Dawud Walid, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Sunday condemned the shootings at Orlando's Pulse Nightclub and suspected shooter Omar Mateen, saying such criminals and extremists behind such attacks "mean only to divide us and denounce each other."
"As Muslims, as Americans, now is the time to speak out and make it clear we will not give in to hate," said Walid. "We will not give in to fear."
Walid said that he has "a word" for ISIS and its supporters after hearing that Madeen had called 911 and pledged his allegiance to the terrorists and their leader.
"How would you stand before God and answer to your God?" Walid said, pointing out that ISIS attacks "thousands of innocent people: Muslims, Christians and other minorities."
Further, said Walid, "you do not speak for us, you do not represent us. You are an aberration, an outlaw of outlaws. They do not speak for our faith; they never belong to this beautiful faith they claim to."
Also, he continued, "1.7 billion people are united in rejecting their extremism, and their interpretation and their acts of violence. To those [political] officials who may try to exploit this tragedy we ask to respect the victims and their families. This is not the time to score points. This is not the time to exploit fear. This is the time for unity and faith."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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