Mosques No Where Near Ground Zero Meet Stiff Resistance

[madanthonywayne]

I came across a disturbing story today that highlights the growing anti-Islamic sentiment in the US.

For more than 30 years, the Muslim community in this Nashville suburb has worshipped quietly in a variety of makeshift spaces -- a one-bedroom apartment, an office behind a Lube Express -- attracting little notice even after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But when the community's leaders proposed a 52,900-square-foot Islamic center with a school and a swimming pool this year, the vehement backlash from their neighbors caught them by surprise. Opponents crowded county meetings and held a noisy protest in the town square that drew hundreds, some carrying signs such as "Keep Tennessee Terror Free."

"We haven't experienced this level of hostility before ever, so it's new to us," said Saleh M. Sbenaty, an engineering professor who is overseeing the mosque's planned expansion.

The Murfreesboro mosque is hundreds of miles from New York City and the national furor about whether an Islamic community center should be built near Ground Zero. But the intense feelings driving that debate have surfaced in communities from California to Florida in recent months, raising questions about whether public attitudes toward Muslims have shifted.

In Tennessee, three plans for new Islamic centers in the Nashville area -- one of which was ultimately withdrawn -- have provoked controversy and outbursts of ugliness. Members of one mosque discovered a delicately rendered Jerusalem cross spray-painted on the side of their building with the words "Muslims go home."

The really surprising thing is that sentiments now are markedly more anti-Islam than they were right after Sept 11:

The members of the Murfreesboro mosque, who say they have always rejected extremism, have been bewildered by the vitriol.

Sbenaty, 52, who came to the United States from Syria for his doctoral studies three decades ago, gets misty-eyed describing the kindness his neighbors showed his family after Sept. 11. At one point, he recalled, he was in a shopping mall parking lot with his wife, who wears a hijab, and a group of locals made a point to stop and assure them they had nothing to fear.

The other day, however, as he was standing on the mosque's 15-acre parcel of land just outside town, drivers honked and flipped their middle fingers in the air as they rode past.

"It's tough to see that change," Sbenaty said.

Akbar Ahmed, chairman of Islamic studies at American University, said a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of Sept. 11 is emblematic of the country's new mood.

"Something more is happening," Ahmed said. "We are becoming aware that the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims is wider than it was after 9/11, and that's a frightening prospect."

"What I sense is a certain amount of fear fueling the animosity," said Jim Daniel, a former county commissioner and former county Republican Party chairman, sitting down for lunch one day last week at City Cafe. Residents worry that "the Muslims coming in here will keep growing in numbers and override our system of law and impose sharia law," the strict code of conduct based on the Koran.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...22/AR2010082202895_3.html?sid=ST2010082202944​

One would have thought that after all these years without a major attack the bloodlust would have cooled. Instead, the steady drib drab of minor attacks and foiled terrorist plots seems to have hardened into a general animosity and suspicion of everything Islamic among a growing portion of the public.

God help us if there is another major attack.

 

[Bells]

And now coupled with threats of violence for the "Ground Zero Mosque":

She was joined by a close friend, Kobi Mor, who flew from San Francisco to participate in the rally.

If the mosque gets built, "we will bombard it," Mor said. He would not elaborate but added that he believes the project "will never happen."

(Source)

The irony of this shouldn't be lost on anyone really..

One would have thought that after all these years without a major attack the bloodlust would have cooled. Instead, the steady drib drab of minor attacks and foiled terrorist plots seems to have hardened into a general animosity and suspicion of everything Islamic among a growing portion of the public.

What do you think adds fuel to the general animosity and suspicion amongst the growing public?

Following the lead of Tennessee's Republican candidates for governor and congress, hundreds of protesters gathered in the city of Murfreesboro recently to voice their opposition to the purchase of land for construction of a Muslim center near a subdivision. A similar battle is taking place in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Have some members of the U.S. public and government forgotten about democratic values and rights?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-merolla-phd/freedom-from-religion-pub_b_687554.html?ir=New%20York

Talk about leading by example..

