World Without Hate is excited to debut its newest collaborative effort with Arizona State University’s Project Humanities for our first courageous (virtual) conversation on Thursday, August 27th, 6-7:30pm MST.
A discussion among white women about the work and responsibility to dismantle white supremacy.
About this Event
White supremacy is an ideology and worldview and is part of all of us living in this country. While all women are oppressed by the patriarchal values manifested within US society, white women are simultaneously beneficiaries of systemic racism and are therefore complicit in upholding and perpetuating racist ideologies. How can white women leverage their/our position of being both the oppressed and the oppressor in order to dismantle the social hierarchies that perpetuate inequality? In partnership with Project Humanitiesof Arizona State University.
This panel discussion will be conducted via Zoom and streamed on Facebook Live with opportunity for audience input. Interested attendees must RSVP via Eventbrite to receive the Zoom Webinar link and password.
“One second of hate can cause a lifetime of pain.” Lying in the middle of a concrete chamber, tied to a gurney, moments away from death, these were the last few words spoken by my attacker. This month marks the 9th anniversary of Mark Stroman’s execution.
Mark came to realize this painful truth only after he killed two and nearly took my life as well. He said that while physically behind bars, he found mental freedom, getting beyond the fear, ignorance, and hatred that led him to murder. As he learned, and had a change of heart, Mark wanted nothing more than to transmit his messages to others like him. Far too many in the free world were locked up in a prison inside themselves because of the hate they carried in their hearts. He warned, “killing another human being is not something you can forget…please don’t stereotype people. Please don’t become a Mark Stroman.”
Yet, hate remains on the rise. According to the F.B.I., hate crime violence has hit a 16-year high. Physical assaults make up 61% of the total incidents recorded. We must also keep in mind, more than half of all hate crime victims never report to authorities in the first place.
I suppose, then, it’s not surprising that I see the reflections of Mark’s pain everywhere. The evidence is in our news feeds every day — in the routine killing of black people; in the rampant shootings in our schools, churches, synagogues, mosques, movie theaters and music festivals; in the swastikas painted on synagogue walls and the burning of mosques; in the devaluation and objectification of women; in the turning away of poor, tired refugees and immigrants; and in the violent attacks of peaceful protestors in our city streets.
What can we do to minimize this pain? It’s time we step back to reflect and explore the answers to these types of questions:
· Am I causing pain and suffering to others, even unintentionally?
· Are any of my words or actions disrespectful, bullying, or hateful in any way?
· Do I discriminate against anyone or any group of people?
· Does my fear, ignorance, or intolerance cause harm to others?
If the answer is YES, we need to ask ourselves – How and why? Am I unconsciously buying into stereotypes, misconceptions or irresponsibly reported stories from the media, internet or social media? Do I associate with others who are prejudice, racist or hateful? Do I actively speak up to family and friends who perpetuate dangerous falsehoods? What am I doing to try to learn and unlearn generations of historic myths and harm?
Become part of the movement to help build a world without hate. Help us create the world we want to leave for our next generations. How can you contribute to ending hate and violence, one heart and one mind, at a time? Please don’t hesitate to share your stories, thoughts, and ideas with us.
Though Mark suffered from tremendous childhood abuse and trauma, a lack of love, education & guidance, he ended his life in peace. Mark received love, kindness, and mercy from friends all over the world and people he once hated, renewing his faith in Jesus, and in humanity. Unfortunately, Mark’s awakening came too late and the state of Texas did not deem his life worthy of living. But, he asked me to carry-on with and for him. He did not want others to face his same fate. He did not want other lives to be destroyed or lost because of senseless hate and violence. Looking within ourselves, to be better people than we were yesterday, is one very large step toward building a safer, more equitable, and peaceful society for all. Join me, join us at World Without Hate, so we can realize that world.
Rest in Peace, Mark. I hope people in the free world will continue to learn from you and avoid the path that leads to a lifetime of pain.
