AIFD grieves for the horrific loss of life after the Evil act of terror against our Muslim brothers and sisters praying at their mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand.

AIFD PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

American Islamic Forum for Democracy

US contact: Mischel Yosick
480 225 7473 mischel@zliberty.com

 Australia contact for media and bookings during the tour:

Vickie Janson https://vickiejanson.com.au/

PHOENIX USA AND SYDNEY AUSTRALIA/ MARCH 16, 2019// Words will never suffice to express the outrage, the horror, concern, fear, anger, disgust, and a plethora of other feelings that all of us felt after the attack and slaughter of 50 Muslims who did nothing but seek solace and refuge in God in their community’s places of worship in a land of freedom.

Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy coincidentally happens to be in Australia on a speaking tour, arriving in Sydney today. Dr Jasser reached out during his trip and said,

 “Our free society will continue to be challenged by those who seek to tear us apart with their totalitarian view of humanity, society, and our nation states that share the spirit of freedom. While each of our countries has a unique heritage, diversities, ethnicities, and challenges, at the root of our histories and identities there are some very common blessings and struggles.”

The entire premise of Dr. Jasser’s trip to Australia was that there are certain deep commonalities that are shared among countries in the west that have all individually and mutually paid a high price for the protection of freedom and liberty in their secular liberal democracies.

From Australia Dr. Jasser shared,

 “The terror attack and slaughter of 48 Muslims worshiping in their mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand has obviously shaken deeply the country of New Zealand and also its very close neighbor Australia. The fact that the terrorist was born in Australia, the immediate impact is being felt here by everyone.

The bedrock of liberties in the west is our First Freedom of religious liberty and all other liberties cannot follow without the protection of religious freedom.  Regardless of any differences we may have across party lines and debates, across various divides within our countries or even divides within our faith, we cannot let militants and extreme identity politics define who we are.

We stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters in protecting the right to religious freedom, freedom of worship, freedom of practice, freedom of assembly, and believe that an attack on one faith is an attack on them all.”

Dr Jasser penned the following on Facebook immediately after the attack,

“Words cannot suffice.  Prayers. Anger. Fear. Justice. Calm after this storm or before another likely somewhere, sometime.

Horrific acts of terror. Evil.  My heart breaks more and more.  Evil must be defeated from its roots.  Against it we will all find unity.

For humanity, for equality, for freedom, we will all find unity.  We can never allow terror, the fear it seeks, to change who we are, for what we live, for what we breathe, and for what we believe.

In God, we keep our faith.”

Dr. Jasser will be in Australia until March 20, 2019 and will continue to share his experiences while he is there.

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