Prairie Village, KS – On Saturday March 9th, faith leaders and community organizers from across the region convened a historic public assembly to send a direct message: Representative Sharice Davids must call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The assembly, driven by the urgent need to address israel’s ongoing genocide that has already claimed over 30,000 Palestinian lives in less than six months, represents a diverse coalition demanding action and accountability.
Community members gathered in unity, listening to faith leaders of various creeds share powerful testimonies and calls to action. Pastor Jennifer Thomas of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America led the hour-long assembly, alongside speakers such as Maha Odah from Al-Hadaf KC, Saaliha Khan, Rabbi Moti Rieber and Imam Hanif Khalil.
Background
For nearly five months, community members have been calling for Representative Sharice Davids to call for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide of Palestinian people. Following October 7th, Sharice Davids not only failed to mention the brutality being inflicted on the Palestinians, but also amplified her allegiance to israel.
In a statement reported by the Kansas City Star, Davids was quoted saying, “I have always supported security assistance for israel, our close ally in the Middle East.”
In December, Palestinian leadership met with Davids about demanding a permanent ceasefire. In response, Davids stated that she needed more time to make a public statement. Since then, tens of thousands more Palestinians have been killed, much of Gaza has been flattened, and local communities are still waiting for Davids to speak up.
Despite clergy members from her district signing a letter imploring Davids to assist in saving lives in Gaza, Davids not only declined to address the group’s questions, but also sent representatives in her stead, failing to appear in person.
The silence and lack of meaningful action from Davids has left many local communities frustrated and exasperated as they continue to wait for their representative to make a public stand.
A Faithful Response
The assembly welcomed three faith leaders to offer a Jewish perspective, a Chistian perspective and a Muslim perspective. Each leader took to the altar to address the assembly with historical context of israel’s occupation, personal stories, and sermons to collectively unify and call on political leaders to stand up for human rights.
Rabbi Moti Rieber was the first of faith leaders to speak and provided the Jewish perspective. Rabbi Rieber spoke openly about israel’s disregard for human rights, the use of starvation as a weapon, and how israel is now a “far-right militarized ethno-state” funded by American tax dollars and upheld by propaganda.
He shared his thoughts on the events that occurred on October 7 and spoke against israel’s brutality.
“The grotesque and indefensible violence that’s being done in the name of Jews, I say no.” – Rabbi Moti Rieber
For years, Rabbi Rieber has advocated for peace and coexistence. On Saturday, the Rabbi shared that it has become clear to him that israel does not share the same sentiment. After October 7, Rabbi Rieber signed the Rabbis 4 Ceasefire statement and reiterated his stance at the altar.
Rabbi Rieber reflected on the Jewish religion and his understanding of valuing peace. He spoke of the scarcity of human life and the importance of protecting it. The Rabbi drew attention to how many leaders of the mainstream Jewish community support actions that oppose those exact values, calling the killing of Palestinians and the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure a chillul hashem, a desecration of God.
Reverend Melissa Collier Gepford spoke from a Christian perspective and shared her stories of traveling to Palestine, meeting with Archbishop Elias Chacour, and connecting with Palestinian children. Rev. Gepford offered her Christian enlightenment and its ties to Palestine, sharing the story of Jesus, a Palestinian man forced to move from his home.
Rev. Gepford told the story of Jesus returning home, a liberty not afforded to Palestinians. She likened him to a political revolutionary who fought to liberate the oppressed and disenfranchised while standing up against their oppressors. In connection with the Lenten season, Rev. Gepford emphasized its significance and encouraged Christians to reflect on their actions and seek repentance for their shortcomings.
“I call on Christians to repent of our complicity as a nation in the genocide of Palestinian people and call for a permanent and immediate ceasefire.”
Rev. Melissa Collier Gepford
Imam Hanif Khalil offered the third and final standpoint from a Muslim perspective. He spoke of Bleeding Kansas and the state’s fight to become a free state. He attributed the work of abolitionists and slavery opponents standing on the principles of humanity to attain Kansas’ statehood. Khalil challenged the assembly to look inward for their humanity.
