Aa
For US Muslims, a 9/11 anniversary like no other
For US Muslims, a 9/11 anniversary like no other
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100904/ap_on_re_us/us_sept11_muslim_fear
Writer – Sat Sep 4, 1:36 pm ET
NEW YORK – American Muslims are boosting security at mosques, seeking help from leaders of other faiths and airing ads underscoring their loyalty to the United States — all ahead of a 9/11 anniversary they fear could bring more trouble for their communities.
Their goal is not only to protect Muslims, but also to prevent them from retaliating if provoked. One Sept. 11 protest in New York against the proposed mosque near ground zero is expected to feature Geert Wilders, the aggressively anti-Islam Dutch lawmaker. The same day in Gainesville, Fla., the Dove World Outreach Center plans to burn copies of the Quran.
"We can expect crazy people out there will do things, but we don't want to create a hysteria," among Muslims, said Victor Begg of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan. "Americans, in general, they support pluralism. It's just that there's a lot of misinformation out there that has created confusion."
On Tuesday, the Islamic Society of North America will hold a summit of Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders in Washington "to address the growing tide of fear and intolerance" in the furor over the planned New York mosque.
Islamic centers in many cities are intensifying surveillance and keeping closer contact with law enforcement. Adding to Muslim concern is a fluke of the lunar calendar: Eid al-Fitr, a joyous holiday marking the end of Ramadan, will fall around Sept. 11 this year. Muslim leaders fear festivities could be misinterpreted as celebrating the 2001 terror strikes.
"We're telling everyone to keep their eyes open and report anything suspicious to authorities and call us," said Ramzy Kilic of the Tampa, Fla., chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations.
Other efforts around 9/11 aim to fight bigotry. Muslims will clean parks, feed the homeless, and give toys to sick children as part of Muslim Serve, a national campaign to demonstrate Islamic commitment to serving humanity.
Separately, groups are distributing ads to combat persistent suspicions about Islam. One spot, called "My Faith, My Voice," features American Muslims saying, "I don't want to take over this country."
Sept. 11 anniversaries have always been challenging for U.S. Muslims, who have been under scrutiny since the attacks. This year, the commemoration follows a stunning summer in which opposition to a planned Islamic community center near the World Trade Center site escalated into a national uproar over Islam, extremism and religious freedom.
Islamic centers as far away as Tennessee and California faced protests and vandalism. In western New York, police said a group of teenagers recently yelled obscenities, set off a car alarm and fired a shotgun during two nights of drive-by harassment at a small-town mosque near Lake Ontario.
Usama Shami, board chairman for the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, said a new mosque the congregation has been building for years drew little attention until recently, when some resistance emerged in the neighborhood and from some in city government. Recently, vandals broke into the new building, spilled paint on the floor and broke expensive windows.
Shami believes the ground zero dispute is partly to blame for the trouble, along with passions unleashed by Arizona's strict new law that would require police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally.
"All of these issues came at the same time," Shami said. "When things like that happen, I think they bring out the worst in some people."
On Sept. 11 in Chicago, Zeenat Rahman, a 34-year-old native of the city, will visit a local nursing home with Muslim and non-Muslim friends to spend time with residents and help serve a meal.
"This is when people are going to look at our community, and when they do, what are they going to see?" said Rahman, a policy director for the Interfaith Youth Core, which promotes pluralism. "Sometimes, saying `Islam means peace,' feels a little defensive and apologetic, whereas service is really core to our faith."
Unity Productions Foundation, a Washington-area group that specializes in films about Islam and Muslim Americans, will hold an interfaith talk on Sept. 11 at the Washington Jewish Community Center.
Speakers include Monem Salam, the subject of a Unity Productions film titled, "On a Wing and a Prayer: An American Muslim Learns to Fly." Unity recently launched groundzerodialogue.org, where visitors can view films and use them for community discussion about Islam in the U.S.
Salam, 38, of Bellingham, Wash., usually spends the Eid weekend with his wife and three young children, but said he persuaded his wife he had to participate in the event.
