The Arlington Interfaith Network, of which the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Arlington are a member, has released the following statement after the recent and increased violence against Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander origins:
Arlington Interfaith Network Responds to recent violence against AAPI Community
Our hearts are breaking. We are angry. We are grieving. We are committed.
The Arlington Interfaith Network stands with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community of Atlanta after the heinous murder of eight people on March 16, six of whom were Asian American.
Our hearts are breaking. We mourn with the families and loved ones of Xaiojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, and Yong Ae Yue. We mourn the racist violence which took these six Asian American lives. We also mourn with the families and loved ones of Delaina Yaun and Paul Andre Michels, the other victims of the shootings. We pray for the healing of Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, still in intensive care at the time this writing.
We are angry. Racism often goes by many other names in our country, in an attempt to soften the harsh realities of hatred in our midst. Yet our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) siblings know all too well the daily toll of racism and its emotional, spiritual, and physical violence. We call out and name this racist act and the pernicious system of white supremacy that led to the shooting on March 16.
We are grieving. We recognize that this shooting comes after months of attacks on Asian American people in many communities in our midst. We know that the pain of this shooting resonates far beyond the Atlanta community and is felt by many across our country and beyond. We state unequivocally that this violence is wholly inconsistent with the teachings of all our diverse faiths and stand united in offering our deepest sympathy and prayers to those direct and indirect victims.
We are committed. We will continue to stand for justice, love, and equity, as our traditions teach us. We stand against white supremacy, racism, and violence. Our prophets and leaders stood on the side of marginalized and attacked communities in their time, and we seek to follow their example in our daily lives.
With our broken hearts, we stand:
The Arlington Interfaith Network Steering Committee
On behalf of the Arlington Interfaith Network
The Arlington Interfaith Network was established in June 2019 to bring together faith leaders of all faiths practiced in Arlington. Our mission is: The Arlington Interfaith Network convenes people of diverse faiths for the spiritual well-being and the common good of Arlington.
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For media inquiries:
Rev. Blair Moorhead
Clarendon Presbyterian Church
clarendonmission@gmail.com