Letter threatens Muslim community in Prov.; Leaders report increase in hate since election
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A hate filled letter sent to several mosques across the country including one in Georgia, and three in California, was also sent to the Islamic Center of Rhode Island in Providence.
It’s addressed to the "Children of Satan," and tells Muslims a cleanse is coming to America now that there’s a new sheriff in town; President Elect Donald Trump.
“The message of the letter is that President Elect Trump would do to the Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews,” said Faissal Elansari of the Islamic Center of Rhode Island.
Afissal Elansari got the letter on Saturday.
“I started reading it, but I couldn’t finish it,” said Elansari.
He instead contacted local authorities and the FBI.
“You hear about it but when you see it, it’s a different feeling, it’s really alarming,” said Elansari.
Elansari says he refuses to close the doors to his mosque.
“When you have a good message and are serving a good purpose nothing stops you from shutting your door,” said Elansari.
He has asked for extra police protection not only here, but at other mosques across the state, and police aren’t taking any chances.
“We are doing that the next couple of days with that letter that has created some level of fear in that prospective community so we are ramping up patrols,” said Colonel Hugh T. Clements of Providence Police.
The letter ends with this message saying: "Trump is going to cleanse America and make it shine again, and he’s going to start with you Muslims."
It was signed simply: ‘Americans for a better way.’
Elansari has a message of his own to the author: “instead of spending the time sending these letters, wasting all of your energy, instead read the book, and judge for yourself, don’t let others judge for you.”
Since the election of President-Elect Trump other local religious leaders say they have experienced an increase of hate and bigotry.
Rabbi Dolinger from Temple Beth Sholom in Providence says anti-Semitism here has intensified in recent weeks.
To illustrate that point, he shares a personal story from a few weeks ago as he walked to temple on Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath.
"A car of teenagers came over and opened the window and yelled ‘Heil Hitler’ and were sort of angrily yelling and cursing,” said Dolinger.
The Rabbi says the same type of thing has happened to other members of the temple.
"One congregant came to me and said, they wear a kippah, a Jewish religious head-covering and they said that someone called them a dirty Jew while they were in line at the supermarket asking for something to be corrected on a bill,” said Dolinger.
Dolinger says we need to rise above all of this new found negativity.
“There’s a lot of hurt and hate out there. But, the most constructive response is to remain strong in our faith. Part of our monotheistic faith is that there’s a common bond between all people and between all things,” said Dolinger.
©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2016
