Anti-mosque protests on the rise, say Muslim advocates

[superconnected]

Source: Yahoo News

Opposition to the construction of mosques has skyrocketed in cities and towns across the country, scholars and advocates of Muslim culture tell The Upshot.

Public protests against three planned mosques have made news in the past week: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin joined others in opposing the building of a mosque a few blocks from the World Trade Center site. Hundreds demonstrated against a proposed mosque in a small town in Tennessee (pictured above). And some residents of Temecula, California, are opposing the local Muslim community's plan to build a bigger mosque, saying it could become a hotbed of radical Islam.

Professor Akbar Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University's School of International Service, is not surprised by the recent spate of public protests. He spent last year traveling to more than 100 mosques in 75 U.S. cities with a team of researchers, and concluded that opposition to mosques, including some attacks on them, is on the rise.

"Everywhere there's a mosque, there's a tension now," Ahmed says.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/anti-mosque-protests-on-the-rise-say-muslim-advocates

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You would think, with Obama in and not Bushco, America would be turning back to religious tolerance, but it's not. The RW hate propaganda appears to be working.

[demosincebirth]

1. I'm not opposed to mosques being built anywhere, but one, or so,

blocks from the World Trade Center side is ill conceived. To some, its like poring salt on an open wound.

[The Stranger]

2. I think that to oppose the building of a mosque near the World Trade Center is to conflate

a single act of terrorism with all of Islam and to conflate a single act of terrorism with all Arab and South Asian peoples.

It is a false connection that leads to hate.

[indio55555]

14. .

There's tons of chrches near Oklahoma City Fedral Bulding and no one is complaining. Should those be closed too? Give it up it's a mosque not some missle command center.

[Posteritatis]

3. What should the minimum acceptable distance be, then? (nt)

[zbdent]

6. I asked that of a RWer ... and got no answer.

I asked about the zoning ... if there were any regulations about religious structures within any specific distance from the WTC site ... or anywhere else ...

no answer ...

but, of course, the RWers lie about the location of the proposed mosque ... saying "at the site of the World Trade Center" ... but never mention how far away ... one city block can be a varying distance, considering the size and layout of the specific "city" ...

[demosincebirth]

7. Maybe...across the Hudson?

[Posteritatis]

12. Would 'across the Hudson' be too close at any point?

You're starting to imply there shouldn't be mosques in Manhattan at all. If that's the case, then directly across the Hudson would be too close, wouldn't it?

We need some clearly defined and consistent rules for this sort of inane kneejerking. Gotta have standards.

[demosincebirth]

18. As matter of fact, that would be a good spot. Look, I'm not getting into

a pissing match with you, but anywhere near the Trade Center is too close. eom.

[Violet_Crumble]

10. What 'open wound'? The one of RWers who blame all Muslims for 9/11?

Those who are ignorant and intolerant are generally 'offended' by a lot if it's got anything to do with the group they detest. Screw them and their fake offense..

And saying 'I'm not opposed....BUT...' means you are opposed to it...

[demosincebirth]

19. Talk to the family members who lost family in the attack of the Trade Center?

Would many have the guts to confront them about a Mosque next to the WTC. I try not to point fingers, but I remember that you point a finger you have three pointing back at you. So look at yourself before accusing people of being ignorant and intolerant. The most self-righteous are the ones who, mainly, possess these traits.

[Posteritatis]

20. If someone's tarring a billion-plus people with the same brush, they're ignorant and intolerant

This is a fact, as pure a truth as any basic arithmetic. Cope.

The fact that the WTC attacks happened (and, propaganda notwithstanding, did not kill only white Christians) is not a valid reason to establish some kind of ridiculous reverse-ghettoizing of a city, especially since the residents of the neighborhood who are building the thing want it there.

Anyone who's demanding that either isn't thinking much - case in point, your own continuing to insist that there is a mosque being built at all, never mind "next to the WTC" - or is entirely too comfortable with their hatreds. Neither group particularly deserves to have much respect given its opinions on the issue.

[demosincebirth]

24. I guess you must be totally perfect in every aspect.. Such a humanist!

[Posteritatis]

26. Ahh, the standard fallback on junior high "logic." (nt)

[demosincebirth]

29. Is that your best shot?

[Violet_Crumble]

22. If they're broadbrushing all Muslims, then they're ignorant and intolerant

And losing a family member doesn't give them any justification for such intolerance and complete and utter ignorance. I don't need to look at myself, btw. I'm not the one condoning intolerance against a minority group and trying to defend those who are intolerant towards them...

[demosincebirth]

25. Post # 24 is for you, too.

[Violet_Crumble]

30. Just read it. I'm not a bigot, neither am I perfect, so cut the crap n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

28. Why are you slurring 9-11 victim families as anti-muslim bigots?

Many of whom were muslims themselves?

[tammywammy]

31. You do realize this particular mosque that's going up 2 blocks away lost members on 9/11, right?

Or do they not matter?

edited to add: Or that there are plenty of other people that lost family members on 9/11 and they don't object to a community center that's blocks away.

[pinboy3niner]

33. Good points, tammywammy!

Here's some more info:

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, a leader of the Cordoba Initiative, said he has been surprised by the vitriolic debate, since he has led his congregation ten blocks north of the World Trade Center for the past 27 years. His mosque lost several members on 9/11 and distributed bottled water to firefighters afterward.

