Rabbis speaking out against Islamophobia

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:34 pm by Svend White

Rabbis speaking out against Islamophobia 2013-05-07T18:34:51-05:00 Svend White

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These public statements are really inspiring.

If you're Muslim, please spread the word about this, too. Muslims need to know about the many Jews and members of other faith traditions (including none) who are taking a stand against this campaign of hate.

From Stand Together: Rabbis Speak out against Islamophobia (Rabbis for Human Rights), via Joshua Stanton at Tikkun Daily:

Ever since the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, hatred and discrimination against Muslim Americans has been growing. Over the past year, the rhetoric has only gotten louder and more violent. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights protects the freedoms of religion, speech, and assembly. These are also essential American values. Yet across the United States today, we see attempts to prevent the construction of mosques, laws outlawing Sharia law, and the vilification of our Muslim neighbors and friends as un-American. Jewish historical experience remembers that not too long ago, we too were the victims of suspicion and hatred based on our religion and ethnicity. The actions of the few should not condemn the many, and every religion has its teachings both of violence and of peace. Jewish tradition demands that we remember the heart of the stranger, because we were strangers in the land of Egypt. If one minority can be singled out for congressional hearings or restrictions on places of worship, anyone can be.

These are not American values. These are not Jewish values. It is time to Stand Together and speak out against Islamophobia.

RHR-NA is part of the growing chorus of interfaith voices speaking out against anti-Muslim bigotry. We believe that prejudice toward Muslims was a contributing factor that led to U.S. acceptance of torture. We have become a member of “Shoulder-to-Shoulder: Standing with American Muslims; Upholding American Values,” a coalition of 23 religious organizations that are engaged in efforts to end anti-Muslim bigotry.

Below are a series of videos from rabbis and rabbinical students explaining why Islamophobia is against Jewish values. We encourage you to watch them and to share them with your community. We also encourage you to create your own video and upload it to YouTube tagged “rabbisagainstislamophobia.” We want to hear from you in your own words why bigotry against Muslims is wrong.

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And, since one good turn deserves another and because it's something that I think some Muslims would benefit greatly from, why not stage a comparable Muslim event?

We've all had to sit through our share of moronically anachronistic khutbas that paint the modern world as a struggle between "the Muslims" and "the Kufaar." As exaggerated and/or politically motivated as many of the hysterical claims of Islamophobes often are, that doesn't change how ignorant and intolerant the discourse of some Muslims–including some traditional scholars, it must be said–is when it comes to non-Muslims.

Rank and file Muslims need to be reminded that inclusive, peaceful worldviews exist among the ulema that are no less rooted in Islamic values.

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