Stopping Asian Hate

Our local Cambodian Buddhist Temple has received hate mail and has experienced vandalism. They are celebrating their New Year this week, and some members of the temple were frightened that haters might show up. They reached out to Portland Buddhist Peace Fellowship for volunteers willing to stand outside the temple during their ceremonies this week, and we were very happy to muster more volunteers than they could accommodate. Seventy of us will be standing with them from Wednesday through Sunday. The gift is theirs, not ours: we have been wanting to connect with Asian Buddhist communities, but language and cultural barriers have prevented us from making meaningful contact until now. It was a glorious day, full sun and a cool breeze, flowers blooming and spirits high. That's Sue in the teal jacket and straw hat. There was no sign of the haters.

Clarification: Seventy people over five days, in three hour shifts. Not seventy all at once.