Reject Islamophobia, anti-Semitism

In response to “Kootenai County GOP urges feds to let Austrian nationalist into U.S. to marry alt-right YouTube pundit,” (April 27); and “Rep. Matt Shea links to white nationalist website, defends running background checks on political opponents,” (April 24).

Bridges Not Walls is a local Catholic group working to end Islamophobia. We are troubled by recent Islamophobic and anti-Semitic actions:

- The anti-Semitic shooter who attacked a synagogue in California, was Islamophobic as well, taking credit for arson at a mosque and admiring the New Zealand shooter.

- Rep. Matt Shea was part of an online chat called “White Movement,” where members discussed surveilling or threatening activists and “joked” about killing political enemies. Following these revelations, Shea posted a link to a white nationalist, Holocaust-denying website. Shea has promoted bigotry before, forming a chapter of anti-Muslim hate group Act for America and standing with armed militia members to protest as local Muslims received an award.

- Kootenai County Republicans applauded testimony from an alt-right superstar and voted that her fiance, Martin Sellner, be allowed to travel to the U.S. Sellner is banned from a number of countries for his extremist hate and vigilante-type actions against refugees.

Our leaders should be public servants, not unhinged conspiracy theorists, and should pursue the common good and religious freedom. Shea should be ejected from the Republican caucus and the civil rights committee. Kootenai GOP should retract their ill-advised statement.

Bridges Not Walls Steering Committee, Joan Braune

Spokane