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Dear Friends, This week has been one of great suffering. We witnessed a certain brand of terrorism, driven by White Christian supremacist ideology and nationalism, that resulted in the tragic deaths of 50 Muslims praying at mosques in New Zealand. In this, I ask my fellow Buddhists to reach out to our Muslim colleagues and neighbors to affirm religious pluralism as a foundational Buddhist and American value. In that connection, a few days ago, the Wall Street Journal published an op-ed I wrote titled "Buddhism as a National Security Threat," about how governments and societies not so long ago viewed Buddhism as un-American, and how religion played a significant role in determining why Japanese Americans were the target of vitriol and hate. To read the full article, you must be a Wall Street Journal subscriber, however, if you email me, I can also send you a downloadable pdf of the piece. Finally, I also have joyous news to share. I just learned that through the support of so many kind and generous people, American Sutra has been listed as #3 on the Los Angeles Times Bestsellers List in the hardcover nonfiction category. Again, every one of you made this bestseller listing possible through your encouragement, by sharing news about American Sutra with friends, buying the book online and at bookstores, attending events, etc. If any one of those karmic elements were missing, this would not exist. If you have any questions or comments regarding American Sutra or this newsletter, please email me. Kindest regards,
Duncan
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