"I have to leave them and go across the country to answer questions about Islam," said Salam, a portfolio manager who was 4 years old when his family left Pakistan for the U.S. "It's unfortunate. It's the time that we live in."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100904/ap_on_re_us/us_sept11_muslim_fear
Writer – Sat Sep 4, 1:36 pm ET
NEW YORK – American Muslims are boosting security at mosques, seeking help from leaders of other faiths and airing ads underscoring their loyalty to the United States — all ahead of a 9/11 anniversary they fear could bring more trouble for their communities.
Their goal is not only to protect Muslims, but also to prevent them from retaliating if provoked. One Sept. 11 protest in New York against the proposed mosque near ground zero is expected to feature Geert Wilders, the aggressively anti-Islam Dutch lawmaker. The same day in Gainesville, Fla., the Dove World Outreach Center plans to burn copies of the Quran.
"We can expect crazy people out there will do things, but we don't want to create a hysteria," among Muslims, said Victor Begg of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan. "Americans, in general, they support pluralism. It's just that there's a lot of misinformation out there that has created confusion."
On Tuesday, the Islamic Society of North America will hold a summit of Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders in Washington "to address the growing tide of fear and intolerance" in the furor over the planned New York mosque.
Islamic centers in many cities are intensifying surveillance and keeping closer contact with law enforcement. Adding to Muslim concern is a fluke of the lunar calendar: Eid al-Fitr, a joyous holiday marking the end of Ramadan, will fall around Sept. 11 this year. Muslim leaders fear festivities could be misinterpreted as celebrating the 2001 terror strikes.
"We're telling everyone to keep their eyes open and report anything suspicious to authorities and call us," said Ramzy Kilic of the Tampa, Fla., chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations.
Other efforts around 9/11 aim to fight bigotry. Muslims will clean parks, feed the homeless, and give toys to sick children as part of Muslim Serve, a national campaign to demonstrate Islamic commitment to serving humanity.
Separately, groups are distributing ads to combat persistent suspicions about Islam. One spot, called "My Faith, My Voice," features American Muslims saying, "I don't want to take over this country."
Sept. 11 anniversaries have always been challenging for U.S. Muslims, who have been under scrutiny since the attacks. This year, the commemoration follows a stunning summer in which opposition to a planned Islamic community center near the World Trade Center site escalated into a national uproar over Islam, extremism and religious freedom.
Islamic centers as far away as Tennessee and California faced protests and vandalism. In western New York, police said a group of teenagers recently yelled obscenities, set off a car alarm and fired a shotgun during two nights of drive-by harassment at a small-town mosque near Lake Ontario.
Usama Shami, board chairman for the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, said a new mosque the congregation has been building for years drew little attention until recently, when some resistance emerged in the neighborhood and from some in city government. Recently, vandals broke into the new building, spilled paint on the floor and broke expensive windows.
Shami believes the ground zero dispute is partly to blame for the trouble, along with passions unleashed by Arizona's strict new law that would require police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally.
"All of these issues came at the same time," Shami said. "When things like that happen, I think they bring out the worst in some people."
On Sept. 11 in Chicago, Zeenat Rahman, a 34-year-old native of the city, will visit a local nursing home with Muslim and non-Muslim friends to spend time with residents and help serve a meal.
"This is when people are going to look at our community, and when they do, what are they going to see?" said Rahman, a policy director for the Interfaith Youth Core, which promotes pluralism. "Sometimes, saying `Islam means peace,' feels a little defensive and apologetic, whereas service is really core to our faith."
Unity Productions Foundation, a Washington-area group that specializes in films about Islam and Muslim Americans, will hold an interfaith talk on Sept. 11 at the Washington Jewish Community Center.
Speakers include Monem Salam, the subject of a Unity Productions film titled, "On a Wing and a Prayer: An American Muslim Learns to Fly." Unity recently launched groundzerodialogue.org, where visitors can view films and use them for community discussion about Islam in the U.S.
