September 23, 2007

ANTIOCH -- With religious strife rampant all over the world, one Contra Costa city made a vow Sunday that whatever pits community against community elsewhere, it must not and will not happen here.


A "March Against Hate" from Antioch City Hall to Antioch High School by Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Baha'is, Zoroastrians and other believers was a denunciation of the torching of a mosque in Antioch last month. It also was a call to look past differences of doctrine to focus on ethics that are common to most of the world's religions.

It was not a simple call for tolerance, organizers said.

"It's moving beyond tolerance to active respect -- to stand together as a community," said Father Tom Bonacci of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Antioch. He also sits on the board of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, which organized the event Sunday.

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