Over the past several weeks, there has been a significant increase in the local distribution of recruitment flyers by the Neo-Nazi White Supremacist hate group, the National Alliance. The mission of One Human Family QCA is “to welcome & protect the life, dignity, and human rights of all people in all places in our community.” This is our current response to these recruitment efforts.
The Executive Committee of OHFQCA has met with representatives of both local law enforcement and the FBI, to discuss possible plans of action. During those discussions, we were informed that as long as no act of hatred takes place and the literature that they distribute does not contain threatening language, no law enforcement action can be taken against them. This literature is highly distasteful, but it represents their constitutional right to free speech, and we respect that.
The only action that can be taken against them is community action. If we wish to challenge the National Alliance then we have to do so as a community which publicly proclaims that their message is not our message; that their values are not our values. To this end, we decided to more aggressively pursue our Welcome Neighbor Yard Sign Project. Our goal is to have so many members of the Quad Cities community place these yard signs in front of their homes that wherever one goes in the Quad Cities, it is abundantly clear that we are a community that welcomes and embraces diversity rather than one that is warm to the white supremacist messages of the National Alliance. While we cannot stop the National Alliance from spreading their message of hate, we can drown it out with our message of love and mutual human respect.
We need large numbers of Quad Citians to join us in this effort. The message of love and inclusivity can only be heard when the people of the Quad Cities give voice to it. The Welcome Neighbor Yard Sign Project provides each and every household in the Quad Cities the opportunity to add their voices to ours, rather than remaining silent. Let us tell the National Alliance that their bigotry is not welcome in our community.
Please pick up your sign at any of the following locations:
Bettendorf Islamic Center, 2115 E Kimberly Rd; Bettendorf
Catholic Diocese of Davenport, 780 W Central Park, Davenport
Church of Peace UCC, 1114 12th St., Rock Island
Hope UCC, 3324 41st Street Moline
Metropolitan Community Church Quad Cities, 2930 W Locust, Davenport
SIS International Fair Trade Center, 108 E Second St., Davenport
St. Ambrose University, Christ the King Chapel, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport
St. Johns' Lutheran Church, 4501 7th Ave, Rock Island
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 2400 Middle Rd., Bettendorf
Trinity Lutheran Church, 1330 13th St., Moline
OHFQCA suggests a donation of $10 for a sign, which helps us to afford more signs, but we will give a sign to anyone who agrees to publicly post it.
For more information, please contact Rev. Rich Hendricks 563-940-9630 richdhendricks@msn.com or Rabbi Henry Karp 563-505-8823 rabbikarpemeritus@qctemple.org
