A small mosque in Louisville KY was vandalized last Wednesday. Members of the mosque discovered the graffiti as they arrived for evening prayer. The vandals spray painted hateful words on walls and doors outside of the mosque. The local police are searching for the vandals which is made harder because security cameras at the mosque don’t work. The FBI is investigating the situation as a hate crime. However, if the vandals intention was to drive feelings of isolation into the congregants, the opposite has actually been the result.
On Thursday, the mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer held a press conference in front of the vandalized mosque. He was joined by a cross section of Louisville’s religious leadership. During the meeting the mayor said that the attack was an attack on everyone in Louisville, not just the members of the Islamic Center. The director of the local Jewish Community Relations Council spoke to aspects of the messages in the vandalism pertaining to Jews and the Stars of David. As he stood next to the Islamic Center’s spokesman he said, “This will bring us closer together. So my message is to the perpetrator: We win and you lose.”
The fact that Hebrew, the Star of David, and other Jewish references were painted on the mosque is particularly disturbing. While we do yet know the identity of the perpetrators, we unequivocally condemn this cowardly act of hatred. An attack on any house of worship is an attack on all who value religious freedom.
The Anti-defemation League
On Friday almost 1000 people gathered at the Islamic Center to help paint over the vandalism. Once again local religious and political leaders held a press conference as the leaders of the Islamic center expressed joy and thanksgiving for the huge show of support. Not everyone got to paint, but everyone got to show their support and solidarity by their presence.
The images are screenshots from video broadcast by WDBR 41 News.
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A vandal writing “Leave [….] alone” is gobsmacking. IF there were a problem, how could vandalism POSSIBLY address it? Whatever family, educational or faith institutions who formed the consciences of these people (who vandalized), they did a rotten job.
Incidents like this have the potential to become much more frequent and much worse. This intolerance and hatred has always been with us. But it’s coming out of the shadows, and is no longer communicated in dog whistles.
You have one of the leading candidates of the Republican Party who has now publicly declared that no Muslim should ever be considered for the presidency of this country. He has publicly stated that of roughly two million American citizens, none of them should ever be considered for that office.
And of course you have the leading candidate of the Republican Party, when asked about the Muslim “problem”, states that he will look into it.
So we have this frightening situation where those currently being considered for the highest office in the land are themselves stoking racial hatred and intolerance. These are perilous times.