WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

            The Interfaith Peace Project stands with the Muslim Community and all peoples of good will who claim the right to practice their faith in peace, freedom and sincerity.  The attempt to protest Islam as anti-women, anti-patriotic, or hostile to the freedom of others is shortsighted and erroneous.

            There is no doubt that any religious tradition has found it necessary to amend the moral and ethical judgments that may have been part of its tradition.  We think of the denial of the basic human rights of Indigenous people, the justification of slavery, and the oppression of women.  These issues and others need to be faced with honesty and openness by religious and civil communities.  We must do everything in our power to foster and recognize the full human rights of all human beings.  There is much more to be done.

            We must not deny Muslims the right to practice their faith in freedom in the name of preserving the American Constitution which insures the rights of all peoples to practice their faith in peace and security.  We call for all people of good will to truly appreciate the right to practice one’s faith.  We recognize the duty of faithful citizens to adequately and accurately understand and appreciate the diversity of religious people in our Nation.

            Every religious tradition has its code of law, its way of life, and its philosophy.  The more we appreciate this diversity, the more blessed we are as a people.  We must resist any movement that would compromise this diversity in the name of patriotism since authentic patriotism would demand we insure the rights of the diversity of peoples who constitute our Nation.

            As powerful political forces threaten the human rights of our Muslim Neighbors and thereby threaten the religious freedom of all, we at The Interfaith Peace Project, rededicate ourselves to fostering mutual understanding to ensure the rights of all peoples to live and believe in peace.  We stand with our Muslim Neighbors as we oppose religious intolerance.  We stand with all peoples of good will as we seek justice and liberty for all.

Peacefully,

Thomas P, Bonacci, C.P.

And The Board of Directors

The Interfaith Peace Project