And peace rallies and interfaith vigils are being held across the country this weekend to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks and to condemn Islamophobia. Here in New York, a coalition of more than 100 civic, religious, civil liberties and civil rights organizations will host a vigil tonight supporting religious freedom. On Saturday, the Emergency Mobilization Against Racism and Anti-Islamic Bigotry will hold a rally near City Hall in New York just blocks from the proposed site of a new Islamic cultural center. In Florida, the Gainesville Muslim Initiative is hosting an interfaith candlelight vigil for peace. The Network of Spiritual Progressives, which is chaired by Rabbi Michael Lerner, is calling on members to organize interfaith public readings of the Quran. Here in New York, Hesham El-Meligy is a member of the Building Bridges Coalition, which is organizing a rally in New York on Saturday.

Hesham El-Meligy: “I did not want to do anything on that day except having a respectful, solemn observation with the families and other people of conscience in America and around the world. Unfortunately, I cannot let people with agendas to attack and marginalize the Muslim community, have an open platform, without all of us, people of conscience, standing up together and upholding American values of respect, tolerance, unity, freedom of religion. This is why we’re coming on September 11th and doing this. There is no other way except that we had to. Somebody had to stand up for these American values.”