The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa & Action Fund

People of Faith and Goodwill Creating Change in Iowa

STATEMENT OF UNITY 

We, as religious, political, business, law enforcement, education, labor, advocacy and community leaders, representing a diverse range of people and interests, stand together in opposition to the hateful and divisive message of the National Alliance targeting Jews and immigrants, as made public in flyers recently distributed in Urbandale and the Beaverdale neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa.  

An organization with roots in the American Nazi Party, the National Alliance espouses white supremacy and hatred for all others unlike themselves.  The National Alliance appeals to fears within their potential audience and seeks to promote messages of hate against the groups they target, including “persons of Jewish descent, homosexuals or bisexuals, criminals, persons with a non-White spouse or sexual partner, or persons with more than an undetectable trace of non-White ancestry,”  as stated on the National Alliance website.

As community leaders, we reject the hate-filled message of the National Alliance.  We stand in solidarity to say that such messages are not welcome in the greater Des Moines area and will not be ignored or tolerated.  We stand together in support of those whom the National Alliance targets with their message of hate.

We understand, however, that the actions of the National Alliance occur within a larger economic, political, and religious context with intolerant rhetoric, which is emanating from all levels of society.  Such rhetoric contributes to an increasingly divisive public discourse and feeds intolerance and hate. 

We appeal to the overwhelming majority of mainstream greater Des Moines residents, from all backgrounds and walks of life, to join with us and reject the extremist message of hate and intolerance from the National Alliance. 

Further, we call on all people from the Greater Des Moines area to critically assess and confidently reject any message or action that bases its argument in divisiveness, bigotry and hatred.

We affirm and welcome the many gifts of language, culture, and religion that a diverse population brings to our communities.  We call for people to work together in strengthening an American civil democracy in which the contributions of individuals are respected regardless of their background.

'Statement of unity' speaks against bigotry

By ELIZABETH OWENS,  REGISTER STAFF WRITER   June 4, 2005

More than 75 business, political, minority and religious leaders have signed a "statement of unity" against bigotry in response to fliers distributed recently in the Des Moines area by a white supremacist group.

The National Alliance has distributed anti-immigrant and anti-Semitic fliers in Des Moines and Urbandale.

Connie Ryan Terrell, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, said community leaders decided to voice their unity at a press conference Friday in Urbandale.

U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell spoke at the event, which included prepared statements from U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin and Gov. Tom Vilsack.

Ryan Terrell said the National Alliance "preys" on people, using scare tactics to gain support.

"What the coalition is trying to do is say that we don't need to live in fear of that," Ryan Terrell said after the press conference. "We can come together as a community and denounce that message. Immigrants are welcome in our society. People who are Jewish are welcome in our society."

The leader of National Alliance said in March that his organization had started a recruitment campaign in Iowa. Organization leaders did not return a telephone message Friday.

A flier distributed by the group used an image of the yellow "Support Our Troops" ribbon in the background and detailed how Americans should support their troops by bringing them home from overseas and putting them on the Mexican border.

The flier said: "Millions of Third Worlders invade the U.S. through Mexico. But our government is being run by people who are more concerned about Israel's borders than our own."

Signed;

American Friends Service Committee – Kathleen McQuillen, Iowa Program Coordinator

Ames Jewish Congregation

Anti-Defamation League, Plain States Region – Bob Wolfson, Regional Director

Beth El Jacob Synagogue – Rabbi Aaron Schwarzbaum

Bidwell Riverside Center – Rev. Robert Crandall, Executive Director

Black Ministerial Alliance – The Rev. Richard L. Daye, President

Margaret Borgen, Des Moines School Board Member

Congressman Leonard Boswell

Catholic Charities

Catholic Peace Ministry – Brian Terrell, Director

Chinese Association of Iowa – Swallow Yan

Church Women United –Rev. Kathleen Clark, State President

Conference of the United Church of Christ – Rev. Michael Pater; Rev. Julia Rendon

