“While the synagogue shooting occurred in Pittsburgh and not New Orleans, the truth is that it could happen in any of our communities. Just like the act of hatred that occurred in the African-American church in Charleston and the nightclub in Orlando, the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting was an act of hatred that should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. However, no mass shooting occurs in a vacuum. Religious intolerance, racism, and any form of hatred, should not be tolerated or ignored in any of our communities. To the extent we in New Orleans are not discussing these events and their causes because we believe they do not directly involve us, we are wrong. We should as a community come together to talk about these issues, with the hope that open dialogue will benefit our community and prevent similar tragedies.”
