The Leadership Conference Statement on Shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego

A PDF of the statement is available here. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected] 

Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement:

“Everyone deserves to worship safely, no matter their faith. But, unfortunately, the horrifying mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego is not an isolated incident. Violence and bigotry targeting Arab Americans and Muslims are on the rise. Although we are still learning more, we must speak out given the intentional attempts to whitewash hate and extremism to divide us. Acts of hatred targeting communities because of their faith, race, ethnicity, country of origin, or sexual orientation must stop. We all have a responsibility to ensure a world without hate, and that responsibility is greater for those in positions of power and leadership. We must acknowledge this administration’s inflammatory rhetoric, scapegoating, gutting of grants and programs that track and prevent hate and bias, and failure to enforce civil rights protections. Its open hostility towards the Muslim community and wrongful claims that whole groups of people are to be reviled help pave the way for violence. No one should fear violence when they go to their place of prayer. We mourn with the victims’ families, stand with the community of the Islamic Center of San Diego and Muslim communities everywhere.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org. 

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