FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2015

Contacts:  Portland
Kayse Jama, Center for Intercultural Organizing, 503-913-5154                                    , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jan Elfers,Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, 503-221-1054                       , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Contacts: Medford

Michelle Glass, Rogue Valley Oregon Action, 541-292-8201, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Rev. Caren Caldwell, Medford United Church of Christ, 541-621-0663, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Oregon Celebrates Diversity and Inclusion and Stands Against Anti-Muslim Rallies and Events

 
We proudly sign on to this statement in opposition to upcoming anti-Muslim events and in support of and in solidarity with Muslim communities across the State of Oregon.

A group calling itself “Global Rally for Humanity” is organizing anti-Muslim rallies across the country on October 9 and 10, 2015. In some states, the organizers of the events are encouraging attendees to openly carry guns. Their message is one of violence, racism and hate. The events are based on anti-Muslim and anti-refugee narratives.

In Oregon, a rally is planned in Medford in front of the Medford Police Department.   Political leaders, human rights groups, diverse religious leaders of every faith, and community organizations condemn these malicious attacks on the Muslim communities. These rallies and events undermine our core values as an inclusive and just society. They threaten human rights, dignity and equality for all. They are contrary to democratic American values.

In addition, we are compelled to speak out against these Islamophobic events for a number of pressing current reasons:

·                     Oregon and our nation are once again grieving the senseless killing of innocent people following the shooting at Umpqua Community College.  Any fueling of the philosophy of violence is unconscionable.

·                     We are also besieged by images of refugees, many of whom are children, fleeing war-torn nations. We see overcrowded refugee camps where families are starving, dead children washed ashore, and other horrific situations. As a nation with such vast resources, we should be reaching out to re-settle and welcome these individuals, not making them into villains.

“The organizers behind these upcoming Islamophobic events are claiming their events is about being pro-law enforcement and pro-humanity. The premise for these vague sentiments is the idea that all Muslims are somehow a threat to humanity instead of being part of humanity,” said Kayse Jama, Executive Director of the Center for Intercultural Organizing.

“We must affirm that there is a place for everyone in our state,” said Darlene Huntress, Executive Director of Oregon Action. “The narrative that anyone poses an existential threat to our communities, law enforcement, or ‘humanity’ because of their faith is not only wrong and offensive, it creates and perpetuates dangerous stereotypes about fellow community members and all those that follow the Islamic faith.” 

In response to the anti-Muslim rally in Medford, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Oregon Action, faith leaders, and community groups are organizing a counter-rally called, “Countering with Love,” in which we will express our support for an accepting, welcoming pluralistic Oregon.

Across the State, we, the undersigned, stand firmly hand in hand with our Muslim brothers, sisters, neighbors and friends. Injustice to one is an injustice to all.

