minn.  “We vehemently rebuke this act and the mentality that allowed it to be carried out. We stand in love with our Islamic brothers and sisters as they grieve and restore in this time.”

“The bombing of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington is an act of terror, and I denounce it in the strongest terms possible,” said the Rev. Michael McBride, campaign director for PICO National Network’s LIVE FREE initiative.

“My faith in Jesus compels me to vocally oppose human suffering brought on by hate. Clearly, the othering, demonizing rhetoric AND actions towards Muslims and marginalized groups is emboldening evil in the land. Everyone has a role to play in keeping our communities safe, and elected officials in particular, bear an especially weighty burden to refrain from promoting fear or peddling hate-filled language.

“Like prophets of scripture, we must cry aloud and not hold back or we will watch our democracy crumble right before our eyes.”