I’m writing today, as a retired Intelligence Officer and current interfaith/intercultural advocate, to challenge your statement that “Islam is a domestic enemy of America.” I will not address the sourcing of your social media post, other than to note that it appears (from open source) that individual’s knowledge of Islam may be self-taught. In addition, perhaps you are not aware that a well-funded anti-Muslim propaganda machine spends hundreds of millions of dollars fanning the flames of Islamophobia. Regardless, I offer below a different point of view, based on my extensive counterterrorism expertise, my formal study of Islam, and my personal interaction – as a Christian – with Muslims.
During my Intelligence career, spanning almost
32 years, I do not recall a single instance when Islam was ever identified as
“the enemy” – this includes the years after 9/11 until I retired in December
2014, during which I worked with counterparts in the Middle East, Europe,
Africa, and South East Asia to identify, penetrate, and disrupt terrorist
networks. Of note, for decades of my
career, I worked
shoulder-to-shoulder with counterparts around the globe of different faiths and
cultural backgrounds, pursuing enemies of mutual concern. Many of my professional successes –
particularly those accomplished with international partners – were not in spite
of our differences but BECAUSE of them. Given this, I was stunned at
the level of fear and hatred of “the other”, especially Muslims, that I
encountered when my husband and I retired to Greenville, South Carolina. It quickly became apparent that these
attitudes were a result of ignorance. Having lived, worked, and
vacationed in Muslim-majority countries for years, I began drawing on my
personal experiences to dispel dangerous myths about Islam voiced within the
community, and I accepted a position in an
Upstate nonprofit, actively engaged in building bridges between people of
different faiths and cultures.
As I transitioned from public service to work
in the interfaith/intercultural arena, I attended classes at a local university
and studied Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism.
I was amazed to learn how much these religions have in common, not only
with each other but also with Christianity.
During this period, I also read an English translation of the Qur’an,
cover to cover, so that I could see for myself what the Muslims’ holy book ACTUALLY says – paying
close attention to the verses often referenced by terrorists and anti-Muslim
hate groups. (In case you are wondering,
I do read and speak Arabic well enough to know that the English version of the
Qur’an mirrors the original text.) Pouring
through the pages of the Qur’an, I was fascinated to learn that Muslims and
Christians believe in the same God and that the Qur’an parallels many of the
same stories in the Bible. More
important, I realized that terrorists and anti-Muslim hate groups have hijacked
and distorted verses in the Qur’an to fit their evil agendas.
As I
dipped my toe into the waters of the interfaith arena, a colleague suggested
that I read a compelling historical account of
a Muslim world leader, well-known during the 19th century as one who demonstrated
through his actions – to include risking
his life to save thousands of Christians – the power of unifying people of
different faiths to combat evil, so that peace could prevail. In Commander of the Faithful/ The Life
& Times of Emir Abd el-Kader, author John W. Kiser tells the gripping
story of this Algerian leader, who won not only the trust, respect, and
admiration of the men under his command and tribes in the region but also of
Europeans who originally feared him and his family, because of stories they had
heard of atrocities committed by Arabs and Muslims. European hearts and minds were changed, and
stereotypes about Arabs and Islam were destroyed through PERSONAL INTERACTION
and INTERFAITH DIALOGUE.
This
leads me to my final point. Without
question, the best “sourcing” of information I can offer you about Islam is
drawn from my personal interaction with Muslims. As noted above, my husband and I (both
Christians) spent a considerable amount of time living, working, and
vacationing in Muslim-majority countries.
We look back fondly on the warmth and generosity extended to us by
Muslims in far away places, as they shared with us their rich traditions and
cultures, as well as the peace of Islam. As we settled into retirement in the Upstate,
we sought out the Muslim community and, as expected, the welcome we received
rivaled the legendary “Southern hospitality.”
During our four years in Greenville, we attended a number of events
hosted by the Islamic Society (open house outreach events, picnics,
fundraisers, cultural celebrations, Iftar dinners during Ramadan, etc.), and
each time we left inspired by the impressive efforts of these Muslim brothers
and sisters to make the Upstate, our country, and the world a better a better
place.
