(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Hundreds of people showed up to a Phoenix rally in Arizona aimed at showing solidarity with Muslims in response to US President Donald Trump's travel ban, which remains blocked after a federal judge's order.
Two Arizona School for the Arts students organized the "Rally in Solidarity with the Muslim Community” Saturday night.
"To keep the love and the hope that is grounded in our community, what makes us a community – alive," said Taylor Penn.
“You can have different political ideas, but the fact of the matter is, people aren't a partisan issue," said Mikala Teramoto.
The gathering was in response to President Donald Trump's travel ban, wanting to ban immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The ban remains blocked after a federal appeals court ruled Thursday to uphold an order issued by U.S. District Senior Judge James Robart.
The students who organized the rally have a goal. They want to build relationships with people they wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to know.
"We can all be united," said Teramoto.
"We should come out and show solidarity with our neighbors," said Nicolle Harbor, who came out to show support.
One woman was seen holding a sign that says, “We are sorry.”
"On behalf of the voters in this country who did not want this,” she said.
“I actually was Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa and I served for two years in a 95-percent Muslim country,” said Taylor Bednarz. “I actually lived in a small village with a Muslim family that took care of me and fed me. We should show them the same hospitality that they showed me."
As with anything – there were also people from the other side. One woman came with a megaphone to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Another woman showed up with a sign that says she's an immigrant and she had to wait six months to enter the U.S., not 90 days.
The President of the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix hopes people left remembering what the time together symbolized.
“The majority of the people, they want to see refugees. They value diversity; they value people of different backgrounds of different cultures. And that's what you see today," said Usama Shami, president of the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix.
Members of the Muslim community felt the love.
"It shows they care," said Ahmad Ismail.
“Him being an immigrant and us being a Muslim family, this is a beautiful thing for me to see right now,” Ahmad’s wife Stephanie said.
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source : 12news
Monday
13 February 2017
2:39:54 PM
811455
Hundreds of people showed up to a Phoenix rally in Arizona aimed at showing solidarity with Muslims in response to US President Donald Trump's travel ban, which remains blocked after a federal judge's order.