An estimated 250-300 Twin Cities residents gathered on the steps of the McLean County Museum of History Wednesday night to stand up against religious intolerance.
“We are all Muslims tonight. We are all Christians tonight. We are all Jews tonight. We are all members of the same community tonight,” proclaimed Michael Gizzi, co-organizer of a Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal-sponsored rally at the former courthouse.
The candle-lit event, aimed in large part at demonstrating solidarity with community Muslims at a time of heightened political controversy and campaign rhetoric, was also sponsored by First Christian Church, New Covenant Community, the Presbytery of Great Rivers interfaith group, and Moses Montefiore Temple in collaboration with the Islamic Center of Bloomington-Normal and Masjid Ibrahim mosque.
Speaking at the rally -- characterized by Bloomington City Council member and NIOT leader Karen Schmidt "an amazing expression of the best in our community" -- were Mayor Tari Renner; the Rev. Kelley Becker of First Christian Church; the Rev. Bob Ryder of New Covenant Community; Gizzi, moderator-elect of Presbytery of Great Rivers; interim Rabbi Rebecca Dubowe of Moses Montefiore Temple; Brother Mohammed Zaman, president of Masjid Ibrahim; Sherheryar Muftee of the Islamic Center of Bloomington-Normal; and NIOT member Mike Matejka.
"To our Muslim friends and neighbors, we stand with you as we would stand for ourselves," Dubowe said. "In 1939, during the horrors of the Holocaust, it was said that we let fear win. Today, we cannot make the same mistake."
"Honestly, this is a night I haven't experienced before," said Zaman. "I am so humbled and so overwhelmed to see these lovely faces on this chilly evening supporting the Muslim community of Bloomington-Normal.
"As a citizen of the United States and a member of this blessed community, and on behalf of Twin-City Muslims, I sincerely convey from the bottom of my heart our deepest condolences to the victims and their families who are affected by the heinous acts of extremists throughout the nation and the world at large.
"We very strongly condemn the acts of violence," added Zaman. "The people who commit these violent acts ... embarrassing this peaceful religion and making a bad name for Islam, we denounce you totally and unequivocally."
Sheheryar Muftee with the Islamic Center of Bloomington-Normal said it was great to see so many people come out and support the cause.
For WMBD's coverage of the event, go to http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/twin-cities-hold-interfaith-rally-for-peace
“It’s just overwhelming that we have folks here in our town and in our country that support the minorities the way that is meant to be enshrined in our constitution,” Muftee said.
Normal Community High School teacher Kelly Keogh said it’s important to battle back against the hateful rhetoric towards Muslims.
“I think it’s important that we do, when you hear statements like that and these flippant statements when people say such hateful things, that we do stand together and say, ‘Not in our town.'”
The rally was not confined to Christian, Jewish, and Muslim viewpoints: Normal Community High School student Aishwarya Shekara decided to give up some time studying for finals to stand Wednesday night in a show of solidarity with the Twin City Muslim community.
"I have finals today, tomorrow, Friday ... but this is important," said the 16-year-old Indian-American, who is Hindu.
"I think it's amazing that we can support our community members, especially with everything that is going on and people feeling so scared. Like all of this fear — we need an outlet. We need to be able to educate ourselves and others."
"Nobody came to protest us. It's nice to see everyone coming together for such an important cause," said Normal Community West High School senior Ceil Steinbacher-Kemp. "I think this is a really good town because there is not a lot of, at least, open backlash."
Mary Broad, 88, of Bloomington, attended with her son, Bob Broad, and grandson, Dylan Hile-Broad.
"I wanted to demonstrate that there are people who are not as irrational toward Muslims or others that we hear about in the news," Mary Broad said.
"I will admit that I am generally an apathetic person, but a lot of the rhetoric leveled at minorities and Muslim Americans, in specific, is very, very deeply worrying," Hile-Broad added. "It really crosses the line."
Contributions from The Pantagraph, WJBC, and WMDB TV. Photos from Mike Matejka, Michael Gizzi, and Darlene Miller.