Some are plain and simple bigots, like right-wing radio host and ex-Tea Party Express spokesman Mark Williams, who on May 21, 2009, posted on his personal blog the view that "Islam is a seventh century death cult coughed up by a psychotic pedophile and embraced by defective, tail- sprouting, tree-swinging, semihuman, bipedal primates with no claim to be treated like human beings."

Williams and other Islam haters should be ignored if possible and beaten back if necessary. Never should they be coddled or accommodated.

The fact that national leaders continued to embrace Williams after his public garbage-spewing speaks volumes about the true sentiments behind those who pretend that moving the proposed center "a few blocks" away from Ground Zero would alleviate legitimate concerns.

(Source)

As I said.. leading by example.

 

[IamJoseph]

I came across a disturbing story today that highlights the growing anti-Islamic sentiment in the US.

The really surprising thing is that sentiments now are markedly more anti-Islam than they were right after Sept 11:

Its a delayed effect, after being too shocked to acknowledge what 9/11 represents. What is disregarded here is that the Muslims have made life impossible for the Jews, making genocidal demands, robbing the ancestral homeland of the Jews and denying it forever, and not allowing any visits or prayers in the Jews' most sacred site - while building minerets and screaming their chants at dawn.

The mosque should be seen as one effect of Islamic global history - else the point is lost. America is not a racist country and a beacon to the world of religious freedoms - the Islamic regimes are steeped in racism. The NY ground zero is a reflection of the Jerusalem ground zero. There is no such thing as sacred Islamic soil when it is made of robbery and genocide of others. Jerusalem is coming to haunt the world, else none are understanding what is occuring:

I SHALL MAKE JERUSALEM AS A BURDEN UNTO THE NATIONS.

 

[Gustav]

if the other protests arose after the one in ny, it might simply be a variation of the copycat effect, a mindless mimicry of a ridiculous meme

 

[nirakar]

I think the increase in intolerance comes from the right wing media's shift from defense to offense as Bush was replaced by Obama.

 

[joepistole]

I think the increase in intolerance comes from the right wing media's shift from defense to offense as Bush was replaced by Obama.

I think you are right to some degree. It seems a bit ironic that the right wing extremist media seemed to have no problem with the close ties the bush family has to the Arab nations.

I thought it was particularly sweet when george II held hands with the King or Saudi Arabia...very touching. The right wing media never had an issue with our president holding hands with a Muslim king during a period of warfare. No all of a sudden they have a big problem with a multicultural center being built two football fields from ground zero and want us to violate our Constitution in order to effect their will.

Even more ironic, the arguement comes by those who would normally be pushing the "strict constructionalist" view of the Constitution. I am still looking for that clause in the Constitution that says the Constitution is the supreme law of the land except when they disagree with it.

 

[S.A.M.]

Why is everyone surprised? Surely you didn't believe the "its not a war against Muslims" BS?

As American troops are undertaking dangerous operations to win the “hearts and minds” of Muslims – now including flying helicopter missions in flood-ravaged Pakistan – Republican politicians and right-wing media outlets are fueling hysteria over the planned mosque.

So, instead of the United States appearing to be a nation tolerant of Islam and all other religions, the world is seeing red-faced Americans screaming at New York City officials who allowed the building plans to go forward.

Sensing another useful wedge issue, prominent Republicans, including potential presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, then jumped into the fray, escalating the rhetoric ever further.

Gingrich told Fox News that “Nazis don’t have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust Museum in Washington,” thus likening Islam, even the sort practiced by the moderate Muslims involved in the so-called Cordoba House in Lower Manhattan, to Nazism. Gingrich’s metaphor also connected Muslims, subliminally at least, to one of history’s great crimes, the Holocaust, which incidentally was carried out primarily by European Christians.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/opinion/?id=40719

"Islam is a seventh century death cult coughed up by a psychotic pedophile and embraced by defective, tail- sprouting, tree-swinging, semihuman, bipedal primates with no claim to be treated like human beings."

