Islamic Society of Central Pa. plans open house in wake of New Zealand mosque massacres
One week after 50 people were killed at two New Zealand mosques, the Islamic Society of Central Pennsylvania plans to host an open house in State College on Friday to promote social inclusion.
Brenton Tarrant, 28, is accused of shooting and killing 50 individuals and wounding 50 more after he published an 87-page manifesto replete with anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim ideologies, according to CNN. Tarrant is a self-proclaimed racist and planned his attack three months prior, according to the Associated Press.
ISCP President Rami Alhellu, an Amman Arab University and Michigan State University alumnus, said the shootings were shocking and disappointing. He also asked, “How could a human being do this?”
After the attack, Alhellu said the society received phone calls, emails, Facebook messages and flowers from State College residents to show their support and welcoming nature toward others, including Muslims. The sentiments were appreciated, he said.
“We believe, as a Muslim, that terrorists have no religion,” Alhellu said Wednesday. “We felt like one of our obligations as a member organization in (the) State College community is to show that we need to support each other.”
Penn State President Eric Barron, Vice President of Student Affairs Damon Sims and State College Mayor Don Hahn joined community members Tuesday at Old Main to honor those who were killed. Penn State issued a statement the day of the shootings, calling the incidents “acts of hatred and religious bigotry.”
The open house — scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at 709 Ridge Ave., State College — is set to include a speech from the ISCP, readings from the Quran, a speech from guest speaker Ahson Syed and an opportunity for attendees to ask questions or offer comments.
“Unfortunately, right now we have in the world ... we have two voices: the voice of welcoming of others and the voice of racism based on religion (or) race,” Alhellu said. “In this open house, we try to raise this voice — the voice of welcoming others and the voice of solidarity and the voice of feeling that we are one family.
“It’s not about the religion. It’s not about the race or the color. It’s about humanity. We’re all human. Everyone should have the right to worship whoever they want to worship.”
Interfaith Initiative Centre County convener Sarah Malone said she hopes there will be “significant” interfaith community presence at the open house. Malone, a Christian minister, said she aims to build bridges among various religious groups to foster stronger relationships and a greater understanding.
“It seems like events kind of flood one upon another, and there’s been this recent, tragic shooting here in our State College community, which itself is a call for all of us to work harder to do what we can to care about the people who are most marginalized in our community,” Malone said Thursday, one day after a State College police officer shot and killed a man during an attempt to serve a mental health warrant.
Learning to deal with those in crisis — whether because of local events, international events or personal health issues — leaves “a lot more work to be done in many, many areas,” she said.
“There is so much about our community which is wonderful and yet there is so much work still to be done,” Malone said.
This story was originally published March 21, 2019 at 1:47 PM.