Salam, 38, of Bellingham, Wash., usually spends the Eid weekend with his wife and three young children, but said he persuaded his wife he had to participate in the event.
"I have to leave them and go across the country to answer questions about Islam," said Salam, a portfolio manager who was 4 years old when his family left Pakistan for the U.S. "It's unfortunate. It's the time that we live in."
I think you nailed it again. Everyones post on this subject is in line with the direction we should be going.
I'm not a religious person, but do consider myself to be spiritual. I really don't care about the burning of any book.... it doesnt mean a thing to me. But really, what is this Quran burning going to accomplish? What good will come of this? Does this jerk think that if her burns a few hundred Qurans, that it will solve the worlds problems? Personally, I think givings this **** any more of the 15 minutes of fame that he is desperately seeking is a waste of anyones time.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. I used to think a "man of the cloth" was more considerate to others feelings and beliefs. I used to think that promoting harmony was at the forefront of religion. Even that has gone awry.
I guess this guy has the rights that are guaranteed within the U.S. Constitution, but shouldnt one actually think a bit before speaking or acting?
I'm not a religious person, but do consider myself to be spiritual. I really don't care about the burning of any book.... it doesnt mean a thing to me. But really, what is this Quran burning going to accomplish? What good will come of this? Does this jerk think that if her burns a few hundred Qurans, that it will solve the worlds problems? Personally, I think givings this **** any more of the 15 minutes of fame that he is desperately seeking is a waste of anyones time.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. I used to think a "man of the cloth" was more considerate to others feelings and beliefs. I used to think that promoting harmony was at the forefront of religion. Even that has gone awry.
I guess this guy has the rights that are guaranteed within the U.S. Constitution, but shouldnt one actually think a bit before speaking or acting?
I understand this is not the first time this pastor has been involved in anti-muslim behavior. I do not understand how this is not considered a hate crime, I just hope they change their minds and not provoke further problems, which I cannot see how that could not happen...
United we stand, divided we fall.
It's really time we stop all this nonsense. This country is falling apart because of all the division and fighting, religiously and politically. We all need to find common ground and stand strongly together.
It's really time we stop all this nonsense. This country is falling apart because of all the division and fighting, religiously and politically. We all need to find common ground and stand strongly together.
Yes this is the appropriate stance. 9-11 was a day that brought Americans together as I well remember and the anniversary of it and any commemorative ceremonies should be the same. Where I live and in other communities there have been specific hate crimes against people that were Sikh or Hindu because they look similar to people who are of an Islamic background although of course their faiths are completely different. There should be positive steps to held end any form of hatred. It should be noted that there are people who are Islamic who immigrated from Afghanistan and other countries fleeing persecution of the Taliban. At a time of war our country should unite rather than creative divisiveness. We should look back to the time of the internment camps of the Americans who were of Japanese descent and not repeat that not just on an official level but in general as many of those people were willing to fight on the side of America and many people who immigrated here of Islamic descent would as well.
Hatred is what was behind 911. It was a group of radicals, hiding behind religion to commit horrible acts that cost thousands of lives. In my opinion, the best way to honor the memories of those that died is to continue to work towards a peaceful co existance, which is absolutely possible if everyone makes an effort. We must not continue to hold Islam responsible for the actions of a few radicals, that just continues to perpetuate hate and intolerance.
Actions like protests against Muslims who have done nothing wrong, and are as American as anyone else, or the burning of religous books will do nothing but continue the distrust and hate. I think it is absolutely reprehensible, and is a form of domestic terrorism on its own. When actions or threats cause someone or a group of people to be afraid, that is the definition of terrorism.
Actions like protests against Muslims who have done nothing wrong, and are as American as anyone else, or the burning of religous books will do nothing but continue the distrust and hate. I think it is absolutely reprehensible, and is a form of domestic terrorism on its own. When actions or threats cause someone or a group of people to be afraid, that is the definition of terrorism.
You must join this user group in order to participate in this discussion.
You are reading content posted in the Current Events . . . Group
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