No
doubt COVID-19 has put a halt to many of the interfaith efforts in the
Upstate. As South Carolina reopens, I
encourage you to attend events hosted by the Islamic Society of Greenville, as
a way to meet your Muslim neighbors; perhaps start by attending an outreach
event at the mosque in Taylors. In addition to seeing
for yourself how much you have in common with these fellow-Americans, you will
learn that their religion is NOT based on violence or oppression but rather
peace and surrender to God’s will. My
husband and I not only attended this informative gathering at the mosque ourselves,
but we also returned a number of times, bringing friends with us – some of whom
had never knowingly spoken to a Muslim before.
It was exciting to see views of Islam change. If I were still in Greenville, I would offer
to accompany you to any of the interfaith events in the area. My husband and I left the Upstate in 2018, to
live closer to our daughters. I remain
in touch with my fellow interfaith/intercultural advocates in South Carolina, however,
so I have no doubt that I can find someone to answer any questions you might
have about Islam or to provide you with information about upcoming interfaith
programs.
I
close by sharing a story about Islamophobia that illustrates both the danger
posed by ignorance and the power of knowledge in ending hate. History has proven that ignorance breeds fear
that can lead to hate; left unchecked, that hate can result in violence. A dear friend of mine found himself on the
receiving end of this deadly escalation of ignorance to violence almost 19
years ago. Days after the 9/11 terrorist
attacks, Mark Stroman – a white supremacist calling himself “the Arab Slayer” –
walked into the convenience store where Rais Bhuiyan
was working. Stroman was on a shooting spree
and, from close range, he shot Rais (mistaken as an Arab) in the face.
Rais,
the sole survivor of Stroman’s hate, not only forgave his would be killer, but he
also fought to prevent his execution. Drawing
on his Islamic faith, Rais launched an inspiring campaign to save Stroman’s
life, exhausting all possibilities. Although
Rais’ efforts failed, before Stroman was executed, he learned about his
victim’s tireless efforts to spare his life.
During a phone call with Rais, shortly before his execution, Stroman told
Rias, “I love you, bro. I mean it.” Among Stroman’s
last recorded words were the following: “Hate is going on in this world, and it has to stop.
One second of hate will cause a lifetime of pain.”( http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/stroman1262.htm)
I’m
proud to serve on the board of World Without Hate, the nonprofit that Rais and
his wife Jessica established in their ongoing quest to break the cycle of hate
and violence through respectful dialogue.
My passion for their work and my respect for our Muslim brothers and
sisters in Greenville drove me to speak out against the dangerous Islamophobic
message posted on your Facebook campaign page.
Respectfully, Marisa W. Barthel
Note: Mark Lynch was running for State Senate, District 12, in South Carolina.
It took me several days to finally bring myself to watch the
footage of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder. The images keep replaying in my mind.
Did he feel a cold rush through his spine once he realized these
men were pursuing him?
Did his mind race with fear and strategy and confusion… Why is
this truck following me? What should I do? Should I keep running?
Did he know he was moments away from dying?
As he was lying on the road, blood pouring from his body, was he
begging his God for life?
I’ll never forget the image of Ahmaud Arbery. His lifeless body
now placed into the carousel of my mind, with too many other black and brown
lives gunned down by hate.
It never escapes me that I am fortunate enough to be here today. I
survived the brutal hate of white supremacy. I know what it feels like to be
sought out based on the color of your skin. I will never forget seeing myself
on the edge of life and death, the images of my loved ones fading in and out,
struggling to stay awake, fighting to stay alive. I continue to carry the scars
of hate – physically, mentally, and emotionally. While I continue to make peace
with my pain, I won’t ever forget what it’s like to be seen as inhuman,
unworthy of life, a heartbeat meant for extinction.
I will never understand how seemingly easy it is for people like Ahmaud’s killers to take a human life, but also how acceptable it is in our country. Though I grew up in Bangladesh, I learned about American history, culture and its topnotch educational system. While I was familiar with America’s tangled, racist, violent beginnings, I couldn’t truly understand the magnitude of hate on marginalized communities until I migrated here. I am extraordinarily proud to be an American and there is so much I love about this great country. It is why, after being shot in the face from point blank range, I remained here, rebuilding my life in the very place that tore it apart. And so, it is as a hate crime survivor and an American, that I keep Ahmaud (and all those before and after him) in the forefront of my mind, trying to give them voice through my own.
