Friends, we are deeply concerned about the unprecedented number of reports of property destruction against faith communities in the past few months, most recently during Pride month. We know this is part of a nationwide campaign fueled by white Christian nationalism. We’ve heard about and seen on social media acts targeting Temple de Hirsch Sinai in Seattle, Edmonds United Methodist Church, Edmonds Lutheran Church, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Kirkland, Wayside United Church of Christ in Federal Way, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Vancouver, United Christian Church in Renton, Trinity United Methodist in Seattle, and Veradale United Church of Christ in Spokane Valley. We know these are just some of the incidents. We remember well standing together at mosques, synagogues, Black churches, and gurudwaras in the past. These threats and actions surface as anti-LBGTQIA+ harassment, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racist violence. As we talk with our colleagues in other states, we hear of additional experiences and growing concern.
We want you to know that we care about you and your communities. As we find ourselves speaking with elected officials and media contacts about how polarization and harmful narratives are impacting faith communities, it would be helpful to know the scope of what you are experiencing.
Please consider filling out this simple Google form with brief information about what you have experienced. We will follow up with you if more is needed. This of course does not replace first contacting authorities, reporting to ADL, CAIR-WA, and other dedicated hate crime reporting organizations. What it will do is help us understand and advocate for you in a multi-faith, statewide way. It will also help us have staff and board present and showing our solidarity when you hold vigils and gather to say that LOVE WILL OVERCOME HATE. We plan to keep you informed as we strategize with faith-based and secular organizations.
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