The Emanuel AME Church is a storied institution in Charleston’s African American community, and is referred to as the “Oldest AME Church in the South.” It was the home church for Denmark Vesey when he led his slave uprising in 1822, and has maintained a central place in the community to this day. It is a gathering place for the Black community, a symbol of strength, and a place of worship and fellowship. As Sikhs, we connect to this loss of safety, to the desecration of a powerful home of a people, and a space in which people connect with the Divine and build community strength.
All houses of worship are integral to American life. We will see a reluctance by the media and political leaders to call this a hate crime, an act of racism, or terrorism. In the case of the shooting at the Oak Creek Gurdwara and other instances of hate violence directed at Sikhs who wear visible articles of faith, we see that bigots target the source of the Sikh community’s empowerment and strength. This is precisely what is at the root of the AME Church shooting. Black Lives Matter and Black Churches Matter. This is a watershed moment for our communities to join together and advance justice. If our houses of worship are not safe and respected, the fabric of America is weakened to its core.
– The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)