Kincardine neighbours form a ‘circle of peace’ around their local mosque
By Allan Thompson
KINCARDINE (March 22, 2019) – In the heart of small-town Ontario, scores of people braved a bitter cold wind and just after sundown, joined hands to form a human circle around the Kincardine Islamic Centre in solidarity with their Muslim neighbours who were praying inside.
The “circle of peace” was formed just after the call to prayer beckoned worshippers inside and provided a powerful and emotional ending to a Friday evening vigil to mark one week since the March 15 massacre of 50 people killed in Christchurch, New Zealand.
“We are all heartbroken by the horrifying attack on innocent worshippers in their place of worship in New Zealand,” said Ayman Faddah, one of the leaders of the Islamic Centre. “Us being here sends a strong message that hate is not accepted. Being together all of us here sends a strong message that love is much greater than hate in this world.”
“We’d like to thank you for coming out and standing with us in an act of solidarity against hate. We really appreciate and are comforted that we live in such a great community.”
Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie spoke eloquently about the need to shun hate and intolerance in our community.
“We are not going to put up with anything that is so unfounded and negative. Even in our daily lives if we hear comments, we as individuals can say — no, that’s my neighbour down the street.”
“We want our community to be positive and to show courage and strength to everybody in a time of need.”
We can’t be silent anymore. We have to have gatherings like this and do things to say ‘no, that’s not right.”
Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb said, “we need to call the terrorist attack that happened two weeks ago exactly what it is, an act of terrorism directed toward people of the Muslim faith.’’
“As a society in Canada or anywhere around the world, we can’t accept that. We cannot accept it in a place of worship whether it’s a mosque, a synagogue a temple or a church,’’ said Lobb, who noted that there had been an attack in Quebec today against a Catholic priest. “God bless to each and every one here tonight.”
Local school board trustee and Bluewater school board chair Jan Johnstone said we all have a responsibility to call it what it is. “ It was terrorism, it was racism and it was hate.”
United Church minister Rev. Gord Dunbar acknowledged Christianity’s historic hostility and antipathy toward Islam and called for reconciliation. “We need to choose life, we need to choose love,” he said. “I gratefully acknowledge the prophetic witness of the Prophet Mohammed, may his name be blessed…I believe that God is creatively and redemptively at work in the religious life of Muslims and that we Christians share with Muslims a belief in one God and a common spiritual origin in the faith of Abraham.”
“And I know that the self-witness of Islam is peace, mercy, justice and compassion.”
Ayman also asked me to speak and thanked me for encouraging the Islamic Centre to hold the vigil and for helping with organization and promotion of the event.
“I’ll be brief because I have laryngitis, so these are the first words I’ve spoken in three days,” I began.
“Thanks Ayman for inviting all of us here tonight for a really, really important event in our community.”
“A few years ago I rented an office space here and we were neighbours, literally. We shared a wall. I think we actually even shared the bathroom.”
“We became very accustomed to the sound of the call to prayer, we could hear it through our wall. I know for some people it was a little unusual, maybe something they weren’t used to hearing. But we came to expect it and it became part of our daily life in the project that we were working on.
“That’s a good metaphor for today. Look at all the people who are here. Some of you do come here to worship, some of you worship in other places, some of you lead worship in other places and some of you don’t worship at all. And that’s why we’re all here.”
And speaking of the events in New Zealand, I said: “We have to call this what it was. This was an example not just of terrorism, but of Islamophobia. There is a thing that has a name and it’s Islamophobia. It’s a relative of racism and misogyny and homophobia and other forms of extremism that don’t just exist far away, they exist right here in our towns and in our homes sometimes.
“I echo what our prime minister said this week. The time for thoughts and prayers is over. Those of us who care about this issue need to take action. We need to step up and be heard.
“I have to confess, in knocking on doors there have been times when I have asked people ‘what is the most important thing on your mind,’ and there have been people, a very small number, people who have said to me that the “Muslim problem” is what’s on their mind. And I have to confess, I don’t think I have been forceful or angry enough with those people. I will tell you, no more. I think we all have to echo that.”
“And we say to those who will go in in a few moments to worship, that if ever you see a dark cloud somewhere, if there is any fear, just remember, not only are we with you, we are you. We are one. We are the same. We are equal.”
And in a powerful ending to the vigil, local poet Asif Raza read a searing poem, in the form of a letter to the killer in the shootings at the mosque in the Quebec City suburb of Ste. Foy two years ago.
