NJ Muslims, outraged at Orlando massacre, find themselves on defensive

EDISON — If you are fearful of Muslims, or feel hatred towards them, just try to get to know one.

That's the advice from South Brunswick resident Heba Macksoud, one of many Muslims from Central Jersey who gathered Wednesday night to condemn the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando and honor the 50 people who were killed and the dozens more who were injured.

"I just wish people would understand that there is absolutely no such thing as one representing a whole," Macksoud told New Jersey 101.5.

Macksoud, self-described as "visibly Muslim" because of her religious head covering, was cursed off by a man at a local supermarket late last year. Her fear is incidents like that will become a regular occurrence as a result of Saturday night's massacre and past attacks.

In the days since the deadliest mass shooting in American history, the issues of terrorism and gun control have raged across the country and pitted presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump against his likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, and President Barack Obama.

Rutgers graduate Faris Kasim has been troubled by the "rhetoric" in the days since the nightclub shooting. An entire community should not be in the spotlight because of one "disabled and disturbed person," he said.

"It's an individual barbaric action condemned by anyone who's sane, who doesn't believe in hatred and violence," said Kasim of South Brunswick.

According to Kasim, there is a vibrant LGBT community in most Muslim countries. They may not be as up front as those in America, but they do exist, he said.

"They're as normal people for us as anybody else," he said. "There's no possible ideological or religious connotation that can possibly justify a blatant murder of people trying to have fun at a club."

A candlelight vigil for the victims preceded an interfaith dinner at Royal Albert's Palace in Edison. Local mayors, members of the state legislature and New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman attended.

"This was an attack against all of us because this was an attack on who we are and what we are as a country," Fishman told the crowd of hundreds.