Chattanooga ministers and area residents stood in support of immigrants and refugees this week, gathering across from the federal building to demonstrate what they called an America united with love instead of one divided by fear.
More than 50 people banned together Friday morning, exactly one week after President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Trump said the order was to protect the country, but it drew protest across the United States from people who called Trump's action discriminatory and not well-planned.
Local leaders of various faiths opposed the order and challenged Chattanooga residents to stand with all groups, including Muslims and refugees affected by the order.
"As a retired United Methodist minister, I have read the Jesus story as found in the New Testament over and over. Never have I found Jesus to be a man who would build a wall or put up a barrier," said Charles Neal. "Instead I always found Jesus to be the one who would build a bridge."
Neal was among nearly a half dozen ministers Friday publicly speaking words of support to immigrants and Muslims.
Michael Dzik, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, said he organized the event with Islamic Center co-founder Bassam Issa to promote unity in response to their concerns about expressions of hate against religious groups.
Within the past three weeks, 57 bomb threats have been made to Jewish centers in America, Dzik said.
He said he was overwhelmed by the show of support from ministers at the rally.
People with black, brown, white and red skin tones created the group, and they did it within 36 hours of Dzik and Issa making the request, he said.
"When any politician is going to pick us off one by one at different times, one day Muslims, one day Mexicans, the other day this party, the other day that party, we need to think of ourselves as Americans. We can be different, but we can still be united and focused on what's right," said Issa.
The group included non-ministers like Lookout Mountain resident April Cook, who heard about the rally and wanted to support it. She stood in front of the crowd wearing a neon fuchsia sign stating "We are ALL sisters and brothers."
Vivian Hershey said her parents were immigrants who had to flee Adolf Hitler. She said she's worked with Bridge Refugee services to help settle immigrants and they have become good citizens.
"It's kind of ironic that Trump selected these countries and he has no business dealings in any of these countries. Funny thing about that," she said. "And the countries that did become a problem are still not on the list."
Trump's executive order bans travel for people in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen, according to news reports.
New United Baptist Church Pastor Jeffrey T. Wilson encouraged individuals in the crowd that if they wanted a united America, they should demonstrate it with their actions.
"When we meet people who don't speak like us, when we meet them in Wal-Mart and in the different stores, we ought to treat them as fellow human beings," he said. "If America is going to showcase the unity, the love that this nation was built on, we're going to have to display it right here in our city."
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.