Local ministers urge pickets to quit Saturday protests at Beth Israel
OTHER VOICES
Over the past 14 months a small group of protesters has picketed outside Beth Israel Congregation nearly every week on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, as congregants arrive to participate in religious services.
We recognize that well-intentioned and well-informed people can disagree and encourage open, candid, respectful dialogue on difficult issues.
We recognize and applaud a number of local groups, from all ideological strands, who have been addressing the difficult issues in the Middle East in an informed and thoughtful manner. However, we repudiate the tactic of picketing a place of worship, be it a synagogue, temple, church or mosque. This is not an effective way to generate productive dialogue on difficult topics.
The actions of these pickets have thus far been within the law. Furthermore, all of us, along with the members of Beth Israel Congregation, respect and value our constitutional right to free speech. However, this tactic of picketing a place of worship nonetheless violates any reasonable norms of civil and mutually respectful behavior. People go to houses of worship to contemplate difficult issues in their lives and in the world, to celebrate happy occasions and to seek solace in times of struggle. It is inappropriate to subject worshipers to a political protest.
While this protest activity primarily affects Beth Israel Congregation, we are joining together in solidarity across all faiths and across religious traditions in this statement. We all suffer individually and communally with Beth Israel Congregation. If this form of political protest is allowed to continue unchallenged outside Beth Israel Congregation, it will be just a matter of time before it spreads, causing worshipers of other faiths also to be unfairly subjected to this form of intimidation and harassment in connection with any number of other issues. These individuals must end this ill-conceived and illegitimate protest, because it impedes meaningful dialogue, and is an affront to the members of Beth Israel Congregation and to citizens of all faiths in the Ann Arbor community.
Signed:
Bishop Corey Killpack, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Rev. Ken Wilson, Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth W. Phifer, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ann Arbor
The Rev. Peggy Garrigues-Cortelyou, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ann Arbor
The Rev. John S. Nieman, Rector, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Joe Sazyc, pastor, Ann Arbor Assembly of God
The Rev. Sally Webster, Priest Associate, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
John Dambacher, pastor, Chelsea Free Methodist Church
Rabbi Robert Levy, Temple Beth Emeth
Rabbi Robert Dobrusin, Beth Israel Congregation
The Rev. Paul Simpson Duke, pastor, First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor
The Rev. Stacey Simpson Duke, pastor, First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor
The Rev. James C. Rhodenhiser, St. Clare's Episcopal Church
The Rev. James McDougall, pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Ann Arbor
The Rev. Dr. Robert K. Livingston, senior minister, First Congregational Church
Mike Frison, associate pastor, Knox Presbyterian Church
Bob Lynn, associate pastor, Knox Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Laurie Gailunas, Scientologist, Ann Arbor
The Rev. Barry W. Ludwig, senior pastor, Zion Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor
Board of Trustees, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ann Arbor
Aaron Goldstein, rabbi, Chabad House
The Rev. Harvey Stob, Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church
The Rev. John Groen, Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church
The Rev. Linda L. Dominick, senior minister, Unity of Ann Arbor
The Rev. Robert Hill, Christian Love Fellowship Church
Pastor Seth S. Kim, Harvest Mission Community Church
The Rev. Mark Vanderput, Covenant Presbyterian Church
Pastor Doug Burch, Evangelical Friends Church
The Rev. Kirk Schneemann, Frontline Church of Ann Arbor
Jason Miller, rabbi, University of Michigan Hillel Foundation
Steven A. Hedquist, stake president, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)
Barbara J. Yoder, senior pastor, Shekinah Christian Church
The Rev. Levon Yuille, The Bible Church, Ypsilanti
The Rev. Lori Carey, Trinity Lutheran Church
News readers can contribute essays of general interest to Other Voices. Please call the editorial page editor at (734) 994-6764.