海角精品黑料

WASHINGTON — The Falls Church, Virginia mosque played host to a dozen elected leaders Friday, all of whom expressed messages of tolerance, love and respect.

鈥淭his is a trying time we鈥檙e all living through,鈥� Sen. Barbara Favola told members of the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center. 鈥淣ow is the time to stand up, to show the world who we are.鈥�

The visiting politicians attended a prayer service inside the mosque, then gathered with community members outside to condemn the anti-Islamic sentiment expressed by some following the recent mass murder attacks in Paris and California.

“Like so many minorities in the history of this country, this is a time when you get stereotyped, treated unfairly and are the object of so much abuse,” Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, said. “Our presence here today is [to show] that we have to come together as a community of tolerance, respect and inclusion.”

The elected leaders expressed solidarity with the community, saying they know it must be 鈥渄ifficult, frightening and lonely鈥� to face such bigotry.

鈥淓very time I鈥檝e been here,鈥� Beyer said, 鈥渁ll I鈥檝e heard is a message of goodness, of charity, of peace and of taking care of each other.鈥�

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., said she hopes the message of tolerance and respect will “drown out” the anti-Islamic 聽messages. Speaking candidly with the diverse crowd, Norton said she understood the feeling of being “a few among the many.”

“So I come today, not in sympathy,” Norton said. “I come today in solidarity.”