Mayor Frank Cownie - Des Moines

Des Moines Area Religious Council – Rev. Forrest Harms, Executive Director

Des Moines Interfaith Coalition on the Crisis in Sudan – Rev. Goanar Chol

Des Moines Area Ecumenical Committee for Peace – Rev. Sarai Beck

Des Moines Valley Friends Meeting – Mikel Johnson, Clerk

Des Moines Human Rights Commission – Floyd Jones, Executive Director

Des Moines Human Rights Commission –  Cynthia Nahas, Chair

Drake University – President David Maxwell

Episcopal Diocese of Iowa – Rev. Jean McCarthy

First Christian Church – Rev. Sondra Eddings

First Friday Breakfast Club – Jonathan Wilson, President

First Friends Church – Rev. Paul Knupp

First Assembly of God, Des Moines – Rev. John M. Palmer

First Unitarian Church – Rev. Mark Stringer

GLBT Youth in Iowa Schools Task Force – Brad Clark

Grandmothers Against Wars – Barbara True, Chair

Greater Des Moines Partnership

Senator Tom Harkin

Christine Hensley, Des Moines City Council Member

Immigrant Rights Network of Iowa and Nebraska

Iowa Asian Alliance – Kim Poam

Iowa Church World Service – Rev. Russell Melby, Regional Director

Iowa Citizen Action Network – Brad Lint, Chair

Iowa Civil Liberties Union – R. Ben Stone, Executive Director

Iowa Civil Rights Commission – Ralph Rosenberg, Director; Alicia Claypool, Chair

Iowa Council for International Understanding – Michelle Soria, Executive Director

Iowa Department of Human Rights – Walter Reed, Jr., Director

Iowa Peace Network – Jessica Ireland

Iowa Pride Network - Ryan Roemerman

Islamic Center of Des Moines – Imam Ibrahim Dremali

Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines – Polly Oxley, President

Jewish Community Relations Commission – Sheldon Rabinowitz, Chair

Latinos Unidos of Iowa – Lena Avila Robison, President; Ann Morris, PR Coordinator

Congressman Jim Leach

LGBT Center of Central Iowa - Sharon Malheiro, President

Malinalli Art – Heather & Pedro Lujano, Washington Iowa

Police Chief William McCarthy - Des Moines

Methodist Federation for Social Action - Eloise Cranke, Iowa Coordinator

Mayor Gene Meyer - West Des Moines

Tom Miller, Attorney General

Mount Pleasant Human Rights Commission – Ruth Keraus, Member

NAACP Des Moines Branch – Linda Carter-Lewis, President

NAACP State Conference – The Rev. Keith Ratliff, President

Lt. Governor Sally Pederson

Plymouth Congregational Peace Committee – David Palmer, Chair

Presbytery of Des Moines - Rev. Philip W. Barrett, General Presbyter

Principal Financial Group

Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines – Bishop Joseph Charron

SE Iowa Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – Bishop Philip Hougen

South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL/CIO – Dan Albritton, President

STARPAC – Harold Wells, President

Temple B’nai Jeshurun – Rabbi David Kaufman

The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa – Connie Ryan Terrell, Executive Director

The Sisters Council Leadership Team – Sister Jeannie Hagedorn, CHM; Sister Charlotte Huetteman, OSM; Sister Sandra Rodemyer, BVM; Sister Mary Ellen Deveraux, RSM

Tifereth Israel Synagogue – Rabbi Baruch HaLevi

Trinity United Methodist Church – Rev. Denny Coon, Pastor

Urbandale Diversity Committee – Harlan Thomas

Urbandale Human Rights Commission – Susanna Prophet, Assistant City Manager

Governor Thomas J. Vilsack

West Des Moines Human Rights Commission – Susan Paterson-Nielson, Director

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – Diane Krell, President

INDIVIDUAL SIGNERS

Carol Bodensteiner

Ruth Cooperrider

Mary Gottschalk

Sister Elaine Hagedoorn

Rose Vasquez