The UNC RadAsians Statement of Muslim Solidarity:The RadAsians at UNC honor Yusor Abu Salha, Razan A
The UNC RadAsians Statement of Muslim Solidarity:The RadAsians at UNC honor Yusor Abu Salha, Razan Abu Salha, and Deah Barakat, three shining members of our community whose lives were taken from them much too soon. We also honor the Muslim lives around the world that were taken away out of state-directed killings as a result of the West’s empire mindset — “The War on Terror,” drone strikes, and containment of prisoners in Guantanamo. Countless individuals have not received the recognition that they deserve. We recognize that these murders are not isolated incidents — the societal conditions that cause Muslim folks to fear for their lives and bodies on a daily basis are widespread. The excuses that have been used to cover up the true reason for these deaths are a symptom of a larger sociocultural disease that does not value Muslim lives. While others might proclaim love for our Chapel Hill community, we recognize that the murders of our Three Winners were housed within it. The hatred that stems from Islamophobia is not solely an issue surrounding religious intolerance — we must also acknowledge that white supremacy and racialized domination undergirds its presence around us. We cannot afford to stay silent in the face of this violence any longer. We speak from a standpoint of coalition building, and seek not to erase folks whose lives meet at the intersection of oppressive systems. Justice for all Muslim lives will not be a reality until anti-Blackness, transphobia, orientalism, and imperialism, among other systems of oppression, all of which are inextricably intertwined, cease to exist. This is why we must stand in solidarity behind the Muslim community to demand justice and commit ourselves to lending our energy for Muslim lives. -- source link