After this week’s shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in Charleston, we’ve rushed a letter to the church offering condolences and a $720 donation from our staff members, who took up a collection to show their support for the community.
As followers of Jesus—a man who acknowledged the importance of showing love to everyone—we oppose discrimination on any basis and believe in nonviolence toward all forms of life, including animals. We take to heart Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words that “[i]njustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and we stand in solidarity with the AME congregation. Though we cannot bring back the lost loved ones, we wish for strength in the efforts to spread Jesus’ message of peace and love in the aftermath of this horrific act and hope that it will open doors to discussion that will result in more understanding and genuine change.