To the editor,
Not In Our Town BG (NIOT BG) has witnessed, with the whole world, the devastating attack on Israel by Hamas. We declare with an unwavering voice our denunciation of such evil and our support for the Jewish community in Bowling Green and for all those with family, friends, and connections to the people of Israel.
As an organization which stands against hate and supports the upbuilding of our citizenry, we condemn these acts (and all acts) of terrorism. We recognize that part of this complex situation involves actions of the Israeli government against the Palestinian people. NIOT, both locally and nationally, stands against all persecution. Yet the horrific nature of this attack by Hamas compels us to speak out clearly.
We are mindful that the Jewish people walk every day with the history of horrific persecution, from the Holocaust to the 2018 murders at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh to these heinous current events. We are also mindful of and condemn the continued rise of hurtful and hateful antisemitic and Islamophobic speech and actions around this country.
NIOT BG believes that our town is a home for great diversity and mutual respect, with no room or tolerance for any hateful behavior against Jewish people or any other people. We encourage the citizens of Bowling Green to reach out with compassion to friends and neighbors who have been impacted by these horrors and reinforce that we are a community where all are welcomed, affirmed, and respected.
Emily Dunipace and Ana Brown, co-chairs
Bowling Green
