In wake of killings, violence, vigil calls for tolerance, understanding

By Kelcy Dolan
Posted 7/21/16

Faith and community leaders gathered Monday for a peace vigil at First Baptist Church in East Greenwich, to promote love, to condemn hatred after increased violence and concern across the nation. Nearly 75 people joined in song as well as

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In wake of killings, violence, vigil calls for tolerance, understanding

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Faith and community leaders gathered Monday for a peace vigil at First Baptist Church in East Greenwich, to promote love, to condemn hatred after increased violence and concern across the nation.

Nearly 75 people joined in song as well as to listen to speakers, which included religious leaders, the Commissioner of Public Safety in Providence, high school students and activists.

Reverend Dr. Jonathan Malone, senior pastor at First Baptist Church, opened the vigil and said, “We need to find courage, to find the hope that transcends understanding, to make sure hatred and evil do not have the final say.”

The Director of the East Greenwich Drug Program, Bob Houghtaling, called for the vigil, believing that there is a need for change, one that can only come from joining together to denounce violence, racism, bigotry and prejudice. He said there was no warning as to how fast the world would change in the past few weeks, between the police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and attacks on law enforcement in both Dallas and Baton Rouge. Houghtaling argued if the fear these events generate is left “unchecked” it will turn to negative sentiments, “irrational hatred” that will continue to divide the country.

“So often actions do not follow words,” he said. “Now is the time when we need to make a lot of changes. We need to look to ourselves to make a better world, to come together to fight against hatred.”

Dr. Ehsun Mirza, an activist and ICU physician at Kent Hospital, cautioned the audience to not fall into the “fear and hopelessness” portrayed in the media or the “ideas void of decency and truth” shared by political figures for their own political agenda. He explained that to “divide and conquer” is the oldest political trick in the book, to create a mentality of them versus us. By dehumanizing people in such a manner we foster violence, hatred and animosity.

“If you kill all the love, hatred will prevail,” Mirza said.

Across the globe, Mirza said we have seen the aftermath of countries where hatred was the cornerstone, where “peaceful people gave up.” He said these “crumbling” countries are stricken with constant warfare and poverty.

“Do not think our own country is immune to this cancer,” Mirza said. “We must remain vigilant. If there is any hope for peace we need to look and support those individuals that respect the strength our country has in its diversity. We cannot sit on the sidelines anymore.”

Mirza shared a story of a young activist at a vigil after the Orlando shootings; his sign said “Be Nice,” a sentiment that transcends religions, races and cultures.

“It brings us back to humanity, the fundamentals,” said Mirza.

Colonel Steven Paré, Commissioner of Public Safety for the City of Providence, shared similar sentiments saying that although we live in “troubling times, love will conquer hatred” and to do so we have to continue building relationships with one another.

“It is going to take good people on both sides willing to give their trust. We must rely on courage, hope and faith,” he said.

Addressing the two attacks on law enforcement, he said the majority of police in this country are good honest men and women in uniform, but like any profession there are those who unjustly take advantage of their power. Although he said departments should be held accountable to their training, they should not be so by being killed in uniform.

Paré said, “This is not what our community is about and this is not what our country is about.”

At Temple Torat Yisrael, the congregation is working on building relationships between religious communities with a group called Abraham’s Tent. The group is bringing together those from the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths, all of which draw lineage to Abraham, to share their cultures with one another.

“It is not religion that should keep us from each other, but what brings us together,” Rabbi Aaron Philmus from Temple Torat Yisrael, said. “We need to learn from each other and to be inspired by each other. We need to understand and appreciate each religion deeply.”

Philmus questioned how many more people have to die before we as a people are “compelled” to come together as one.

Executive minister for the Rhode Island State Council of Churches Reverend Donald Anderson said that alongside coming together there are some specific and tangible things to improve conditions across the nations, one of which bring to take “weapons of war” off the streets and to demilitarize police forces across the country.

“There is no reason police need to respond to a call with AK-47s. We can continue to protect and serve without them,” he said.

Although he noted we are fortunate to have well-respected law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island, collectively we need to better fund departments for “meaningful” community policing initiatives. This requires hiring more officers, more of which represent the community they serve, as well as continuing education and training and more community programs to bring departments and the communities they serve together. He said we need to address racial injustice as well as criminal justice reform because “there is no peace without justice.”

Anderson said to kill an officer in uniform is “indefensible,” but our concern and worry for men and women in the line of duty should be “equal to the concern we have for our African American sons and daughters.”

“We can’t let people who want to stir hate and fear win. We need to find genuine places of common ground,” Anderson said. “The common ground is love. Love demands action.”

DIVIDE AND CONQUER:

Dr. Ehsun Mirza warned an audience of nearly 75 that to divide and conquer is the oldest political trick in the book. In these troubling times he encouraged those in attendance to come together rather than be torn apart by hateful and prejudice rhetoric. (Warwick Beacon photos) ONE LOVE:

At the “Let There be Peace” vigil members from Temple Torat Yisrael led the group in song. They ended their performance with “One Love” by Bob Marley. COME TOGETHER:

Bob Houghtaling, director of the East Greenwich Drug Program, called for the vigil to bring people together in the wake of violence and hatred spanning the country in the last few weeks. LOVE WILL CONQUER HATRED:

Commissioner of Public Safety for the City of Providence Steven Paré said to combat this violence is to continue building relationships between police departments and the communities they serve.

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