In addition to sharing my story, advocating for human rights, and
speaking out against hate and violence, it is imperative for me and for all of
us to keep learning about our country, its history and its people. How can we
save black and brown lives from senseless hate, violence, and death if we don’t
commit to fully understanding the root cause? How can we create change if we
don’t rectify our past first? We must try to imagine ourselves in Ahmaud’s
shoes, but we must also deeply reflect upon the slave origins of our country
too. Picture yourself for a moment – innocent and free and then captured,
beaten, shackled, and shipped across the ocean to a foreign land, forced into
hard labor – that is, if you even survived. Abolishing slavery seems so
righteous, but if America had truly freed our black brothers and sisters,
wouldn’t more of them be able take a leisurely jog in a quiet suburban town without
losing their life on the middle of the street?
We cannot change the past. But we have the power to shape our future. Those who are guilty of this tragic, barbaric murder must be brought to justice. As a nation, we must collectively demand action – not for a few days or a week – but until equality and justice has prevailed for all. Even then, we cannot stop talking about Ahmaud or victims like him. We must stop thinking that we have the luxury of moving on. Ahmaud’s family doesn’t have such privilege. I can’t simply stop the nightmares or wish away the bullet fragments embedded in my skull. Instead of forgetting, it is high time for us to be brutally honest with ourselves. America suffers from its racist, intolerant, and hateful past; a history that continues to take the lives of innocent, unarmed black men, but WE have the power to repair it.
With empathy, and our sincerest intentions, we have the power to eradicate racism, intolerance, hate, and violence from our communities, and truly move forward as one, united and peaceful nation. It’ll be far from easy and it won’t be swift. But, if we fail to finally rise up and protect the sanctity of life, how can we possibly call ourselves the land of the brave and the home of the free.
Right now, at this moment, while all of our lives have turned upside down and inside out, it may seem impossible to look at something like the coronavirus pandemic and see anything but catastrophe. Yet, the human capacity to rise above, even in the most difficult of times, always has a way of shining through. We all face difficulties, not to be destroyed by them, but to help rediscover ourselves and extract the inner strength we are often unaware of having. During Wednesday’s virtual Rotary program, fellow Seattle 4 Rotarian, Rais Bhuiyan shares his experiences and inspiration as we navigate through this incredibly uncertain and frightening time together.
Shot by a white supremacist ten days after 9/11, Rais Bhuiyan not only survived this brutal hate crime, he went on to forgive his assailant and worked tirelessly to try and save him from death row. Rais later created the non-profit, World Without Hate (WWH), the manifestation of his death-bed promise, dedicating his life to disrupting hate and violence through storytelling and empathy education. To date, Rais has engaged with more than 250,000 people globally, from classrooms, college campuses, maximum-security prisons, refugee camps, religious forums, to town halls, city councils, and conferences. More information can be found at www.worldwithouthate.org.
World Without Hate was proud to be a part of the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation Discovery Center’s ‘Supporting our Refugee Communities event’
with special guest Isra Chaker. The focus of
the evening was on civil activism, immigrant and refugee stories, and Isra’s
personal story as a young leader featured in the Discovery Center’s We the
Future exhibition.
World
Without Hate leaders and advisory board member, Howard
Cohen, enjoyed speaking with attendees and sharing our service offerings.
On International Human Rights Day, World Without Hate’s own Rais Bhuiyan gave the keynote address to students and faculty participating in University of Wisconsin at Green Bay’s Common College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) program focusing on human rights issues, specifically on ‘how to combat hate and white supremacist violence.’
“Because of my encounter with a White Supremacist, I wanted to learn more about the root cause of hate and extreme ideology. I’ve been fortunate enough to speak and connect with people throughout the US, and around the world for several years now, including those who hate or have hated, and hurt others.
