With a sadness so deeply felt
that it is forever inseparable from our lives,
we grieve for centuries of persecution.

Liberty, equality, freedom of speech, universal participation in government,
a legal system that requires public proof of guilt,
these things our democratic structure now guarantees us.

Those who, ostensibly to fight terror,
would deprive us of our democracy
unwittingly demonstrate that their goals
are not dissimilar from those of the terrorists.

Thus as we strive to bring our persecutors to justice,
as we confront government agencies that have concealed crimes against our people,
let us not ourselves damage our democracy,
for if our longstanding institutions of government are destroyed,
in the ensuing chaos,
freedom is unlikely to prevail.

We stand together. We ask for sanctuary