In the continuing controversy over the proposed mosque in San Martin, it’s been difficult to read Dianne Dawson’s rants in the most recent article in the Morgan Hill Times and in letters to the editor.
At first, Dawson’s attacks were targeted at followers of Islam and then grew to reflect her true rage at all the people (immigrants, people of different cultures) she faults for invading her preferred comfort zone of her white America.
She’s scarier to me than a mosque full of the Islamic fundamentalists she fears, and I admit to being intolerant of her intolerance. As understanding as I’d like to be in my response, proclamations that racism is justified anywhere, especially here in Santa Clara County, are just wrong.
The Koran quotations and recounts of particular Muslim extremist activities in other parts of the world have been presented by others in various letters, columns and calls to the Red Phone as justification for prudence and security, but instead simply provide justification of their backlash. I’ve been grateful to see local leaders like Father Gene O’Donnell, of Morgan Hill’s St. Catherine Church, encourage openness and support, and others like Mary Silva who have written in to push back against the fear mongering.
Through all of this, I’ve wondered: WWJD?
I don’t mean Jesus, though I admit to being amused by, among the possible responses he had at seeing people bastardize sacred teachings and taking advantage of others, the vision of him throwing a hissy fit and toppling over tables. No, I mean, “What Would Jamila Do?”
Last month, I wrote of my friend, Jamila Boukhris, an angel on earth and truly devout Muslim. I asked how she responds to such attitudes, which, unfortunately and incredibly, are worse in Texas than here. Since 9/11 and most recently in the last year, events in her life have been such that it’s clear to me they took a particular turn in response to her being an Arab Muslim. She bears the burdens of such prejudice with uncommon grace and commitment to living her life with the love called for by her faith. It does not accomplish anything, she believes, to respond to fear and anger with fear and anger.
I recall Jim McEntee. Those of you with deep roots in South County will remember Jim as the former pastor at St. Catherine Church in Morgan Hill and the founder of the County Office of Human Relations. Jim has pages full of accomplishments that benefit us all to this day. Local leaders remember that when he moved his base to San Jose, he never forgot South County, and always included our needs in his work.
Jim was born Irish Catholic, but he allowed that to be just part of the foundation of the man he became. He was the impetus behind the establishment of the Interfaith Council in Santa Clara County, and his funeral three years ago resembled one of a world religious leader. In attendance were the highest local representatives of all the world’s faiths, and many more people from all the world’s continents.
As those who knew him would testify, he was as Mexican as anyone from Mexico, as Ethiopian as anyone from Ethiopia, as Muslim as any follower of Islam, as Jewish as any Jew. The reflections of the other religious leaders showed that he was not a son of Ireland as much as he was a true man of God.
They remembered him as the consummate mediator, the solver of conflicts. As a peacemaker, he had a kind of formula for peace building in a divided community. He started with the vision of true collaboration, in which you bring folks together to add expertise, subtract the differences, divide the work, and multiply the successes.
I called the Office of Human Relations. “What would Jim do?” I asked. His successor, Richard Hobbs, carries on Jim’s work and vision and has proposed bringing people together to start a dialogue to have people express their frustrations, learn information to allay their fears and work together. The dialogue would take more than one session, and is open to people of all faiths and both sides.
As soon as I have the details, they’ll be in this column and other parts of the newspaper. All indications are that it will be grueling at first, but given the examples of others who have worked at building communities free of hate and fear, the result of the tough journey will be worth it.
Columnist Dina Campeau is a wife, mother of two teens and a resident of Morgan Hill. Her work for the last seven years has focused on affordable housing and homeless issues in Santa Clara County. Her column will be published each Friday. Reach her at dc******@ch*****.net.
