Terror in "Middle America"—Missouri Mosque Destroyed by Fire, Joplin Stands Firm

Tiassa

Tiassa

Let us not launch the boat ...
Valued Senior Member
Terror in "Middle America"

A day after white supremacist Wade Michael Page struck his murderous blow against Sikhs in Wisconsin, officials in Missouri responded to a fire that destroyed a Joplin mosque.

As Associated Press reports, it was a return trip to the Islamic Society of Joplin for Jasper County officials. A month before, on Independence Day, someone tried to burn down the mosque. In 2008, the FBI investigated the burning of the mosque's exterior sign.

Pastor Jill Michel of South Joplin Christian Church told reporters that area churches are responding as expected, offering meeting space to the Islamic Society. She also noted the Wisconsin shooting before explaining, "I can't imagine driving up to my church and having it burned to the ground. I worry about what any of this sort of thing says about humanity."

Another AP article reminds that Joplin is keeping its feet firmly planted. "This great community is not going to be taken by fear," CAIR executive director Nihad Awad said. "Joplin should not let anyone divide it."

Joplin police chief Lane Roberts expressed his anger at the violence against the mosque: "What has occurred here is a crime against your faith," he said. "It's a crime against everything this country represents."

The Joplin Globe reports that the community is looking to rally behind the Islamic Society later this month in a public demonstration at Landreth Park. One of the organizers, Ashley Carter, a student at Ozark Christian College, reminds that, "The power of love is greater than the power of hate." She also told the Globe, "It's important that people see that we are going to be a community of love, whether it's the tornado or anything else."

Terror in "Middle America"? Joplin ain't having it. The best way to defeat terror is to steal its prize.
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Notes:

Sudekum, Maria. "Joplin mosque razed by fire month after arson attack". The Austin American-Statesman. August 6, 2012. Statesman.com. August 9, 2012. http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/joplin-mosque-razed-by-fire-month-after-arson-2429501.html

Associated Press. "Joplin mosque members encouraged by support". Springfield News Leader. August 9, 2012. News-Leader.com. August 9, 2012. http://www.news-leader.com/viewart/20120809/NEWS11/308090107/JOPLIN-MOSQUE-SUPPORTERS

Staff Report. "Rally being organized in Joplin to support Islamic community following mosque fire". The Joplin Globe. August 7, 2012. JoplinGlobe.com. August 9, 2012. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x4...pport-Islamic-community-following-mosque-fire
 
Islamic Society of Joplin Looks to Rebuild

Islamic Society of Joplin Looks to Rebuild

"Joplin is teaching the world how to respond to tragedy." —Shahed Amanullah​

An online fundraising effort to rebuild the Joplin mosque has already exceeded its goal of $250,000. The last twenty-four hours have seen over eighty thousand dollars pour into the crowdsourced campaign. Roger McKinney of The Joplin Globe notes that as of 5:00 pm Thursday, the campaign had raised over $205,000. At this writing, the Indiegogo fundraiser had gathered over $290,000.

The mosque has some friends in important positions. Kester said Shahed Amanullah provided assistance in creating the online fundraiser. Amanullah is senior adviser for technology for the U.S. State Department, working on digital diplomacy in the Office of the Special Representative to Muslim Communities Worldwide. The office reports to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Amanullah said by phone that he knew people who traveled to Joplin to do relief work after the tornado on May 22, 2011. He called upon those contacts after learning of the destruction of the mosque in a fire early Monday. He said there was a need to create a fundraiser quickly, to take advantage of news cycles and of Ramadan, which is an important time of charity for Muslims.

"It's a positive reaction as opposed to a negative reaction," he said. "I wanted to help."

Amanullah said people still have strong feelings of support for Joplin, more than a year after the tornado.

"It's a heartfelt feeling," he said. "People believe in Joplin, when it comes down to it. They want to give back to that community."

He said a rebuilt mosque would be the strongest message to send to anyone wanting to destroy it. Including as many people as possible in the effort also makes a difference, he said.

"That's the best message," he said. "It's one community that cares about each other. Joplin is teaching the world how to respond to tragedy."

Amanullah said he also shared information about the online fundraiser with his widespread network of contacts.​

Kester had originally hoped to achieve the quarter-million fundraising goal by August 18; instead, it took all of five days.

Some have asked why raise funds since the mosque was insured; as one might expect, insurance won't cover the whole tab. Reconstruction of the former Christian church will include an overall expansion and spatial rearrangements more suitable for mosque functions. And, of course, the Islamic Society intends to increase security, as well as reinforce its emergency preparedness outlook.
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Notes:

McKinney, Roger. "Website aimed at fundraising for Joplin mosque destroyed by fire". The Joplin Globe. August 9, 2012. JoplinGlobe.com. August 10, 2012. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x7...at-rebuilding-Joplin-mosque-destroyed-by-fire
 
The Stout Soul

They Call Him Jedediah

An unexpected update comes from Kevin Murphy of Reuters:

A Missouri man has confessed to twice trying to set a Planned Parenthood Clinic on fire and also admitted to setting a blaze that destroyed a mosque in the same town in 2012, federal prosecutors said in court documents filed on Monday.

When Jedediah Stout, 29, was charged Friday with two arson attempts at the Joplin, Missouri, clinic on October 3 and 4, authorities made no mention of his suspected involvement in an August 6, 2012, blaze that gutted the Islamic Society of Joplin mosque.

But in a motion filed on Monday seeking Stout's continued detention, federal prosecutors said he also had confessed to the mosque blaze and an earlier fire at the mosque on July 4, 2012, that caused minor roof damage. Stout remains in custody pending a Tuesday hearing.

Neither the defendant nor his lawyers were immediately available for comment on the court filing.

Muslim community leaders raised more than $400,000 from around the world in less than three weeks to help rebuild the mosque in Joplin, the only Muslim house of worship within a 50-mile radius, according to a website posting at the time. Money is still being raised for the project.​

I'm really not sure where to begin. Something about this Jedediah Stout reeks of incompetence. I'm only going to make bones about the fact that he isn't charged with terrorism because, well, okay, you know, except for the one fire that did its job, he really was a shitty arsonist. And, you know, it was just a mosque, so why charge him as a terrorist?

Okay, okay, 'nuff said on that count.

But I don't get it; what's with the late confessions? I almost get the feeling we're going to find out this guy is mentally retarded, or something.
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Notes:

Murphy, Kevin. "Man confesses to Missouri mosque and clinic fires, prosecutors say". Reuters. October 22, 2013. Reuters.com. October 22, 2013. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/22/us-usa-crime-missouri-idUSBRE99L04A20131022
 
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