Statement on Charlottesville

In gatherings small and large, thousands have come together around the country to honor Heather Heyer, killed by a hateful young man using his car as a weapon of terror, and to rebuke the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who brought hate and brutal assault to Charlottesville.

We at Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice stand with those vigil attendees in their proclamation that "love wins" and in declaring that hate is not welcome here.

We also acknowledge that what happened in Charlottesville is not new, perhaps only forgotten, as our history of racial, xenophobic and anti-semitic violence runs deep in American history. Our faiths demand that we stand up, name, confront, resist and defeat evil with love and in love's name and we welcome and honor all who share the same commitment.