We are heavily burdened by the murder, or I should say public lynching, of Mr. George Floyd in Minnesota. We are no less burdened by the same category of acts against the innocent in recent months and years, not mentioning but knowing and valuing the names and lives of many African-American men and women. Our most sincere condolences are extended to Mr. Floyd’s close relatives and loved ones.
In this same spirit we have been deeply concerned over the conditions in America’s urban environments where human communities have a losing value in the estimate of public trusts. Human communities deemed unproductive are victimized further by strategies of displacement and decimation.
I would not like to address racists in America, or racism.
The condition of the African-American community in the collective-soul expression is troubled, not at peace within or without. Too much dependence on remedies and resources from without sap the natural community and race pride championed by great soldiers of moral and just imperatives from our past. They demanded attention from the public trusts, but even more responsibility from the inner trust.
I deeply admire the mother-sense instruction of Atlanta’s honorable Mayor, Keisha Lance-Bottoms. She advised “Go home!” facing desperation and failure masking itself as protests for justice in Mr. Floyd’s name. Home is the first environment for the healthy condition of the universal soul—that soul so troubled in shouldering the whole life of community. This is a bitter medicine for the elite black leadership, but necessary for the healing of our bewildered people.
We Muslim-Americans offer a perspective to America on Justice.
The destruction of the bonds that sustain American society and its essential structures of trust is not cognizable in the universal stand for justice. We Muslims are commanded to stand for justice in the same manner that we stand for devotion to G’d, as witnesses to fairness and straight behavior. American life diversity is our special heritage. The many faces of humanity in America bonding for common and universal human purpose is a great Sign in the construction of society.
Institutions of public trust in America do positively and continuously shame themselves against the backdrop of America’s claims of “freedom and justice for all” with continued public lynchings into the 21st century, well beyond the painful days of slavery and Jim-Crow. Laws that shield race-based targeting of innocent human life in the name of public safety are no laws. They are weapons of control and intimidation in the hands of a poisoned culture perpetrating itself in the role of protector and servant.
We are commanded to be just between man and man, no matter the face or social station. However, the claim for justice fails its demand before G’d and society when it justifies violations of the moral imperative and the true public trust. Mass protests that have in them the whiff and threat and activity of violence are not justice. They are seeds planted for the destruction of America by the enemy of Americans and human society. They are seeds planted to justify the elimination of justice, and to further tear apart the essential bonds needed to uphold just society.
I say too, “Go home America” to that principle and vision of one strong, just people emanating from the many. I say to black community leadership “Go home” to the high dignity and appeal of community pride and to less crying out to would-be masters.
We pray always for G’d’s Help and Guidance for ourselves and our families and our nation.