Counter-rally promotes peaceMore than 400 gather at Memorial Park
Mediha Fejzagic DiMartino, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/19/2011 05:34:08 PM PDT
CLAREMONT - Saturday's peacemakers came in all shapes and sizes - college students, sports fans, farmers, moms. Amidst the scent of a burning sage, they formed a circle, standing shoulder to shoulder against racism.
"We have come together in a spirit of love for each other," said Native American spiritual leader Al Villanueva during the Claremont for Peace rally held the Memorial Park. "Human spirit has no color, no gender, no national origin, no religious denomination and no borders."
More than 400 people attended the gathering held just blocks away from a protest staged by The National Socialist Movement, the neo-Nazis.
"I came because our nice little town is being violated by this hatred," said Claremont-native
Marlyn Alonzo of Glendora, left, and Johnny Keys of Pomona stand in a prayer circle along with more than 400 people attending the Claremont For Peace rally, held Saturday at Memorial Park. (Mediha Fejzagic DiMartino/Staff Photographer)
Jeff Jones.
After the Native American ceremony, Rev. Rob Patton, a senior pastor at Claremont United Church of Christ which sponsored the event, rallied the crowd.
"I say Claremont, you say peace," Patton shouted, followed by cheers from the audience. "I say love, you say all. I say one, you say faith.
"Blessed are the peacemakers. We are all children of God. We are here for peace, oneness, community, for connection."
Paul Buch, a cantor from Temple Beth Israel also spoke, emphasizing the importance of getting to know one another.
"The greatest weapon we have against hatred and intolerance is finding opportunities to get to know and share our lives with broad range of citizens," Buch said. "What breeds ignorance and hatred is fear. The only way to conquer fear is love and understanding. In the modern digital age, it's hard to do it online, without looking into each other's eyes."
Elissa Simkins of Alice Springs, Australia, has arranged her trip back to the United States to make sure she attends the rally.
"We don't want this in Claremont or in the world," Simkins said.
Teresia Santee of Pomona was on her way to the anti-war protest held in Los Angeles, but decided to come to Claremont and "act locally" instead.
"This is the old one form the 1960s," Santee said while tying a paper inscribed with "Peace is patriotic" on the park fence. "I heard Nazi were coming and I just had to stand against that. Seeing all the young people, that was important."
Anthony Ortega, a Los Angeles-based Chicano civil rights historian said he did not want to miss the event because "it's important to promote peace and oppose right-wing elements such as neo-Nazi or Minutemen."
"We are going back to the civil rights era all over again," Ortega said.
Laura Williams of Temecula, whose daughter attends the Webb Schools, echoed Ortega's words.
"We don't understand each other as humans, we see our differences more than similarities," Williams said.
Ruth Lynch of Claremont said she also wanted to add her voice against the racism, but rally's Native-American ceremony "seemed to focus just on people of color."
"The prayer was inspirational, but it made me feel like I don't belong here," Lynch said. "There were no American flags, no American counter of Nazis. They were highlighting things that have gone bad in the past with the white people. It became a racial thing."
Read more: http://www.sbsun.com/ci_17654220?IADID=Search-www.sbsun.com-www.sbsun.com#ixzz1HBGs5Rzr
Comment:
Comrades, what Ms. Lynch just said is typical of these kinds of people. They go out of their way to exclude Whites, and always make us the bad guys. Whatever their problems, it's always our fault. A Black doesn't get a job, it's our fault. A Latino gets deported, it's our fault. Taxes go up, it's our fault. There's hate in the world, it's our fault. Gee, we must be a terrible group of people.
In reality, THEY are the ones who make it about race, not us. THEY are the hateful ones, not us.
We mustn't let them dump the blame for the world's problems on us. The state of things today is EVERYONE"S fault, not just ours.
