Anti-Racism & Cultural Racism

"When people rely on surface appearances and false racial stereotypes, rather than an in-depth knowledge at the level of heart, mind, and spirit, our ability to assess and understand accurately is compromised." James A. Forbes

According to The United States Department of Justice 10.9% of reported hate crimes target Hispanic and Latino Americans. Hispanics and Latinos come from all over, it is important that we understand and welcome all of our people and obtain the knowledge of which language we use to refer to how they identify. Very similar to the many cultures of people and different languages that were present in the synagogues of Jesus' time. These communities make up over 15% of our current population and are expected to rise to 30% by 2050. We believe that it is important to raise awareness and to be an all inclusive community of faith in our melting pot of God's world. Simply put, there is no room for hate in love.

There is no such thing as "going back to where you came from". This is an ignorant statement that undermines God's creation of an earth that is owned by no human. Our world is but a gift, graced to us, temporarily by the hand of our creator. It is our belief that there isn't a place on this earth where a beloved soul wishes to call home in loving desire, that should have a threat of that being taken away or for them to be told that they don't belong. Nor do we believe that there is a language to be spoken that holds more value than another. Each language is a sacred part of the culture that it represents and we give respect and appreciation for each tongue of God's design. In Genesis, God created all things and declared them to be good. Our faith doesn't teach us to divide, rather it teaches us to come together in unity. Jesus' last request was simple. "Love One Another As I Have Loved You."

In recent times, there has been an overwhelmingly alarming increase of hate crimes directed toward our Asian brothers and sisters in America. The spike in crime has been an escalation of misdirected emotion and blame in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. This behavior is incredibly unacceptable and injurious to the people of our communities and does not reflect the love and care that we are called to treat one another with. Prior to the pandemic, 3.3% of Asian-Americans were targeted in hate crimes according to The United States Department of Justice. That number has continued to rise over the course of 2020, heading into 2021. Our church stands with our Asian brothers and sisters of the world to raise awareness for those who have been targeted during this time. It is with loving support that we speak up and say something when see or hear of heinous acts being committed out of misdirected hate and anger toward others. "We believe that when we do not say something, WE ARE SAYING SOMETHING". -Kirk Franklin

In short, Islamophobia is anti–Muslim racism.

At length, Islamophobia is a fear, hatred, or prejudice toward Islam and Muslims that results in a pattern of discrimination and oppression. Islamophobia creates a distorted understanding of Islam and Muslims by transforming the global and historical faith tradition of Islam, along with the rich history of cultural and ethnic diversity of its adherents, into a set of stereotyped characteristics most often reducible to themes of violence, civilizational subversion, and fundamental otherness. Islamophobia must also be understood as a system of both religious and racial animosity that is perpetuated by private citizens as well as cultural and political structures.

In addition to Muslim women, men and children, those who share characteristics that have been racialized as “Muslim” – whether it be language, clothing or skin color – are also affected by Islamophobia. Thus, Sikhs, Christian Arabs, and Hindu Indians have been targets of anti-Muslim animus.

Islamophobic sentiment utilizes ideas which dehumanize Muslims and their heterogenous cultures, beliefs, customs and practices and deny the dynamic nature of Islam.

Islamophobic acts occur at both an individual and institutional level and can take many forms. They may be physical attacks against those perceived to be Muslim or the damage and desecration of mosques and Islamic centers. They include law enforcement profiling, discrimination in employment and denials of service. Islamophobic acts can also take the form of anti-Islam legislation and policy measures.

Islamophobic rhetoric expressed by individuals and political and media institutions can include verbal harassment, intimidation and hate speech.

It is possible to point to five sources of contemporary Islamophobia:

• Media representation: The U.S. media overemphasizes negative coverage and news pertaining to Muslims and Islam leading to an exaggerated sense of threat, and consequently fear and hate. An academic study covered by The Washington Post found that in a four-year period, 12 percent of domestic attacks conducted by Muslims received, on average, 449 percent more media coverage than 88 percent of attacks committed by others.
• Political rhetoric: Politicians play on people’s emotions and exploit their fear to actively instigate Islamophobia when it serves their own political interests.
• Violent extremists: Although violent groups like ISIS target and murder more Muslims than any others, these groups continue to color American perceptions of Islam and all Muslims.
• American foreign policy: Islamophobia is frequently utilized by the U.S. to justify its foreign policy in Muslim-majority regions of the world. Consider President George W. Bush’s failed War on Terror, which decimated Iraq. The policy was presented to the American public as essential for freedom and safety.
• U.S. Islamophobia Network: An influential, multi-million dollar network of groups and individuals in the U.S. who falsely cast Islam and Muslims as a malevolent existential threat, and work actively to promote prejudice, discrimination, and oppression towards the faith and its practitioners.