Politicians Rally Against Tea Party Bashing of World Trade Center Mosque
http://dnainfo.com/20100520/manhattan/politicians-rally-against-tea-party-bashing-of-world-trade-center-mosque#ixzz0udixmNe2

The Imam planning an Islamic community center and mosque near Ground Zero says his critics are bigots and the project will stamp out terrorism - not fan the flames.

"We condemn terrorists. We recognize it exists in our faith, but we are committed to eradicate it," said Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is leading the charge to build the Cordoba House.

"We want to rebuild this community," he said. "This is about moderate Muslims who intend to be and want to be part of the solution."
<snip>

Another mosque - much smaller than the Cordoba plan - has existed downtown on Warren St. since 1970 and has been operating out of 20 Warren St. since 2008.

Imam planning Islamic center, mosque near Ground Zero rips Tea Party's Mark Williams, other critics
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/21/2010-05-21_untitled__2mosque21m.html#ixzz0uddgUVmh

[benEzra]

13. What, a five or ten minute walk from the WTC site isn't far enough?

How far is far enough? Too far to walk in a lunch hour? Too far to walk at all?

This building (it's not a "mosque", it's more of a cultural center that happens to have a chapel in it) has nothing whatsoever to do with Ground Zero, and it's primarily the xenophobes who are pushing that connection.

[krabigirl]

23. dont they own the land? If so, then they can build what they want there.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

27. Only the open wound of bigots.

So fuck 'em.

[CBR]

32. WTF? nt

[Archae]

4. We had this argument here in Sheboygan county.

A group of Muslims wanted to convert an abandoned health-food store into a mosque.

A group of "good Christians" in Oostburg threw a fit.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=186x30090

With the usual hysteria about ALL Muslims...

[Bitwit1234]

5. Stop and think, should another religious organization

be stopped from building a church near where something happened that someone of their faith did wrong.

[Robb]

8. Places of worship would be few and far between. nt

[slackmaster]

9. Tax the churches

And the synagogues, and the mosques, and the temples.

[laurel46]

11. this is just sick. what happened to christianity?

All this bull sh!t about muslims is racist extremism and should be harshly condemned. It's aimed at Blacks and the media only shows gun toting black panthers or the like and not that it is a legitimate american religion. Christianity is just as bad in the old testament and the interpretations of the new by fundies is just as bad. Where are the slander and libel laws against the palins and coulters? coulter has said to kill muslims unless they convert to christianity and this is broadcast to the muslim world making our country less safe! They believe we want to kill them because of their religion and after listening to fox, I don't blame them. Where is Petraeus on this one? I fantasize he goes in front of congress and tells them our favoritism of christianity and fox news makes our troops less safe.

When do we ask the right to unclench their fist?

Just as a tangent, but I hope interesting point is that I come from a danish family and danes are socialist and lived in socialist towns in the mid west. The prime minister of greece was born in the same socialist town my mom was born in and he is the president of socialists international. Ronald Reagan came from the same area and was a socialist as a young man, my family knew him! In the Mc Carthy era the people from these towns were attacked but had a very interesting way to tell McCarthy to stuff it; scandinavian socialism follows the teachings of Jesus and my grandfather became a christian minister who preached the tenets of socialism; social justice, helping the poor, pacifism... you get the picture. I live the teachings of Jesus everyday, according to the sermon on the mount and other teachings and that is socialism for me and many in the world. Christian's love thy neighbor, including their muslim neighbors and do not bear false witness against them or their religious beliefs.

[Beartracks]

17. Rec'n your post, if I could. :) n/t

[gerenimox]

15. muslim terrorists or the American government?

I wonder when the millions of brainwashed morons out there will see the fact that it was the American government who attacked the wtc.

[superconnected]

16. +1

[alp227]

21. Although atheism is on the rise, anti-CHURCH protests surely ain't.

I haven't heard of groups of radical atheists protesting construction of new Christian churches anywhere. How many of the protesters in New York City were atheists/agnostics, if the brainlesstream media isn't censoring anything to smear Christians?

As an atheist who rejects all organized religion I am puzzled right now how to distinguish between hate and constructive criticism.

This is America, a nation founded on religious tolerance rather than theocracy (contrary to what those "Christian Nation" pushers always say). That's why the First Amendment bars Congress from passing laws to suppress freedom of religion.

So just because some people have misguided grievances against a whole group of people because of what just a few of those people did, the group has to pander to those people's excessive sensitivities? For example, let's say at a certain street corner a Mexican shot and killed a white person. So at that street corner can there never be a Mexican-owned business or cultural establishment ever just because of that one incident? I think it'd be messed up for the family/friends of the victim to think "murderer" afterwards everytime they see a Hispanic. Just like how some of the friends/relatives of the 9/11 victims see all American Muslims post-9/11: as criminals.

Do any of you atheists or followers of other faiths make these sorts of generalizations? I think not. I don't think "violent" when I'm near my many Christian friends despite incidents like the murder of George Tiller, the Atlanta Olympic Park bombing, or other violent attacks on abortion clinics or whatever. (On the other hand, Christian ideology regarding issues like abortion, homosexuality, and evolution irk me.)

In the end, I say that Islamophobia is not the direction I'd like America to go. Rather, America needs to wake up and subscribe to rationalism. Think with the brain, not bare emotions.