After 9/11 the Muslim community here in Harrisonburg Virginia felt very insecure. In a largely traditional Christian area, some Muslims felt afraid to go out even to shop. The Christian churches in the town made contact with them, to assure the Muslim community that the churches were there to support and help - for example to accompany them to the store to do their shopping.
The place where Muslims felt safest was store run by Old Order Mennonites. Two peoples with deep roots into their faith tradition, very different, but one providing a safe place for the other. As one Muslim woman put it "They wear the veil, we wear the veil"
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