March 6, 2017 (New York, NY) – The U.S. government’s previous orders on immigration continue to fan the flames of xenophobic backlash, and the resulting threats and violence have primarily targeted Muslim and Jewish communities. It is for this reason that the Sikh Coalition is partnering with Auburn Seminary to launch an interfaith letter-writing campaign to show our solidarity with both communities.
The goal of the interfaith campaign is to emphasize to our American Muslim and Jewish classmates, neighbors and colleagues that every community understands we are strongest as a nation when we stand together. #LoveMyNeighbor
“The Sikh faith teaches us that all people are equally divine and that we must therefore treat every human being with love, dignity and respect,” said Sikh Coalition Senior Religion Fellow, Simran Jeet Singh. “The Sikh Gurus showed us what it means to stand for justice and to fight oppression, and in today’s context, that means we must stand in solidarity with our Muslim and Jewish sisters and brothers.”
You can show your support by signing here.
If you support this message of interfaith solidarity, sign the national sign-on letter and then share it with your friends and colleagues across social media using #LoveMyNeighbor.
WANT TO DO MORE?
Join us to host an event in your community where people get together to write notes of affirmation to their local Muslim and Jewish communities. The Sikh Coalition and Auburn Seminary will then help you deliver these notes to mosques or community centers, along with flowers and hugs. We have seen firsthand how this sort of love can make a difference.
To request our support in organizing a local community event, please contact [email protected]. We will support you to make this a success!
“By launching this campaign, we hope to send a message to our Muslim and Jewish friends that they are not alone and that they are welcome here. Moreover, by uniting people in solidarity of humanity, we will help contribute to sarbat da bhalla, the collective justice and uplift of our world,” said Simran Jeet Singh.
The Sikh Coalition continues to stand in direct solidarity with our American Muslim and Jewish neighbors because no community should ever be the target of bias, bigotry or backlash. While our Sikh faith embodies this worldview, our organizational work also teaches us that we must protect each other as others help to protect us.
As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.