Southington Interfaith Clergy Denounce White Supremacy flyers as Acts of Hatred symbolizing bigotry and violence

The recent appearance of Hate Flyers posted on parked vehicles in various Southington locations was reported to the Southington Police Department. The news of leaflets bearing the Nazi Swastika and bannered as White Supremacy quickly gained legs, going viral within and around the community, notwithstanding what may have been a scattered distribution of such offensive and illicit material in Southington. 

E-correspondence among members of the Southington Interfaith Clergy Association led to a prompt consensus to write an open letter to the community adamantly renouncing such loathsome actions of hatred that symbolic of bigotry and violence that is contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity in America.

A police investigation is ongoing and without any further public announcements at the time of this writing. 

An Open Letter to the Southington Community

As faith leaders in our beloved town of Southington, we stand together in our belief that every human being is a magnificent creation of God.  Our tradition reminds us, “God now said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness.’” Together we affirm that all people are created in the image of God and that all persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or any other difference that might be used to separate us, are a part of God's sacred  and holy creation.  

We share a deep conviction in God’s will that every person be treated with equal respect. We are appalled that flyers bearing symbols of hate, the Nazi swastika and proclamation, “White Power,” have appeared in our community.  We see distribution of these flyers as an act of hatred, symbolic of violence, seeking to deny basic human dignity to our neighbors and friends. As faith leaders in Southington, our common message is love for one another, love that transcends the differences our eyes perceive.  

When we reach out to touch the hand of our neighbor, we do not feel color of skin or substance of belief.  We touch another human being created by God.  That is what God intends. We call on our Southington community to stand in solidarity, bound together in love and rejecting separation and prejudice.  In God’s eyes, as it should be in ours, every human being is created equal, precious, and loved.  

We deplore the violence represented by these flyers, and vow to stand against it. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” As faith leaders in our Southington community it is our fervent hope that we will stand together in love to drive out the hate represented by these flyers.  

Only solidarity and love can make us the wonderful community Southington strives to be.

The Southington Interfaith Clergy Association

Rev. Rachel J. Bahr
First Congregational Church, UCC

Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker

Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation

Rev. Dr. Ronald B. Brown

First Congregational Church, UCC

Rev. Kevin M. Dillon
St. Aloysius Church

Mr. E. Richard Fortunato

Advocate, Community Service

Rev. Paul Goodman

Plantsville Congregational Church, UCC

Mr. Eldon Hafford

Bread for Life

Rev. Sharon Holt

First Baptist Church

Rev. A. Waine Kargul

Mary Our Queen Church

Rev. Ronald P. May

St. Dominic Church

Rev. Nicholas P. Melo

St. Thomas Church

Mr. John Myers

Southington Community YMCA

Rev. James R. Reemts

Zion Lutheran Church

Rev. Joshua Rinas

First Lutheran Church

Rev. Dr. Suzannah Rohmann

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Atty. Edward Rosenblatt

Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation

Kulwant Samra
Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar

Rev.Adam Subocz
Immaculate Conception Church

Rev. Victoria Triano

Southington Care Center