“What is your soul calling you to do?” he questioned the assembly.
Khalil urged the assembly not to remain passive in a constantly evolving world. He recounted prophetic tales of seemingly insignificant figures achieving significant victories, referencing the story of David and Goliath, and encouraged the assembly to envision similar outcomes.
“Those of us in this room” he proclaimed, “we could change the world.”
Reflections and Testimonies
Rev. Dr. Ruth Rosell of Buttry Center for Peace and Nonviolence took to the altar to reflect on israel’s occupation in Palestine. Rosell challenged listeners to sympathize with the children of Gaza, sharing the stark contrast of our safe lives with the lives of Palestinian children in Gaza.
“Children, especially, are getting sick.” Rosell stated, “Palestinian children are on the move, place to place, to avoid bombing.”
As previously reported by The Defender, millions of Palestinians have been displaced from the northern Gaza strip and forced to flee south to Rafah. israel has already begun bombing the safe area that remains for Palestinians. And now, much of the world sits complicit in silence as we anticipate the occupational forces of israel, under the zionist leadership of their prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to orchestrate an invasion into Rafah.
“All of this is utterly heartbreaking,” Rosell continued, “it has been created by intentional israeli military actions supported by our own American government and with mostly American weapons”
Despite President Biden’s opposition to such an invasion, Prime Minister Netanyahu cowardly insists that his main goal is to prevent another October 7.
“There is no just or theory,” Rosell objects, a clear and inarguable statement made to those like Netanyahu who point to Hammas’ October 7 response to israel’s 100-year occupation as justification for genocide.
Before leading to prayer, Rosell acknowledged the events that occurred on October 7 and reiterated that the events “cannot be used to morally justify disproportionately killing over 12,000 children among the 30,000 [Palestinians] that have been killed.”
Dr. Madji Hamarshi of the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) was the first to share personal testimony. Harmarshi who grew up in Palestine and spent the majority of his life in Palestine now sits on the Chair of the Board of Directors of PAMA. Hamarshi stated that PAMA has been helping Gaza for the last 10 years.
“As I’m speaking with you now” Harmashi began, “we have a medical mission in Gaza.”
Harmashi shared that PAMA has sent U.S. physicians, surgeons, ICU doctors, and nurses to European Hospital in Rafah. During his testimony, Hamarshi shared a message he received from a trauma surgeon who is currently stationed in Gaza.
“Nothing from my experience or my training has ever prepared me for such a thing,” the message could be heard over the church speakers.
The surgeon, who has traveled to 55 countries and operated in five different continents, spoke to the horrors in Gaza as he and his team continue to provide medical aid and emotional support.
“What we have right now is the intentional, purposeful choking of the entire healthcare system,”
As the voice message continued to play, the trauma surgeon shared the experience of anesthesiologists whose only method of preparing patients for surgery was singing to them due to no supply of anesthesia.
“We should be better than this,” the message concludes.
Hamarshi explained that it took three months for PAMA to send their first medical mission on January 22. Even then, navigating the Gaza blockade which restricts access to the Gaza Strip, proved to be difficult, limiting access to the medical aid that PAMA was providing. The ongoing israeli attacks in Gaza has made the medical mission ineffective as Palestinians continue to be hospitalized and killed by israeli forces.
“Ceasefire!” Hamarshi pleaded, “That would be all that we want. Ceasefire.”
Maha Odah of Al-hadaf KC delivered perhaps the most personal and emotionally charged testimony, sharing a tearful yet powerful message about being robbed of grace. Odah, a Palestinian-American, spoke honestly and unabashedly about the comfort and security we are afforded to organize in the name of Palestinian liberation from a distance, sheltered from ongoing colonial dangers.
“It is easy to talk about peace, justice, and the need for respecting human rights and dignity,” Odah explained, “It is easy to sit, and discuss the atrocities of colonialism and the horrifying details of genocide and the need to end both while we discuss in a room far removed from colonial threat.” she continued, “Palestinian life, our entire existence does not escape the realm of resistance.”
