Security & Safety of Muslims in Indianapolis and the United States

One thing that I have perpetually noticed while volunteering at Nur-Allah mosque is the levels of security that the people of the mosque entail in order to make sure that all of the people of the mosque are safe while attending service. The mosque has a security guard every time that people are in the mosque. There is a brother that sits by the door and opens the locked outside door when someone wants to come in. The doors are always locked as well. The mosque is also looking to possibly switch locations to a more secure building. While attending a banquet, not only was their security but there was also a police officer stationed outside the venue in his vehicle making sure that there were no issues of security or safety. Sister Caroline, who is a teacher at the Sunday school, has told us stories about how the children have been scared that their safety was at risk because they are muslim. She told us that after the election of 2016, some children came home from school crying becuase they thought they were going to be deported. These setements break my heart. The poeple that I have met at Nur-Allah are truly some of the kindest poeple that I have ever met and it is so sad that they live in fear for their safety just because they follow the Islamic faith. I understand that other places may have seciruty, but I have never been in a church that has to go to the security lenghts that Nur-Allah has to go to. It breaks my heart that in a place that poeple are supposed to have the freedom to follow whatever religion they want, they are scared for their safety for following their chosen relgion. Hopefully, we as a nation can get to a place that people are not scared to practice their religion.