The meeting was advertised as an opportunity for students of all faiths to discuss last week's terrorist acts and to draft a statement of solidarity. Noor co-chair Sahar Siddiqui '02 and Hillel President Jennifer Kaufman '03E planned the meeting, which she facilitated along with Siddiqui and Ari Reichstein '03.
Kaufman began by welcoming students and explaining why Hillel and Noor called the meeting. "Hillel and Noor became scared about the U.S. fragmenting and turning on each other," Kaufman said. "In light of the way Jews have been treated in the past, we can relate to the way Muslims are being treated now."
Siddiqui suggested that students focus on solidarity and offering condolences to the victims' families in their statement. Kaufman prompted the group by asking, "Why are you here tonight? What do you want to say?"
Reichstein urged students to avoid speaking about the politics of terrorism because he thought that such remarks would run counter to a statement whose focus was on solidarity.
Theodore Hertzberg '04 voiced his concern that it "would be totally inappropriate to create a statement." He continued, "I don't think any group in the country should have to make a statement saying that they don't support what happened. It is obvious. I feel that it would be inappropriate for any campus group to separate itself from the rest of the community by making a declaration that need not be said by decent people in response to the terrorist attacks on Tuesday."
Hertzberg also added that he believed it to be "speaking for the sake of speaking. It would appear as if these groups were taking advantage of Tuesday's tragedy for [public relations] purposes."
Sabrina Saleem '03, co-chair of Noor, suggested that the statement focus on offering condolences and showing support. "We are a reminder that [these groups] are here to provide support in a religious fashion," she said.
Each part of the statement was discussed in depth and voted on by members of the religious groups represented. Two topics that were debated at length were whether to express that terrorism is not sanctioned by religion and whether the statement should condemn the perpetrators for their action.
"This could poison people's view of religion," said Reichstein. "It is doubly important to state that terrorism finds no sanction in religion." However, some people believed that it was a dishonor to the diversity within each religious community to make statements about what specific religions preach and, in the end, the phrase was voted out of the statement.
On the topic of condemning the perpetrators, there were also mixed views. Brent Lanoue '02 felt that, "religious groups condemn all the time. They are making a moral statement." But Tom Fritzsche '03, president of the Newman Club, had a problem with the statement using the word "condemn" because Catholics believe that humans cannot condemn. After voting, the statement did not include a condemnation of the perpetrators.
The statement was drafted at the meeting, and then emailed to all participants.
Kaufman said that it was important to her to issue a statement of unity because, "[different religions] disagree about many things, but we all agree about this."
Siddiqui said she believes that, "the statement showed the Amherst community that the religious groups are here not just to plan events, but to help students get through hard times. The statement has become one of support for each other and for the victim's family and friends."
Siddiqui and Ethan Katz '02 read the statement at Friday's "Remembrance Service" in Johnson Chapel, inviting students to show their support by adding their signatures. Approximately 70 students signed the statement.