JD Vance After San Diego Mosque Attack: ‘Religious Violence is Anti-Christian and Anti-American’
JD Vance, Vice President of the United States, one day after a deadly shooting at San Diego’s largest mosque, described religious freedom as part of America’s Christian heritage and emphasized that violence committed in the name of religion violates both human law and divine principles.
Following the deadly shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center that resulted in three deaths, Vice President JD Vance condemned the attack in harsh terms and described it as contrary to Christian values and American identity.
On Tuesday, May 19, Vance responded to the incident at the White House, stating: “As a Christian believer, it seems to me that this is one of the most un-Christian and un-American things you can do.” He also noted that religious freedom and the right to spiritual exploration are among the fundamental principles of American society.
These remarks came following an attack that occurred on Monday at the San Diego Islamic Center, where two teenage assailants armed with guns entered the mosque compound and killed three people, including a security guard. American authorities say the incident is being investigated as a “hate crime.”
According to published reports, the attackers, aged 17 and 18, took their own lives near the scene after the shooting. FBI investigations indicate they were influenced by extremist ideologies and hate-filled online content. In writings obtained from them, anti-Islamic, antisemitic, and supremacist views were found.
Vance went on to emphasize that respect for freedom of faith has deep roots in American tradition. He said: “One of the fundamental American rights that stems from the Christian heritage of our civilization is respect for people’s religious freedom; that each person can find their own path to God.”
The Vice President also stressed that people cannot be guided toward religious belief through coercion or violence. According to him, such actions contradict the fundamental belief that humans “are created in the image of God” and should enjoy the right to freely choose their spiritual beliefs.
Vance, himself a follower of the Catholic Church and whose wife Usha Vance has Hindu roots, stated: “Those who resort to violence against others in the name of religion violate not only human law but also God’s law.”
Meanwhile, Muslim leaders and civil rights activists in America have warned that increased hate speech against religious minorities has created a dangerous environment. Some religious leaders have described this attack as evidence of growing extremism and Islamophobia in American public discourse.
