“Why Are Some Buddhists Sitting Out the Islamophobia Debate?”
That’s the title of my latest piece for Shambhala Sun Space — an op-ed of sorts about anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. from yours truly. I hope you’ll give it a read. Here’s a snippet.
Not long [ago], as the debate about Park51 was in full swing, I got a note from Stephen Prothero, the Boston University professor and author of the bestsellers Religious Literacy and God is Not One. The gist of Steve’s note was a question to me: Had I noticed Buddhist Americans weighing in publicly on Park51 and/or the hateful response to it?
At the time, the answer seemed to me to be “Not really.”
[...]
Buddhists should be more visible and vocal in this situation. Why aren’t we? His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Robert Thurman, the Interdependence Project, and Bhante Preeda Momungkun offer ways of engaging that are rooted in practice, and there are perhaps many other angles from which we could approach. So… Where are all the other Buddhist voices on the issue of Islamophobia in America? Where are the strong statements of support and solidarity from our communities and organizations? Where are the dharma talks and writings from our most revered teachers on how we “promote peaceful coexistence and understanding across boundaries” in light of recent events and findings? Why were there no Buddhist representatives at the ISNA Interfaith Press Conference and Unified Statement to Protect Muslim Civil Rights and Safety?
Read the whole thing here. And please share your thoughts at Shambhala Sun Space.
