On Saturday, our community has the opportunity to increase our sense of unity by standing in solidarity against hate, discrimination and violence.

When the World Church of the Creator, the white supremacist hate group, arrives in our town, we will be out in force declaring “”not here — not ever.””

Diversity brings color, texture and depth to a community. Yes, it is true that diversity can create challenges and issues that need to be addressed. But without those challenges, our lives become stagnant, our views become narrow and our behavior can become complacent, at best, and exclusive and discriminatory, at the worst.

As with other cultures that have immigrated to our community, the Somali people are rich in culture and have much to offer us. Their differences should not scare us, as they do the members of the World Church of the Creator. Instead, their differences provide an opportunity for us to more fully open our hearts and minds.

The negativity and pettiness espoused by the hate group are both upsetting and of great concern. The spiritual restriction that accompanies hate is life depleting. We choose, instead, to be open to life, to differences and to change.

To be part of the Many and One rally will be to declare that all people everywhere are entitled to live in a community that welcomes and embraces diversity.

Paula Marcus-Platz,

on behalf of the

Many & One Coalition

Public Relations Committee,

Auburn