I don’t accept a caricature of my friends, neighbors and community as smug, disconnected coastal elites. We all have roots and lingering bonds throughout the country. And many of us have devoted our professional lives to making a difference, through work that by its very nature requires a willingness to see the world through the eyes of others.
But neither should we accept a broad caricature of Americans living in rural, “flyover” states as racist, ignorant, and inward-looking. And that is one reason I’m keen to source a lot of Spotlight Change’s content from local newspapers (another reason is that, refreshingly, their news is generally not fake).
To that end: a lovely story today from the Murfreesboro Post — which I confess I had to Google, but it’s in Tennessee. After last Friday’s prayer service, neighbors came to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro with flowers, stuffed animals, and messages of support. Check out the full piece (and slideshow!) to learn what that gesture meant to the community’s Muslim families.
