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We are outraged at the horrific murders of 49 Muslims at the Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Masjid in Christchurch, New Zealand. This cowardly attack on innocent worshippers is the latest attack perpetrated by those in service of an international movement of white supremacy and white nationalism. We mourn for their families and community.
The terrorists are virulently anti-Black, anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, anti-woman and anti-LGBTQ. The assaults on Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Charlottesville and now this attack on the Mosques in New Zealand are clear and undisputable signs of the coherence of white supremacist ideology, strategy and tactics. Denying or ignoring this puts us at even greater risk. Moreover we have to remind people that there have been many individuals, especially Muslims who have been murdered or injured as a result of hate crimes.
The Trump regime has clearly provided comfort and encouragement to this movement here in the US and abroad. The racist head of state could not even bring himself to say the words Muslim or terrorist to describe the victims and attackers in his initial statement. He has not and will not condemn white nationalist as terrorist.
We are compelled to build a unified response and strong united front in the days ahead. The communities under attack must build or strengthen relationships directly with each other based on mutual defense of our institutions and persons. This is no easy task because we have been divided by our enemies and impacted by backward and hateful ideas. We must struggle to overcome these barriers.
We are called to challenge all policies, statements and actions that are Islamophobic that come from our elected officials and join our neighbors in the streets to protest this most recent act of racist violence even though it occurred 8,000 miles away.
Black Workers for Justice
March 15, 2019
