Bristol Community College offers a message of peace following synagogue murders

“These crimes … sadly reflect the larger fears of racism and anti-Semitism that go back in history,” said Ron Weisberger, director of the Bristol Holocaust and Genocide Center.

FALL RIVER — Bristol Community College on Thursday offered a message of peace and support at its "In solidarity with Pittsburgh" gathering to address the hate-fueled murders that took the lives of 11 people worshipping at the Tree of Life synagogue last weekend.

“These crimes … sadly reflect the larger fears of racism and anti-Semitism that go back in history,” said Ron Weisberger, director of the Bristol Holocaust and Genocide Center.

He condemned the murders that were “based on hate and bigotry” and urged people to remember how such acts can lead to genocide.

“We need to make sure this type of bigotry and hate is stopped in its tracks,” Weisberger said.

He said understanding communities like Bristol can impact the future.

“This is what we’re about, fighting bigotry, fighting hatred, and coming together as a community to make sure this type of thing doesn’t happen again,” Weisberger said.

Bristol President Laura Douglas said it was a “good time to pause and learn.”

She said she was “very deeply saddened” that such a crime “happened on American soil.”

But, Douglas said she was proud of the Bristol community for coming together and showing empathy and respect.

“We can outdo hatred and this is our week to show up,” Douglas said. She said it was a good time to demonstrate that “love and kindness are more powerful.”

Douglas challenged those present to practice random acts of kindness in the name of the 11 victims. Those acts can be simple like a smile, a hello, a donation to a food pantry, or helping an elder in need.

Gia Sanchez, Bristol’s Diversity and Title IX officer, lived for six years in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood where the shootings took place, just before coming to Bristol three months ago.

Visibly upset by the crime in what she described as a “very nice neighborhood” of middle class people, Sanchez said everyone is vulnerable when it comes to hate crimes.

“This is not Pittsburgh and this is not America,” Sanchez said.

Bristol student Nathan Simas said he was a victim of bigotry as a child “for having autism.”

Simas said the shooting saddened him, and he asked people to “look into their hearts” and support victims of hatred.

“I was raised to respect people with differences,” Simas said.

Ed Cabellon, vice president of Student Services and Enrollment Management, said people “must continue to speak out” and “not tolerate” bigotry and hatred in the community.

Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com