Solidarity after Shooting in Pittsburgh

This weekend, in an explosion of antisemitism and nationalism, a gunman killed 11 Jewish congregants gathered for worship in their Pittsburgh synagogue. The Tree of Life became the latest venue of mass murder, leaving us with devastating horror and sadness as we remember those killed by a white shooter shouting, “Kill all the Jews.”

Grassroots International is committed to opposing anti-Jewish hatred, white supremacy and violence. We stand in solidarity with those whose lives have been shattered in the very sanctuary that supports refugees and immigrants.

As a nation we are swimming in a sea of demonization, scapegoating and cruelty that some interpret as a license to kill — usually figuratively, sometime literally. So while we should not feel surprised when the violent tides from this vicious sea crash down, it nonetheless batters our souls and threatens to drown our spirits.

Like racism and sexism, longstanding antisemitism is now infused with new vigor and permission. Demeaning political rhetoric from the the top that generates and perpetuates fear of the other, stereotyping and aggression feeds the worst parts of our American supremacist strain. This weekend, it was Jews in Pittsburgh. Before that it was African-Americans in Charleston, Unitarian Universalists in Tennessee, gays men and lesbians in Florida, Sikhs in Wisconsin… The list goes on.

In the midst of the human tragedy of these mass shootings, we remember the beautiful people who have died, and we stand with the families and communities left behind. We also recognize the connections between peoples around the globe who stand in solidarity with one another. And we join with people of conscience and determination around the world to lift up the memory of those lost, to communicate with love, and to act for justice.