Statement: On the New Zealand White Nationalist Terrorist Attack
Oregon Peace Institute Response
The Board of Directors of the Oregon Peace Institute is aghast and outraged by the horrific white nationalist terrorist attack on Muslim families while at peaceful prayer in Christchurch, New Zealand 15 March 2019. Such acts do not come out of nowhere. Islamophobia, fake national emergencies, racism, white nationalism, and endless wars in the Middle East are part of a coherent narrative we must change. We condemn white nationalism there, here in Oregon, and anywhere in our world as being antithetical to human decency. White nationalism is a diseased expression in violation of any code of ethics or morals that favors life, justice, and simple goodness. Our collective is grief-stricken at the violence done in the name of any cause, and determined to work as hard as we can to promote inclusivity and appreciation for all humans, all religions, all nationalities, all races, all ethnicities, all genders and all cultures. To our Muslim friends and neighbors, we wish you safety and peace.
Signed: The Oregon Peace Institute Board of Directors