For years, Palestine has lived under israel’s rule. Under israel’s apartheid regime, Palestinians are dehumanized and systematically denied basic human rights. As Odah explained,
“Palestinian existence is resistance.”
Maha Odah
Odah continued her testimony speaking of the long overdue rights owed to Palestinians: the right to return home meaning an end to the occupation and an end to the siege. Odah declared for Palestinian’s right to self-govern.
“We demand Palestinians be able to decide for themselves where and how to be Palestinian.”
Maha Odah
To conclude her testimony, Maha Odah challenged the assembly to think how they’d want their representative to respond. As she shared her grief, Odah called back to being robbed of her grace, losing over 100 loved ones including her grandfather, being deprived of the opportunity to grow up with her family, and being denied the choice to return home to Gaza and Jerusalem. Odah poured her emotions into a powerful plea.
“Stop. Let me go home,’ she urged, “Let Palestinians go home and stop killing us.”
The Call to Action
As the assembly drew near, leaders called on the moral leadership of their elected officials. Reverend Dr. Jessica Williams went to the altar to address Sharice Davids who was invited to the assembly, but declined. Dr. Williams explained that since the failed attempts to meet with Representative Davids, the open letter that was sent to her office in December has grown from 30 signatories to nearly 60 and Davids remains silent.
In her absence, Dr. Williams invited the faith leaders on stage with her to recite their demands to Sharice Davids, who was represented by an empty chair.
The Demands
- Use the power of [her] office and make the moral choice to call publicly for a permanent ceasefire
- Use the power of [her] office to ensure humanitarian aid and vote “no” on HR7122
- Take action and support the immediate reinstatement of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
- Pressure the Biden administration to open the existing borders and to allow aid in to Gaza
Dr. Williams compared the nonresponse from the empty chair as a reminder of Sharice Davids’ silence on the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“Let us acknowledge the ache, the anger, and the emotion of the inaction of our elected leader to date” she concluded, “and let us harness those emotions into action.”
To continue the call to action, Yusra Azzeh of Al-Hadaf KC took to the altar to address the assembly. She encouraged the assembly to demand a ceasefire from elected officials, to show up for rallies and marches, and to educate themselves.
“It’s our responsibility to not only access and read about what is happening in Palestine, but to share it with others,” she implored.
Emphasizing the importance of platforming Palestinian voices, Azzeh addressed allies and encouraged them to not only oppose U.S. imperialism and colonialism, but also leverage their privilege to uplift Palestinans by inviting, connecting, and donating.
“Step up and step back”
Yusra Azzeh
The assembly concluded with Saaliha Khan welcoming the visitors to ponder how they could take action, specifically asking them to focus on utilizing their “time, talents, and treasure.” The assembly spoke amongst one another and shared their thoughts. Pastor Jennifer Thomas provided the closing remarks as the assembly was dismissed in song.
It is clear to the assembly that Davids is wasting her time, under-utilizing her talents, and misusing her treasures. Unlike many of her colleagues who have called for a ceasefire, Sharice Davids remains complicit in israel’s ongoing occupation. To say her silence is heartbreaking would be an understatement. As an Indigenous person, Davids’ failure to denounce genocide is baffling, befuddling, and tone-death. Her silence illustrates a puzzling, disappointing, and noticeable disconnect, a disconnect that leaves her constituents enraged and disillusioned.
The juxtaposition of Davids’ inaction with her position of power and influence is disconcerting. It speaks volumes and raises questions about her commitment to justice and human rights. The silence of a leader in the face of such atrocities is troubling, and the discontent among her constituents is palpable. It remains to be seen whether Davids will step up and fulfill her duty to speak out against genocide and demand a ceasefire, or continue to disappoint those who look to her for leadership and guidance.
Editor’s note: the writer intentionally uses lowercase for “israel” as a form of not recognizing it as a state, thus deviating from the customary capitalization rules associated with proper nouns.
