06/01/2020
Salaam Alaikum,
It has been a very eventful and traumatic week in the United States for many, especially those in the Black community. Amid the quarantine in the coronavirus pandemic, the inequalities that Black and Brown communities face in this country has only been brought more sharply into focus and exacerbated.
And amongst all this, police brutality continues to take innocent black lives, most recently with the deaths of Ahmaud Arberry, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. The trauma and fear brought about by the continued killings of unarmed Black people continues to show that we are far from achieving equality. Though it is horrifying, it is also becoming more of a common occurrence. That is why it is more important than ever that the lack of accountability for the continued loss of Black lives not be accepted as normalized.
As a community, it is more important to stand together now more than ever. The Muslim community is very diverse, and it is important to reach out in support to our Black brothers and sisters, our Black friends, during this time. Listen.
You may feel helpless, but please remember that there are various ways you can contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement and help take action.
Things You Can Do
If you can, donate to the cause.
If you are planning to protest, please do so safely.
If you cannot do either of these things, please do not underestimate the power of spreading knowledge on social media. Repost resources to educate others, places to donate, and anything else that may be helpful during this time. Be sure to be responsible when posting online, especially in regards to reposting violent content that may be triggering.
Whatever action you choose to take, be sure to do so safely.
Sign petitions--Black Lives Matter petitions, Amnesty International petitions, and petitions targeted toward W&M administration taking action. Call your representatives. Educate yourselves.
This is a very difficult time for many. Be considerate, do not become comfortable with being silent, and take action. Silence is being complicit, and that is a privilege many of us cannot afford, especially now.
"O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah , even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both."
[Surat An-Nisā' (4:135)]
Sincerely,
~MSA Exec~
William & Mary Muslim Student Association
[email protected]