Posted on 02/14/2005 2:40:12 PM PST by quidnunc
Speakers at an annual Islamic brunch on Sunday called for greater understanding and tolerance, saying Muslims face constant threats to the kind of everyday existence that other Americans take for granted.
Opening the event, Waheed Khalid, chairman of the Bergen County Chapter of the American Muslim Union, said that 3 1/2 years after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Muslims are still feeling the aftershocks.
"The American Muslim community has never felt so insecure and apprehensive due to discrimination and intolerance," Khalid said. "Our government's actions following 9/11 have impacted and continue to impact tens of thousands of individuals in ways which seriously violate our Constitution. They include ethnically and religiously based interrogations, detentions, raids and closures of Muslim charities."
His remarks drew a warm reception from some 400 people predominantly Muslims gathered in Hasbrouck Heights for the annual Islamic community brunch. The event aims to fight discrimination and misinformation about the Islamic faith by reaching out to, and creating links with, other communities.
Among the speakers were U.S. Sen. Jon S. Corzine, D-N.J.; Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-Paterson, and Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck. Also present were Christian and Jewish leaders.
Though the event came just one month after the slaying of four members of a Coptic Orthodox family in Jersey City, that incident was hardly mentioned. After the killings, a police source said that one of several leads being pursued was the possibility that the deaths were carried out by religious extremists.
Muslim leaders decried the suggestion and condemned the killings, while calling for solidarity across all religions. Authorities have yet to arrest anyone or publicly offer a motive for the killings.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at northjersey.com ...
Until they show tolerance to the minority in their country to the degree they ask for in the West, that is, allowing people to convert, to build churches, etc., without getting trouble, they should just shut up.
WARNING: This is a high volume ping list
You said it...
The Religion of Murder has gone too far -- did they think we would sit and accept their barbaric ways?
You've got that right. I am a woman and it boggles the mind.
It's even worse. I argue with some muslims who argue WE should have tolerance for different societal views and WE should be tolerant of islamic countries and how they do things. WE have to be tolerant. They don't.
Takes two to tolerate.
DID YOU KNOW THIS?
Did you know that 47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq?
Did you know that the Iraqi government employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?
Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq?
Did you know that Iraqs higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers?
Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2004 for the re-established Fulbright program?
Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have 5- 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a navel infantry regiment.
Did you know that Iraqs Air Force consists of three operation squadrons, 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 bell jet rangers?
Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?
Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?
Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?
Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq? They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.
Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?
Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?
Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?
Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consist of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?
Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?
Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a recent televised debate recently?
OF COURSE WE DIDNT KNOW!
WHY DIDNT WE KNOW?OUR MEDIA WOULDNT TELL US! (FOX NEWS TOLD US ABOUT IT)
Because a Bush- hating media and Dumbocratic Party would rather see the world blow up than lose their power.
An elder of the faith is sitting on the floor of a youth center at an American mosque instructing two twelve year old boys in the teachings of the Quran and Islam. One of the boys is a native American who is taking instruction in accordance with the wishes of his parents who have recently converted to Islam from Christianity. The other young boy is a recent immigrant to the United States who, along with his parents, came from Pakistan. The latter boy had attended a madrasa in Karachi since the age of six and was already relatively well versed in the Quran.
The elder begins by saying, I will read a passage to you from the holy Quran and I want each of you to tell me what it means. He then reads Surah 2:190-192.
The elder then turned to the young American boy and asked, What do these words of The Prophet (pbuh) mean to you?
The young boy looked at his copy of the text, thought for a moment, and then replied, Well, I guess they mean you shouldnt start a fight, but if someone starts one with you, you should fight to win. But, if the other person stops fighting you should stop too because if they arent fighting you anymore, you have no reason to fight them.
The elder smiled and said, Very good, and turned to the young Pakistani boy and asked the same question.
Without hesitation, the young Pakistani replied, Kill the infidels.
The fictional (prayerfully) scenario above illustrates one of the central dilemmas Americans face as they struggle with the issues of radical Islam and their concerns over the perceived threat it poses to their country, their culture and themselves. Which Islam do we believe? That which we are told exists but dont really see, or, that which we do know exists and see everyday in the news?
The beginning of my latest essay. Looking for a publisher.
Cornpone
Why is it reasonable to have endless discussions about muslims feeling persecuted anywhere
But the same subject is not important enough to have endless discussions about Christians feeling persecuted everywhere in muslim countries?
The Muslim community gets plenty of understanding and tolorence from most of us - plenty being the absolute maximum they will get until the Muslim community begins reciprocating. Those mice have gottn their last cookie
BUMP
P.R.O.P. (Phony Religion Of Peace) PING!
Lily Tomlin says: "Snort! One pingy-dingy, two pingy-dingy.."
A.A.C.
and this all came right after their condemnation of the Muslim terrorists, and - oh, yes, and the Imams in the US that are inciting slaughtering the infidels (us.)
right?
hello?
Phony Religion Of Peace (P.R.O.P) PING!
bttt
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