A hate group came to Silicon Valley — but the plan backfired

Anti-Muslim rally accidentally unites the whole community against the racists

On June 10, 2017, the largest anti-Muslim group in America came to Silicon Valley. Twenty-one supporters of the hate group were met by about a thousand people from 130 different Bay Area Christian, Jewish, Muslim, feminist, LGBTQ, and progressive groups.

Anti-Muslim marchers insisted that they were defending women and LGBTQ people from the infiltration of religion into American government.

They could have chosen to support LGBTQ groups like the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity, anti-FGM groups like Sahiyo, pro-secularism groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State, or embattled feminists fighting off religious attacks like Planned Parenthood.

But instead, they chose to spread anti-Muslim hate—a move that totally backfired when it inspired the formation of a massive #CounterACTHate coalition.

About a thousand people from 130 different groups gathered on the border of Santa Clara and San Jose, California for a giant peaceful unity rally.

Reverend Diana Gibson of Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice said: “People are hungry to come together and speak a word of love and unity. We did that today and it was beautiful. We stand with our Muslim friends and neighbors. The fibers of our community are strong.”

“Our message is that love and strength make our community stronger, that everyone is welcome, that there should be no discrimination, that hate is destructive, and that we don’t want it here” said Zahra Billoo, the Executive Director of Bay Area Muslim civil rights group CAIR-SFBA.

Mayor Lisa Gillmor of Santa Clara, CA spoke out against the hate march in her city. “In the wake of recent events happening locally, nationally, and internationally, we, at the city of Santa Clara, would like to reassure our community that we stand in solidarity with those who have been the targets of discrimination and bigotry.”

“As a gay Indian American I know what it feels like to be shunned and discriminated against,” said Silicon Valley resident Satyajit Pande. “I am proud to stand with Bay Area Muslim communities in the face of hate and xenophobia.”

The San Francisco Chronicle live-tweeted the event and interviewed people on both sides, and the contrast between the two worldviews couldn’t be more clear.

Protestor “Jack Smith” said he supported “women’s rights and gay rights” while holding a “Trump, Make America Great Again” sign and standing with a group of protestors wearing anti-abortion t-shirts.

Smith then asked the reporter to “name one Christian country that’s throwing gays off rooftops”—thinking perhaps of Russia, the largest Christian-majority nation in the world, where “gay propaganda” is illegal, homophobic hate crimes are on the rise, and Donald Trump is highly popular.

On the other side, the Chronicle interviewed Amani Hamed, a hijabi Muslim San Jose resident, who described her support for the separation of church and state. Hamed then added that she wasn’t there only to support Muslims, but also stood in solidarity with anyone feeling targeted by President Trump or his supporters.