The Campaign to Take on Hate is dismayed by the shooting in Garland, TX this past Sunday, May 3, at an anti-Muslim event that was organized by Pamela Geller, where cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad were displayed in an arts exhibition.

We do not believe that violence is ever justifiable, nor is it the answer to combating hateful acts, or the promotion of offensive content.

The Campaign to Take on Hate is a national movement that provides a voice to all victims of hate and discrimination based on their faith and/or ethnicity, namely Muslim and Arab Americans. We not only work to combat the dehumanization of any and all victims, but we fight for policy reforms that help prevent hate, discrimination and bias.

We welcome freedom of expression and speech. Those rights, however, can be abused and used to promote un-American values, which increases violence towards a group of people.

Unfortunately, incidents like this put Arab and Muslim American communities on high alert, because of fears related to potential backlash. We should not allow Pamela Geller, or any terrorists, to divide us. We must stand together and #TakeOnHate.