This is a commonly expressed sentiment at sciforums.

 

[IamJoseph]

Why is everyone surprised? Surely you didn't believe the "its not a war against Muslims" BS?

The reverse seems more credible. Last time I checked, America's constitution is varied from that of Hamas and the Islamic Brotherhood: America is not calling for death of the Islamic infidels, nor is she dumping churches in Mecca - from where the 9/11 martyrs hailed from.

The fundamental things apply.

 

[S.A.M.]

The reverse seems more credible. Last time I checked, America's constitution is varied from that of Hamas and the Islamic Brotherhood: America is not calling for death of the Islamic infidels, nor is she dumping churches in Mecca.

The fundamental things apply.

And yet, Hamas is fighting encroachment of European and American Jews onto its own land, as a government elected by the people of Palestine. While Americans occupy other countries where they install puppet governments and undermine self determination.

And now, with all these protests against mosques in the US, finally we can stop pretending that the US occupation, by a volunteer army, of other sovereign nations is about anything other than bigotry.

Polls: Majority in US against mosque

So much for freedom of expression, eh?

 

[Ophiolite]

America is not calling for death of the Islamic infidels, .

No you are just kidnapping and torturing them, or bombing the shit out out of them. It certainly encourages excellent inter-group harmony. (Didn't I read something about turning cheeks?)

 

[IamJoseph]

And yet, Hamas is fighting encroachment of European and American Jews onto its own land,

Don't you mean Martian Jews?

as a government elected by the people of Palestine.

Heard of the law, NOT TO FOLLOW A CORRUPT MULTITUDE? Sdaam Huessiin and Hitler got a greater voting success than Hamas.

While Americans occupy other countries where they install puppet governments and undermine self determination.

And now, with all these protests against mosques in the US, finally we can stop pretending that the US occupation, by a volunteer army, of other sovereign nations is about anything other than bigotry.

Polls: Majority in US against mosque

So much for freedom of expression, eh?

I don't think this planet will have peace or progress unless all the ficticious Islamic states created by Britain and Europe are booted out - every one is bogus, created in secret [unlike Israel], and are the greatest polluters on earth and the most racist.

Freedom fighters must start at home - namely 57 Islamic Reime states.

 

[WillNever]

Burning Korans is an exercise of free speech or free religion too.

 

[WillNever]

Polls: Majority in US against mosque

So much for freedom of expression, eh?

Freedom of expression would be violated only if the government interfered with the mosque plans. People are allowed to voice unrest at the idea of the mosque. It wouldn't be freedom of expression if they couldn't do that.

People have a constitutional right to build the mosque there but everyone else also has a constitutional right to say how sucky they think the mosque is. It even says in the article that most New Yorkers acknowledge the right to build the mosque even if they oppose the mosque anyway. But what fun is the truth?

 

[joepistole]

Conservative Buchanan says Republican leaders have gone too far in comparing Muslims to Nazi's.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...ar-with-ground-zero-mosque-comments-video.php

I understand that this weekend a (reported on Morning Joe) had to be rescued from the mob protesting the Islamic center this weekend. The man was pulled from the mob saying that he was not a Muslim. The crowd thought he looked like a Muslim. I think the terrorists have won if this is what America has become.

 

[cosmictraveler]

Banning any religion from having a place to worship is a very dangerous thing to do for it will undermine the constitution that allows all religions for the freedom to hold services where they want to.

 

[Photizo]

Banning any religion from having a place to worship is a very dangerous thing to do for it will undermine the constitution that allows all religions for the freedom to hold services where they want to.

This is a re-post of what I said in another thread:

Ever hear of divide and conquer?...the responsibility to act 'correctly' is on the people who continue to push this despite the objections of their fellow americans.

