What kind of community do we want Northern Nevada to be?| Foster

We find ourselves living in an unprecedented moment in the history of our country, a country founded by those fleeing persecution in search of freedom.

It is a defining moment — a moment in which we must ask ourselves, who do we want to be? What do we want to teach our children? Do we want to be a nation of kindness and compassion? A nation which understands that our strength lies in our diversity? Or do want to be a homogenous, white, heterosexual community where everyone thinks exactly alike, or at least pretends to? 

It is not a rhetorical question. It is one we must step up and answer for ourselves.

We are living in a time where, in contrast to those in power who mock difference and incite hate and violence, we are called to make sure that our community remains a place of diversity and unity. What might we do locally for:

• our Jewish communities who are being ever more attacked and threatened?
• our immigrant families fleeing gang violence and war-torn countries, who are being torn apart at the border?
• our trans friends who are experiencing a disproportionate amount of violence already, and now are fear being defined out of existence — this, despite the AMA’s declaration that the organization "supports the equal rights, privileges and freedom of all individuals and opposes discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, national origin or age”? (The American Psychological Association holds a similar position.)
• Black citizens who are disproportionately stopped, searched, arrested, incarcerated and receive harsher sentences?

As people of faith, we call the Reno/Sparks community to kindness, compassion and unity. We call on the community to support each other and help each other feel safe. We are called to say an emphatic no to racial profiling and excessive force. We say no to unconstitutional raids by ICE. We stand for the rights and protections for transgender persons. We insist on the freedom to express our spiritual and religious beliefs in safety as ingrained in our Constitution.

Reflecting on the wise tenet to “think globally and act locally,” again I ask the questions: What are we teaching our children? What sort of community do we mean to create right here in Northern Nevada?

It will not happen without intention. The choice is ours.

Rev. Karen Foster is with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada.

More:Reno man who had lived in sanctuary, to be deported

More:Reno transgender teen's perspective on military ban

Have your say:How to submit an opinion column or letter to the editor