In response to the death, in suburban Chicago, of a 6 year old Palestinian American boy, Wadea Al Fayoume, and serious injuries to his mother, as a result of a stabbing motivated by hate for Muslims and the fighting in Israel and Gaza, the National Diversity Council (NDC) has released the following statement calling for unity and peace.
The National Diversity Council condemns racism and all forms of discrimination, including Islamophobia, antisemitism and xenophobia.
In solidarity with the Muslim community and the city of Chicago, we denounce this act of hate and call upon all Americans to come together to ensure that we create an inclusive world where every individual is respected and where every life counts. Fear and hatred can never justify racism, discrimination or violence against any person or group.
As a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, we call upon our nation to unite during this time of crisis and to take a stand against all forms of hatred. We also urge business and community leaders to step forward to denounce all acts of violence and reaffirm their support of Muslim and Jewish communities and employees.
As a nation, let us come together to reject all forms of hatred. Now is a time for empathy, unity and peace. Now is a time to care for one another and create psychological safety. Now is the time for our ever increasingly diverse nation to fulfill our values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.