A Message of Love & Solidarity to Our Muslim Family

We are horrified to see our Muslim family attacked in such a violent and public way. Words cannot soothe the devastation, pain and fear that acts of Islamophobic terrorism create. Whether they be the violent actions of a lone gunman or the coordinated imperial wars of the West, violence against Muslims and Arab people must end.

Black for Palestine condemns this horrible and callous act of violence. Our hearts go out to the survivors of the Christchurch mosque shooting and to the families of the victims. And we mourn the millions of lives that the U.S. government has stolen in its decades-long wars of imperialism in Africa and the Middle East.

We know this act of terrorism is not a one-off incident. It is the culmination of years of Western propaganda. Corporate media, politicians, and militaries spread the lie that Islam is an extremist ideology. Donald Trump has further emboldened white supremacy and Islamaphobia, even calling non-white migrants “invaders” who bring extremism and crime.
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Yet these fascists ignore the Western militaries that invade and occupy Muslim communities and kill innocent people. Arguably, the U.S.-led wars and occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia and elsewhere have been the greatest source of violence against Muslims in the past three decades.

Another result of the so-called War on Terror has been the criminalization and dehumanization of Muslims across the West. This has included profiling, surveillance, and entrapment of entire communities, mistreatment of and bans against refugees, and the lack of sympathy for Muslim victims of violence (especially as compared with victims from other religious groups).

To our Muslim family:
Your life matters. Your people matter. Your religion matters.

Black for Palestine stands with you. We recommit ourselves to achieving peace, healing, and collective liberation. We know Islam is a religion of peace.

An attack against one is an attack against all.

We love you. We’ll fight for our freedom with you.
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As-salam alaykom