One commonality I’ve heard is that the perpetrator was at one time a victim too – a victim of the environment they grew up in and the people they associated with.
I have to come to learn that as with most learned behaviors, hate can be unlearned as well. We have the capability to turn negatives into positives, weakness into strength, fear into courage, ignorance into wisdom and hatred into love.”
Imagine a world without hate…a world where people seek opportunities to understand and empathize with those they believe are different than them…a world where people focus on similarities not differences…
Growing up in the Bible Belt, I was surrounded by people who fostered an “us versus them” rather than inclusive attitude. Racially charged jokes were not uncommon, interracial dating and marriage were viewed as a violation of God’s law, and those who worshiped differently than our Baptist church (Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, to name a few) were deemed sinners who would not fare well on Judgement Day.
Shortly after moving North to attend a large public university, it was clear to me that I was more like “them” than the “us” of my youth. My closest friends in college included students from many ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. I was intrigued by our differences and free – for the first time in my life – to challenge the racism and bigotry that I saw. (As a kid in my family, questioning an adult’s belief was often seen as “being sassy” and disrespectful.)
For the next three decades, I worked shoulder-to-shoulder with counterparts around the globe of different faiths and cultural backgrounds. Many of my professional successes – particularly those accomplished with international partners – were not in spite of our differences but BECAUSE of them. Given this, I was stunned at the level of fear and hatred of “the other”, especially Muslims, that I encountered when I retired. It quickly became apparent that these attitudes were a result of ignorance. Having lived, worked, and vacationed in Muslim-majority countries during my career, I began drawing on my personal experiences to dispel dangerous myths about Islam voiced within my community, and I accepted a position in a nonprofit, actively engaged in building bridges between people of different faiths and cultures.
It was during this time that I met Rais and Jessica Bhuiyan, of World Without Hate. I was not only inspired by Rais’ story of forgiveness but also his passion to break the cycle of hate and violence. Many will recall the “Arab” shootings in Texas, days after 9/11. Rais, mistaken as an Arab, is a survivor of that hate-filled violence. Remarkably, he not only forgave the man who shot him; he fought to save his life. Rais and his wife Jessica have dedicated their lives to teaching others the importance of forgiveness, compassion, empathy, understanding, and acceptance. With hate crimes on the rise, their mission is more important today than ever before.
Giving to World Without Hate will allow this nonprofit to partner with community level advocates and anti-hate organizations across the USA to tackle the roots of hate, by creating human encounters that foster respectful, honest conversations. Remember, ignorance breeds fear that can lead to hate; left unchecked, hate can lead to violence.
When Rais first
heard about the Rohingya crisis, he was a flight cadet in the Bangladesh Air
Force and couldn’t do anything except pray for these poor and vulnerable
people. When the crisis resurfaced in 2017, he had already experienced the
brutal pain of hate and violence firsthand being a victim of a violent post
9/11 hate crime. He had also gained a voice, and the strength to stand up
against hate, injustice and human suffering. His heart broke seeing the plight
of the Rohingya people and wanted to do whatever he could to help them, and to
bring awareness to this catastrophic issue. About
a year ago, Rais visited the camp to do relief work, as well as speak with many
of the refugees who asked him to share their stories and their voices. As part
of his promise to them, the documentary came to be.
Through the work of
our non-profit, World Without Hate, we focus our efforts on
breaking the cycle of hate and violence through storytelling and empathy
education. The documentary short Rais created is our way of telling the
Rohingya refugee story in hopes of bringing more awareness to and empathy for
the millions who are barely surviving in what has become the world’s largest
refugee camp. We may not be able to solve this humanitarian catastrophe
ourselves, but together, we can send a collective message that we support the
suffering, that we have not forgotten them or their plight, and we can utilize
our voices and urge our leaders to act.
In this 15-minute short, Rais not only reflected
the plight of the Rohingya and the millions who are
barely surviving in the largest refugee camp in the world, but also proposed 5 points solution to end this
senseless human suffering.