To me, (and this is something I've learned over the years as a husband and father) insistence upon exercising one's right in pursuit of one's own happiness must be subordinated to the supreme rule of love. Love does not seek its own good but rather the good of others. To insist on having their way despite the pleas of these survivors (arising out of the emotional pain they've suffered), severely undermines their crediblity. The purported hope of these muslims is to help establish trust; understanding; what the real nature of Islam is; etc. Well, if they intend to build bridges, wonderful; but wisdom dictates another course of action other than the direct approach. Were they to take into consideration the feelings of the survivors (their fellow Americans) rather then their own feelings/agenda, they stand to make far more headway in the long run/court of public opinion... pouring salt into the wound is not helpful here. Who knows, deferring to these survivors might result in an invitation to build later.

They have a choice between selfishness or selflessness. If they want a memorial or 'place' near / beside their fellow Americans--who gave of themselves unreservedly in the immediate aftermath--I think the answer is obvious. Barring that, I can come to no other conclusion than this: we are dealing with a completely different 'spirit' here.

 

[cosmictraveler]

This is a re-post of what I said in another thread:

Ever hear of divide and conquer?...the responsibility to act 'correctly' is on the people who continue to push this despite the objections of their fellow americans.

To me, (and this is something I've learned over the years as a husband and father) insistence upon exercising one's right in pursuit of one's own happiness must be subordinated to the supreme rule of love. Love does not seek its own good but rather the good of others. To insist on having their way despite the pleas of these survivors (arising out of the emotional pain they've suffered), severely undermines their crediblity. The purported hope of these muslims is to help establish trust; understanding; what the real nature of Islam is; etc. Well, if they intend to build bridges, wonderful; but wisdom dictates another course of action other than the direct approach. Were they to take into consideration the feelings of the survivors (their fellow Americans) rather then their own feelings/agenda, they stand to make far more headway in the long run/court of public opinion... pouring salt into the wound is not helpful here. Who knows, deferring to these survivors might result in an invitation to build later.

They have a choice between selfishness or selflessness. If they want a memorial or 'place' near / beside their fellow Americans--who gave of themselves unreservedly in the immediate aftermath--I think the answer is obvious. Barring that, I can come to no other conclusion than this: we are dealing with a completely different 'spirit' here.

Nicely said.

 

[madanthonywayne]

And now, with all these protests against mosques in the US, finally we can stop pretending that the US occupation, by a volunteer army, of other sovereign nations is about anything other than bigotry.

I think you are confusing cause and effect. The increased anti-Muslim sentiment didn't come until after we had invaded and occupied Afghanistan and Iraq and may well be at least partially a side effect of the long wars we've been involved in there.

Polls: Majority in US against mosque

So much for freedom of expression, eh?

Opposition to the "Ground Zero Mosque" is not the same thing as opposition to Mosques in general. I oppose the "Ground Zero Mosque", but have no objection to the three mosques that exist in my home town. Nor would I object if they wanted to build another one.

I fully support religious freedom. Muslims have every right to build Mosques wherever they want, evea at ground zero. However, I think that to do so would be insensitive and inflammatory. Building a Mosque there would be like building a Shinto Temple at Pearl Harbor during WW2.

 

[joepistole]

I think you are confusing cause and effect. The increased anti-Muslim sentiment didn't come until after we had invaded and occupied Afghanistan and Iraq and may well be at least partially a side effect of the long wars we've been involved in there.
Opposition to the "Ground Zero Mosque" is not the same thing as opposition to Mosques in general. I oppose the "Ground Zero Mosque", but have no objection to the three mosques that exist in my home town. Nor would I object if they wanted to build another one.

I fully support religious freedom. Muslims have every right to build Mosques wherever they want, evea at ground zero. However, I think that to do so would be insensitive and inflammatory. Building a Mosque there would be like building a Shinto Temple at Pearl Harbor during WW2.

Bad comparison, the Pearl Harbor is federal land...not private land. All of the land in this case is private land.

You can argue wither an Islamic center near ground zero or the International Trade Center (under construction) is tasteful. But they do have a legal right to do so. And people forget, there will be another world trade center constructed on the site. And since Muslims represent about a third of the world population, it seems reasonable and appropriate to me that they would want a center near by.

 

[spidergoat]

There are Shinto shrines near Pearl Harbor.