A call for unity among people of all nationalities, ethnic backgrounds and religions was the message of a peace rally held in front of The University of Memphis’ administration building Thursday afternoon.
The rally was a joint effort organized by the International Students Association, the Student Activities Council, the Muslim Student Association, the Jewish Student Association, Minority Affairs and the Black Student Association.
Sehrish Siddiqui, an organizer from the Muslim Student Association, said all the organizations were involved in getting speakers and publicizing the event.
“In light of the recent tragedies, we wanted to let out the message of justice and peace,” Siddiqui said.
Speakers included Nabil Al Bayakly, adjunct professor of Arabic at The U of M and sheik of the Muslim mosque near campus; Calvin Allen, associate director of the Center for International Programs and Services; Terry Moon of the Peace and Justice Center, Erica Ching, president of the International Students Association; and Alok Tomar, president of the Indian Students Association.
“All of us that live in the United States have suffered through a great tragedy,” Allen said. “That’s true both for those who are citizens and those who may not be citizens but are citizens from other countries who are here to work, study or live.”
Allen stressed the importance of people individualizing their feelings and bringing the international affair to a personal level, something he has been able to do during conflicts in the past.
“Because of our international students and because of the personal contacts that I’ve established with friends around the world, international events like the one that happened last Tuesday are not abstract,” Allen said. “They are not just about ‘them,’ ‘those people,’ ‘that group.’”
Danish Siddiqui, president of MSA, agreed with Allen’s words, and said stereotypes can be broken through personal interaction.
“We should encourage people to interact with people of other faiths and other ethnic groups,” Siddiqui said.
Students can help to stop prejudice and ignorance from spreading by stopping it when it creeps into conversation with friends, family or co-workers, Siddiqui said.
“Everything starts with one person,” Siddiqui said. “If you fight it on an individual level, it leads to a collective effort.”
Bayakly said it is through similar peace rallies elsewhere that messages of peace reach the general public and change their perceptions.
Though hate has been felt in the Muslim community since the attacks, they are now receiving many messages of love.
“In our hearts we may have some kind of racism but we just don’t know it,” Bayakly said.
Ching said she was deeply affected by the backlash of hate her fellow international students have received.
“People get lost in the midst of all this turmoil, and I really don’t blame them because it’s really hard to take,” Ching said.
But lashing out at those that look differently is not the answer, Allen said.
“Just because Osama bin Laden is identified as a Muslim does not mean that all Muslims are responsible for the event, or that all Muslims would agree with his interpretation of Islam,” Allen said.
After the speeches were finished, the crowd made a circle and held hands, to symbolize their message of unity.
People were encouraged to step into the circle to speak of their own experiences and concerns for the future.
Many participants took the opportunity to voice their individual messages of peace and solidarity.
Sonja Luecke, rally organizer from the International Students Association, said that the most important aspect of the event was to get out the message of unity and solidarity.
“People need to come together and try to extend their hearts to one another — to see across the barriers we have of religion, looks, race and nationality and see the human side of each other and that we’re all the same,” Luecke said.
