Is forbidding mosques endangering religious freedom in America?
By louisehartmann
From the east coast to the west coast, right-wing critics are engaging in open hostility to the construction of mosques. Conservatives — whipped up by Sarah Palin — are rallying against the construction of a mosque near the Ground Zero site in New York because, as Rupert Murdoch's New York Post put it, “where there are mosques, there are Muslims, and where there are Muslims, there are problems.” In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, protesters are going after a proposed mosque. “In Islam, a mosque means, ‘We have conquered this country.'" Also, the planned construction of a mosque in Southern California is facing opposition from local conservatives, with some ominously warning of confrontation. For many right-wingers, this isn't really an issue of 9/11 or anything like that - it's at attempt by one religion (Christianity) to prevent the spread of a competing religion (Islam). That's why the spread of moderate Islamic mosques is so agressively opposed by Christianists - those who incorrectly believe America's founders set this nation up as a Christian nation - because moderate Islam is growing in America and does actually represent a threat to Christianists. Americans need to see this for what it is - a dominant religion afraid of competition for followers and their dollars. Building moderate Muslim mosques in America has nothing to do with 9/11, and could, in fact, actually be a powerful factor in helping that religion purge itself of its own Timothy McVeigh's.
Comments
#2
We've got an excellent opportunity to launch an ecumenical movement that could go a long way towards combating the ideology that resulted in the attack on 911; we have a chance to reach out and turn the other cheek to establish dialogue that would assist understanding in mankind and other cultures...but once again we are going to blow it!
#3
The problem with this "controversy" is that it's based on the official mythology about the events of 9/11. There is little evidence beyond the assertions of the US government that Osama Bin Laden was the real mastermind of the destruction of the WTC and the attack on the Pentagon. The actual evidence strongly supports the theory that internal demolition charges destroyed the WTC1, WTC2 and WTC7. And there is no evidence of the crash of AA 77 (a very large 757) into the Pentagon. The FBI confiscated all the area security tapes and has refused to release them This was clearly a sophisticated military operation quite beyond the capacities of non-state actors. Furthermore OBL was a CIA asset and as the fired and gagged FBI translator whistleblower Sibel Edmonds has finally revealed worked for the CIA right up to 9/11. At best the 19 rag-tag hijackers, who couldn't even fly a Cessna, (if they even really existed) were patsies. The constant demonization of Islam and Muslims and the new fear campaign about Mosques at ground zero by the religious right and others is nothing more than a continuation of the MSM generated hate campaign that allowed and justified the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and the mass murder and war crimes that resulted and continue to this day. Lastly I wish that Thom would STOP regurgitating the Official 9/11 Conspiracy Theory. He knows it's total BS but doesn't have the courage to admit it!
#4
Thom ,
in your discussion of the Grround Zero community center/mosque you continually state that those of us who dont want it built are racists. Which race are we championing? Which race are we saying is inferior? I believe you are confused. Islam is a religion, not a race.
#5
While I am very much against racism in any form, I believe that Brigitte Gabriel is a strong advocate against the Islamic radicals because of what happened to her and her people in Lebanon when the Israelis were politically forced to abandon them when they had to leave South Lebanon. The Hezbollah and Syria abused and killed many of her family and friends and tortured her. She escaped and was welcomed by Israel and later this country. I don't think, as an Arab and a Catholic, she is a racist. I believe she genuinely believes that she and all of us are threatened. I would like to know where the racist tag came from or is it an automatic hatred of Israel and it's supporters reaction. Because you believe that someone is out to get you doesn't automatically mean you are paranoid or a racist. Were the blacks racist because they believed many of the whites were trying to kill them. I don't think so. That doesn't mean all whites were racists either or blacks who were tortured and deprived of civil rights. The attack on the US was not a myth. The Jews and Christians in the middle east are a minority, not the other way around. It is the Arabs who have abandoned their own people.
#6
The "community center"( really mosque) should not be built on that particular site because: 1. the site is Historical due to someof the plane wreckage falling on it. 2: The Imam in charge of developing it will not specify where the funds to build it come from. 3. The Imam has close links to Hamas. 4. The building will be held in regard by Islam worldwide as a mosque built on a conqured land per the Koran. 5. the controversy surrounding the proposal has already proved to be divisive nationwide. I find it ironic that those who lable themselves progressive, pander to the religion which by far is the most repressive to other religions, women, gays, (try to hold a gay pride parade in downtown Mecca!) Thom, I agree with most of what you say on other issues, but on this one I'm to the Right.
#7
I don't see anyone pandering to a specific religion here. What I see is someone argueing in favor of religious freedom. I lived in Tennessee for several years and found little religious freedom. When I would meet someone one of the first questions asked was, "What religion are you?" If you answered anything but Baptist the answer was usually, "Too bad" followed by an explanation as to why their religion was better than yours. Now I live in Idaho and I get the same thing, except it's from Mormons. It's not just Christians vs. Muslims. It's my religion vs. yours. The fact that terrorism is usually linked by many to Muslims, and to brown-skinned people, makes it easier for some to justify in their minds that their religion is good and any other is bad.
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