                                                                        ###
Endorsers:

Gulzar Ahmed
Nkenge Harmon Johnson, President and CEO Urban League of Portland
Active for Peace & Justice, First United Methodist Church, Corvallis
Ainsworth United Church of Christ, Portland, OR
Alberto Moreno, Oregon Latino Health Coalition and Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs
Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights
Andrea Miller, Executive Director of Causa Oregon
Ann Mbacke, Director of Religious Growth and Learning, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis at the University of Oregon; and pastor
Beth Daniel, Corvallis
Bill Glassmire, Corvallis
Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke, Oregon Synod – ELCA
Blackberry Pie Society, Cottage Grove
Bob Watada, Eugene
C. U. R. R. E. N. T. S. of Justice for Peace, Union County
Central Pacific Conference
Charles Dennis Alger MA, MDiv, Gresham United Church of Christ
Charles Newlin, Corvallis
Columbia County Coalition for Human Dignity
Community Action for Racial Equity, Mid-Willamette Valley
Community Alliance of Lane County
Community Resilience, Josephine County
Corvallis Area Move To Amend
Corvallis SURJ: Showing Up for Racial Justice
Corvallis-Albany Palestine Solidarity
Creation Justice Ministry
Darlene Huntress, Executive Director, Oregon Action
David Scharf, Columbia County
Director, the Wesley Community Center
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Elaine Nussbaum, Columbia County
Eloise Bates, Columbia County
Faith Reidenbach, Philomath
Feed the 'Burg
Friends of Sabeel North America
Gary Dielman, Baker City
Gigi Gordon, Columbia County
Heather Gardner-Madras, Springfield
Human Dignity Advocates of Crook County
Institute for Christian Muslim Understanding
Interfaith Advocates for Peace with Justice, McMinnville
Jan Elfers, Executive Director, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Jared Franz, Policy Director, OPAL Environmental Justice
Jewish Voice for Peace-Portland Chapter
Jo Ann Hardesty, President NAACP Portland Branch
John and Christine Perala Gardiner, Cave Junction
Joseph Lewis, Scappoose
Joseph Santos- Lyons, Asian Pacific Islander Network of Oregon
Julia Meier, Executive Director of Coalition of Communities of Color
June and Ed Hemmingson, Albany
Kathy and Phil Paterno, Powell Butte
Kayse Jama, Executive Director, Center for Intercultural Organizing
Leah Bolger, CDR, USN (Ret), Corvallis
Leslie Chartier, MDiv
Lester and Judy Hoyle, Cave Junction
Linn-Benton Pacific Greens
Malcolm Drake, Josephine County
Matt Morton, Executive Director of Native American Youth and Family Center
Michael E. Peterson, Veterans for Peace, Chapter 159, Eugene
NAACP, Corvallis-Albany Branch
Nadia Telsey, Eugene
Nancy Ward, Columbia County
Occupy Roseburg
Oregon Anti-Violence Project
Patricia J. Collins, St. Edward Catholic Church, Lebanon
Peace and Justice Team of Bend First Presbyterian
Peace and Social Justice Team of Trinity Episcopal Church, Bend
Peter and Sue Goodman, Albany
Rabbi Ariel Stone
Rabbi Ariel Stone
Rabbi David Kosak
Rabbi Debra Kolodny
Rabbi Joey Wolf
Rabbi Joshua Boettiger, Ashland, Oregon
Rabbi Maurice Harris, Eugene OR
Rev. Barbara Nixon, First United Methodist Church, Corvallis
Rev. Brenda S. Wills, Toledo
Rev. Caren Caldwell, Medford United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Arvin R Luchs, United Methodist, Retired President-Elect Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Rev. Dr. Charles S. Currie, Jr.Director, Center for Peace and Spirituality University Chaplain, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies
Rev. Dr. Dale E. Luffman, Community of Christ
Rev. Dr. Walter John Boris, Conference Minister, Central Pacific Conference, United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. William Sinkford, First Unitarian Church, Portland
Rev. Janet Parker, First Congregational UCC, Salem
Rev. Jill K. McAllister, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis
Rev. John Boonstra
Rev. K. Antonia Won, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon, Bend
Rev. Kate Lore, First Unitarian Church of Portland, Portland, OR
Rev. Lowell Greathouse, United Methodist Church, Mission and Ministry Coordinator, Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference
Rev. Lynne Smouse López, Ainsworth United Church of Christ
Rev. Rod Stafford, Portland Mennonite Church
Rev. Ron Werner, Jr. Oregon Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Rev. Thomas Disrud, Associate Minister, First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon
Rev. Timothy Stover
Rev. Warren Light, Esq.
Reverend Catherine L. Alder
Sally Jeane Crum, Corvallis
Shelley Ries, Corvallis
Sister Mollie Reavis, SNJM
Social Justice Alliance, Josephine County
Southern Oregon Veterans for Peace
Spirit of the Valley UMC
Springfield-Eugene SURJ: Showing Up for Racial Justice
Teresa Wilson, Klamath Falls
The Rev. Aleida Jernigan, Co-Executive Presbyter, NE/NW Region, Presbytery of the Cascades
The Rev. Canon Richard Toll
The Rev. Susan Kintner, Assistant to the Bishop of the Oregon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, President of the Board, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
The Revs. William and Mary Jacobs, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Medford, OR
The Rt. Rev. Michael Hanley, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Oregon
Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie, Director of Refugee Resettlement, Catholic Charities of Oregon
Tyler MacInnis, Portland
Unidos Bridging Community, McMinnville
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Klamath County
United Campus Ministry at Oregon State University
United Church of Christ
Veterans for Peace, Chapter 141, Bandon
Veterans for Peace, Linus Pauling Chapter 132, Corvallis
Muslim Educational Trust
Westminster House
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Corvallis Branch
Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth Israel, Eugene, Oregon

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