We also hope that bearing witness to the plight of the Rohingya
reminds us of how much we have to be grateful for and in this, making the best
use of our resources to help eradicate hate and violence from our communities,
our nation, and our world. Together, we must stand up against human suffering.
Today, on International Peace Day, I am also commemorating my Rebirthday. Eighteen years ago, I faced extreme evil, and my life in America changed forever. I vowed not to define myself by that act of horror, but to respond by making a difference and helping others.
Though not in Manhattan or Washington D.C., I am a victim, and a survivor of the terror that reigned down upon our country on Sep 11, 2001. My attacker, who shot me in the face and killed two others, blamed me and my kind for 9/11, and said America was no place for Muslims,… until he learned about the international campaign I was leading to try and save his life from Texas death row. He hated me when he didn’t know me, but in the end called me, brother; and said he loved me before he was executed. His last words were “Hate has to stop. Hate causes a life time of pain.” Today, I see the reflection of his pain everywhere.
It is time for us all to admit where we are heading as a country, and as the human race. Hate crimes, gun violence, anti-immigrant rhetoric…extremism of all kinds are on the rise. Though we vowed, “never again” long ago, it appears we haven’t learned anything from history. The war on terror has caused and produced more terror, providing excuses for far too many to label people we don’t know as a threat, making it easy to persecute, suppress, and treat fellow humans as lesser than. We spend billions searching for life in space, but lives on earth continue being destroyed by unnecessary, unjust wars, violence, hunger, and disease. When millions of people dream of having access to clean water, or a roof over their head, desperate to live life with dignity, we spend even more in the arms trade and on new technology to control and kill.
All mothers hope to see their children flourish in a safe, loving and kind world. What can we do to save humanity and restore the world? Building peace is the answer. Peace begins within each of us, in our hearts & minds, at home first. We need to teach our children, and remind one another, to respect everyone equally, as human first, regardless of our differences. You may not like me or become my friend, but you can respect me as you want to be respected. No one is born to hate or to be violent. People are either taught to hate or go through challenges in their lives desensitizing them to others’ right to life, liberty, freedom, and happiness. That’s why we must teach our children kindness, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness before they are exposed to racism, intolerance, hate and violence.
The lessons I’ve learned from my traumatic experience, and the painful journey I’ve taken, moved me from a place of pain on the deepest level, to a place of peace and hope for a kinder, just, and more accepting world. There is not a single day that goes by that I am not reminded of and impacted by my brutal attack, but I continue to make peace with my pain.
Today, as a human rights advocate, peace activist, non-profit leader, and motivational speaker, I have the opportunity to try and combat the hate and violence that has plagued our country, our world for far too long. I founded the organization, World Without Hate, with the hope we might all build bridges among one another, as opposed to walls; that through our powerful human attributes of forgiveness, empathy, and acceptance, we can begin to see how much more we have in common than that which seems to divide us.
On this international day of Peace, and my 18th rebirthday, I urge you to join me, pledging to proactively denounce ignorance, intolerance, and hate, treating all people equally, as humans first, regardless of our visible or invisible diversity. Let’s change the world by changing stereotypes and divisive rhetoric, channeling our actions through empathy, understanding, and acceptance. Let’s create the world we all deserve, a world without violence, a world without victims and a world without hate for all.
~ Rais Bhuiyan, Founder & President, World Without Hate
Mark came to realize this painful truth only after he killed two and nearly took my life as well. He said that while physically behind bars, he found mental freedom, getting beyond the fear, ignorance, and hatred that led him to murder. As he learned, and had a change of heart, Mark wanted nothing more than to transmit his messages to others like him. Far too many in the free world were locked up in a prison inside themselves because of the hate they carried in their hearts. He warned, “killing another human being is not something you can forget…please don’t stereotype people. Please don’t become a Mark Stroman.” 
Shortly after moving North to attend a large public university, it was clear to me that I was more like “them” than the “us” of my youth. My closest friends in college included students from many ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. I was intrigued by our differences and free – for the first time in my life – to challenge the racism and bigotry that I saw. (As a kid in my family, questioning an adult’s belief was often seen as “being sassy” and disrespectful.) 
