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Group avoids Baha'i event:The Human Relations Commission declines to endorse Race Unity Day, and some members say the reason is prejudiceThursday, May 21, 1998 page 1B by Scott Travis and Laura Kinsler, staff writers
[See also editorial "Faith and Justice: If Baha'is weren't
truly snubbed, they were insulted".]
The Fayetteville Human Relations Commission, a group whose mission is to
improve race relations, decided Wednesday not to endorse a Race Unity
Day that is sponsored by the local Baha'i congregation.
Members of the congregation attended a Human Relations Commission
meeting in April to ask for the group's support for the June 14
event.
Fred Khavari, a Baha'i, said the Race Unity Day has been celebrated all
over the world for more than 30 years. In the Baha'i Faith, all
followers are equal in the eyes of God.
The unity of mankind, in both race and religion, has been something
Baha'is have quietly promoted throughout their 150-year history. Baha'i
is a Persian word that means "follower of the Glory of God."
Reason for declining
The official reason the Human Relations Commission gave for declining to
participate in the event was that a body of the city government could
not officially sanction a religious event. But some commission members
said the real reason was simple prejudice.
"I'm detecting a sense of fear because we don't know who these people
are or if their religion is legitimate," the Rev Floyd Johnson said. "If
the Methodists or the Baptists came to us, would we be questioning
this?"
Johnson said the commission should not use separation of church and
state as an excuse for intolerance. He pointed out that the commission
participated in the Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast without
officially endorsing religion.
Commission member Ann Groninger said she worried that the Baha'is were
not being treated fairly. "I don't feel comfortable that they're not
being treated the same as other religious groups, " she said.
Lt. Col. Kathleen Seith, a commission member, said she didn't feel
comfortable sanctioning the event because she had never heard of the
Baha'i. "Does anyone know anything about them?" she asked. "I mean, they
could be Satan worshipers."
Joyce Malone, another commission member, said, "Yes, I have a fear of
this group. They've been here 20 years and they only have 12 members?
And they're all white? I'll admit it, I am afraid."
Chairwoman Sandy Sweitzer said the size of the group is irrelevant. She
pointed out that her own Quaker congregation has only 10 members. "This
community is not tolerant of non-mainstream Christian religions," she
said, "I am familiar with their religion. They are not some kind of
cult, and they are not Satan worshipers."
Carolyn McKinley, chairman of the local spiritual assembly of Baha'is,
said she is disappointed in the commission's response. "We went to the
Human Relations Commission because we knew they tried to build
cooperative efforts with different groups," she said. "Baha'i is
becoming more widespread, but I understand there are people who have not
heard of us." McKinley said the Race Unity Day picnic will go on as
scheduled the afternoon of June 14 at Seabrook Park. It will run from 2
to 6 p.m.
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