A statement from NJAAH re: the attacks in New Zealand

The New Jersey Alliance Against Hate was founded on the principle that all peoples are entitled to safety, dignity, justice and respect. We are an alliance of groups frequently targeted for contempt, hate or harm. Its our intention to provide a forum where people of different backgrounds can meet, share, lament, plan when any one of the group has been a target of hate. Our member groups subscribe to the idea and action that If one of the group has been attacked, all members respond in unity in defense of that group, opposing the wrong doing. The group supports and encourages the aspiration that all children be taught within a non-bias education protocol.

In this spirit, the New Jersey Alliance Against Hate, and all our member groups, resoundly condemn the recent attacks on two Mosques in New Zealand, the murder of 50 of its members and the injury to many more. The murderer has been detained and will receive appropriate justice. The country of New Zealand has already changed its gun laws to limit access to the kind of weapons used in the murders. We applaud that courageous and decisive act.

The work of NJAAH and many, many other groups is ongoing, it is necessary, and daunting. Rejecting hate and the organizations fostering hate must go forward, on an on-going basis, on an ever-vigilant basis, on a collaborative basis. While all individual bias- reduction, hate-reduction groups must continue their work defending the members of their particular group, the work of opposing hate and bias is most powerful when all anti-hate groups stand together as well. All supportive groups, when working together are strongest when speaking in a single and loud voice.

It is NJAAH’s mission to bring all peoples together, to reject hate together and, at the same time, work on positive messaging and education in search of the path to reject humankind’s inhumanity to humankind and embrace all peoples equally and with respect. Everyone deserves a life lived in safety and a life lived with dignity.

For more information go to njaah.org.