Keynote: Dr. Jamil Al Wekhian (Kent State University) (Facilitated by Wim Laven)
“Understanding Fringe-Right Terrorism–a survivor’s perspective”
In the summer of 2019 Dr. Jamil Al Wekhian was enjoying a family outing when they were targeted in an episode of domestic terrorism. On the evening of Sunday July 28, they were targeted with profane slurs disparaging their skin color, openly mocked for how they were believed to pray, and threatened—“I will bury you all in the river.” A 357 magnum was retrieved, pointed in their direction, and fired over their heads by a man who wanted to scare the family into leaving. This presentation covers the experience of domestic terrorism in the US, the process of healing, the hope for peace and justice in the future, and the scars that remain.