In response to the massacre in New Zealand on Friday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) — one of two Muslim women in Congress — condemned “white supremacists” in the U.S. who influence attacks around the world.
“This morning I tried to hold back tears as I hugged my two brown, Muslim boys a little tighter and longer. The painful loss of life makes me so angry,” she said in a statement shared with TPM. “I am so angry at those who follow the ‘white supremacy’ agenda in my own country that sends a signal to the world that massacres like this is some kind of call to action.”
Read the statement below:
“A church, a masjid (mosque), a temple and synagogue – we can all recount a horrific event that has happened in each of those places while people were worshipping. From Charleston, to Pittsburgh, Texas, Oak Creek, New Zealand and many places in between, white supremacists are targeting places of worship to push their violent, racist and terrorist agenda.
“This morning I tried to hold back tears as I hugged my two brown, Muslim boys a little tighter and longer. The painful loss of life based on hate makes me so angry. I am so angry at those who follow the “white supremacy” agenda in my own country that sends a signal across the world that massacres like this is some kind of call to action.
“Today, is Jumu’ah (Friday) prayer for Muslims across our nation, and as each one kneels to worship Allah (yes, it means God), I pray that they are protected and can find some kind of peace. I hope that our children don’t become numb to this, and that this is not their new normal.”
