A dozen Muslims joined another dozen members of law enforcement, community leaders and religious leaders to show that they are one people, united against violent extremism. Local police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI investigated the Nov. 28, 2010 arson fire that damaged the director’s office at Corvallis' only mosque.
“I think it’s important that we believe, and I know I personally believe, that those of us good will are in the majority,” said Court Scharn, the supervisory special agent for the FBI. “We will win out in the long run.” More than 300 people gathered at the mosque on Dec. 1, 2010, to speak of unity and peace — or to stand in the steady downpour that night in support of those ideals.
The next day, Oregon State University students held a peace rally in front of the Memorial Union. Community members echoed the message of peace Wednesday afternoon and celebrated the unification of faiths seen in Corvallis every day since the fire. "All of us are here for one reason: we are against anybody who tries to hurt anybody else in this country," said Mozafar Wanly, a mosque elder. "We know it's happened in Iraq. We know it's happened in Syria. We know it's happened in other places. But we are here to say to everybody, let's work together to protect our country and protect our kids and protect our future."
Gulzar Ahmed, with the Islamic Society of Greater Portland, said it was important for all members of the community to speak out against violence, especially when those who commit violence claim to be doing so in the name of religion.
“We are coming together here in solidarity and to thank all of the people who helped in the past and will help us in the future,” Ahmed said. “We are a community of interfaith believers.” Ahmed wanted to remind others of faith to condemn violence in all forms, and said that all real Muslims condemn violence. “We as Muslims condemn violence. We condemn it when it is done by anyone. We condemn it vehemently,” he said. “Islam teaches us not to hurt a single soul. … Innocent people being slaughtered, that is an insult to Islam. The black flag of ISIS, that is an insult to Islam.”
Rabbi Benjamin Barnett, with the Beit Am Jewish Community, agreed with Ahmed and added that all religions must come together to celebrate their faiths. “What we have now is a need for a different kind of army. We need an army of nonviolence — an army that unites us,” he said. “We need to do whatever we can to cross whatever boundaries we can to see the face of God in one another.”
Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning was getting ready to take office when the firebombing took place in 2010. In two weeks, Manning is leaving office. Wednesday, she reflected on the progress the community has made.
“Shortly after (the arson fire), there was a tree-planting outside of this mosque, and there was a wonderful coming together of many people in this community and beyond,” she said, indicating the four-year-old conifer standing outside the mosque. “It is a very powerful, real and symbolic gesture and affirmation of love and support. … There are few things more important than working together to keep our community safe and to extend and show the love and support we have for one another.”