近距离内射合集

Criticism of a proposed North Valley mosque and an ensuing assault against a priest who supported it pushed interfaith leaders across Albuquerque to meet Wednesday to denounce the violence and what they called Islamophobia.

The news conference began at the St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church, with singers performing a passage from the poem "Every bombed village is my hometown."

鈥淓very one of these people are ours, just as we are theirs,鈥� they sang in front of the church鈥檚 vibrant mosaic.

Leaders from groups including the Albuquerque Islamic Center, Congregation Nahalat Shalom and the Quaker-founded American Friends Service Committee gathered inside the North Valley church 鈥� where the boyfriend of a mosque opponent allegedly pointed a gun at the pastor, the Rev. Vincent Ch谩vez, and a church groundskeeper on July 22.

鈥淐atholics are the majority faith in New Mexico,鈥� Ch谩vez said to a crowd of media outlets and supporters. 鈥淚f I, the privileged one, was assaulted, I cannot imagine what our Muslim and Jewish sisters and brothers go through.鈥�

After speaking in support of the mosque at a public hearing, Ch谩vez was criticized online with demands he be removed as church leader, according to police reports. In turn, he put one critic鈥檚 name on a sign outside the church denouncing racism, sparking a dispute outside the church.

Police said the woman called her boyfriend and, after a scuffle broke out, he allegedly threatened Ch谩vez and a groundskeeper with a gun.

鈥淭he video of my one-minute public comment to the commissioners spiraled into both public hate, obvious racism and also support for the house of worship and our freedom of religion in these 近距离内射合集 States,鈥� Ch谩vez said Wednesday.

Archbishop of Santa Fe John Wester received dozens of calls demanding he remove Ch谩vez from his position as a religious leader. Wester released a statement Monday saying he supported the Muslim community鈥檚 right to worship and said it was the civic duty of those following the Catholic faith to defend their right to do so.

鈥淥ur Muslim brothers and sisters have faced discrimination and hostility in many parts of the country,鈥� Wester wrote. 鈥淲hen such prejudice arises, Catholics are called to stand beside them, not apart from them.鈥�

The Council on American-Islamic Relations on Thursday sent a news release in support of Ch谩vez and said that the organization 鈥渨elcomes the assault charges鈥� and appreciated law enforcement for taking the alleged threat seriously.

"Standing against anti-Muslim hate and supporting the right of every community to worship freely should be recognized as an act of moral leadership, not one that invites threats or harassment,鈥� the council wrote.

Jerome Ch谩vez, whose family formerly owned the land where the proposed mosque will be built, showed support for the Albuquerque Islamic Center.

鈥淭he threats and intimidation we have witnessed in recent weeks do not represent the best of the state,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey do not represent the North Valley where I was raised, and they do not represent the values my family sought to pass on through that land.鈥�

The Rev. Erica Lea-Simka of the New Mexico Conference of Churches said that faith leaders will continue to have an open dialogue with one another and the community, adding that threats of violence against religious beliefs are nothing new.

In early June, a man was arrested after he allegedly threatened to 鈥渒ill all Jews鈥� before smashing windows at a synagogue and the Jewish Community Center in Albuquerque. He now faces federal hate crime charges.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not that this is radically new for us to be doing this,鈥� Lea-Simka said. 鈥淚 think we're going to be building on preexisting friendships, already existing respect for one another鈥� because we have been in conversation all along the way as things have come up over the years.鈥�

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.