Phyllis and Orlando recently commented on the controversy over the building of an Islamic center in lower Manhattan.  Their letter was printed in the “Journal News,” which covers countries surrounding New York City, including Westchester, which Phyllis and Orlando live.

They continue to serve as voices of reason, representing peace, tolerance and reconciliation at a time when heat often obscures light.  Their role in the dialog about the Islamic center will become part of the documentary.

Here is an excerpt from their letter.  You may read it in its entirety at: http://www.lohud.com/article/20100817/OPINION/8170306/Islamic-center-meant-to-foster-peace-understanding

JOURNAL NEWS      August 17, 2010                     
Islamic center meant to foster peace, understanding
By Orlando Rodriguez and Phyllis Schaefer Rodriguez

As parents of a victim of the attacks on the World Trade Center, we are disturbed by the anti-Muslim sentiment we read and hear about in Westchester and the U.S. We support the building of the Islamic community center in lower Manhattan and want to explain why we feel that it would honor our son and other victims. The extremists who carried out the attacks represent a tiny minority of the approximately 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide. Most Muslim people disagree strongly with violent extremism, and since September 2001 have been working hard to promote knowledge about the basic tenets of Islam, one of the three Abrahamic religions.

We have had the privilege of becoming acquainted with many Muslim people in Westchester, New York City and Europe who are involved in educational, social justice and interfaith projects. Two examples are the American Muslim Women's Association of Westchester, and the Interfaith Connection in White Plains. The commonalities we share far outnumber the differences when it comes to belief systems, hopes, dreams and community.

In order to build a better, more peaceful world, we must learn to live together and appreciate each other's differences. By getting to know each other, we break down the artificial barriers that separate us. "The other" becomes our neighbor, our friend, our workmate, our ally. We learn each other's customs, which enrich us all.

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