Green Ribbon for Unity

A friend of mine, among others, is trying to show solidarity with the Muslims in our country in the face of the backlash against them due to the recent terrorist tragedies and Trump's ignorant ravings.  We went to a tour tonight of a local mosque (actually, not a mosque, but a Muslim community center) and she was giving out ribbons to any of the visitors.  I am wearing mine proudly.

She and her friends are hoping it goes viral.  I quit facebook, but apparently it is gaining strength there.  So if you are so inclined, please don a green ribbon and wear it so the world can see that you do not lump all Muslims into the same extremist group.  Let us support our good, law-abiding Muslim neighbors and show them that we do believe in the the right to religious freedom and we will stand by them.  They need our love and support.  They have a terrible demon amidst them that is driving some into the arms of ISIS and other brutal extremists.  They need our friendship, not our fear or rejection.

I know that persecution against Christians is at an all time high around the globe and most of the time this means Islamic groups terrorizing, torturing, raping and beheading Christians.

I know that there has been a more radical, fundamentalist interpretation of Islam gaining ground for the last 40 years or so and influencing our own Muslim citizens.

I know that some of these radicalized Muslims could slip in with refugees.

But honestly, I think we don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater.  We can tighten up our immigration and refugee procedures without shutting down altogether.

We can try to help those Christians in lands that are experiencing genocide.

We can encourage and support our Muslim citizens in their struggle against factions of fundamentalist jihadism.

For hundreds and hundreds of years Christian communities lived in Iraq and Syria and other predominantly Muslim countries and they are just now being forced from those Muslim societies.  The fact that the Christian societies lived there for so long is a beacon of hope.  Classical Islam is not fundamentalist, extremist Islam.  We can't declare war on 1.6 billion people who follow Islam.  We must be good brothers to the Muslims who believe in American values and who reject extremism and violence.  We must not alienate them.  We need open communication and dialogue.

That is why the Catholic Church calls for genocide to be called genocide but also refuses to reject Syrian refugees.  As a Catholic, I take the words of Matthew 5: 43-48 to heart.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Earlier in Matthew 5, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes where he says:  "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. " That's me!  My greatest ambition is to be a true child of God and that's why I will wear this green ribbon.  One little way to be a peacemaker.