By all reports it is clear that there are now among us many of our fellow Americans who are ready to “come for” Muslims. Other reports show that some are ready to “come for” Mexicans or African-Americans or somebody else. Sadly, and almost unbelievably, political leaders such as Donald Trump have put their cowardly and hateful agenda before the American people and the world as legitimate proposals, thus shaming our nation. 

The vast majority of Americans recognize that we are a nation of immigrants and a nation that holds religious freedom as a fundamental value. People of faith such as those of us at Sacramento ACT (Area Congregations Together) are called upon to welcome the stranger in our midst as one of our own for we know we were once strangers. We are not called upon to condemn millions from a religious community or ethnic group for the actions of a few.

The assaulting frequency of the burning down of African-American churches in southern states since the Charleston shooting is barely short of a ripple of terror across our nation.  On every front, from Ferguson to Baltimore, Charleston to the communities picking up the ruins of charred church buildings, the need to declare that Black Lives Matter is clear.  The Sacramento Area Congregations Together Leadership is tremendously troubled by what appears to be a plan of attack.

At the time of this writing 8 occurrences are being investigated in four states.