I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to be a Muslim in America now. The national hatred borne on the airwaves, through social media, and from person-to-person threats and insults must be horrible. My heart goes out to the children especially and also to refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers who may have thought America was a land of diversity, openness, and tolerance.
What can we do? Speak out when we see or hear an outburst of hatred or misunderstanding. Learn more about Islam. Befriend the Muslim community.
To that last point, befriending the Muslim community, Steve Black solicited donations of flowers to bring to various Muslim communities to show our solidarity with them and support for them in the wake of the horrific attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Many people in the congregation contributed flowers. Steve and Sue Kennedy took them around, along with a card and message of support from us. It was a small gesture, but one that meant a great deal to the recipients. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Sometimes small gestures are all we have at a given moment. But we make those small gestures, hoping they will add up to something. We make those small gestures, too, because they help to prepare us to speak and act when the chance to make a larger impact comes along. So, don’t underestimate the impact your small act of caring might have. What you do and say matters – and even small gestures mean and say a great deal.
Yours in love and solidarity,
Sylvia