Islam Is a Religion, and Therefore Protected by the Constitution

[cbayer]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/politics/islam-is-a-religion-and-therefore-protected-by-the-constitution-20120604

By Wendy Kaminer, The Atlantic Contributor
Updated: June 4, 2012 | 2:45 p.m.
June 4, 2012 | 2:43 p.m.

It's unclear whether a procedural victory for opponents of a controversial Islamic center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, will delay or permanently enjoin completion of a mosque, under construction since last September.

Equally unclear, without detailed knowledge of the facts, are the merits of Chancellor Robert Corlew's ruling that the planning commission had not provided proper public notice of the construction before granting a permit. But if this ruling is not a victory for bigotry (Corlew explicitly acknowledged the Islamic congregation's rights under the First Amendment and a federal statute), it is a victory for the bigots who opposed the mosque out of antipathy toward Islam and the idiotic claim that it is not a religion.

Mosque opponents effectively "put Islam on trial," KATV reports. At 2010 hearings, "a string of witnesses questioned whether Islam is a legitimate religion and promoted a theory that American Muslims want to replace the Constitution with extremist Islamic law and the mosque was a part of that plot."

These are not arguments; they're fantasies, and we have heard them all before, often from the same people who would conform constitutional rights (notably rights for gay people and women) to their understanding of biblical law. Still, the ignorance and un-self-conscious hypocrisy that underlies rants about Shariah law are breathtaking.

more at link

[SoutherDem]

1. The problem is most people read the 1st Amendment as

Freedom of MY religion.

[cbayer]

2. Yes. The lack of recognition of other religions and, therefore, the stance

that they don't deserve the same protections is striking in this case.

[skepticscott]

3. But the people doing this

aren't REAL Xstians, as we all know.

[msongs]

4. freedom FROM all your religions - that's the true beauty of the constitutuion

[dmallind]

5. Sure it is - but 1A is silent on planning permissions

That people are ignorant of and biased against Islam is indisputable. But if planning permissions are blocked, whatever the real reason, challenging the given/claimed reason on 1A grounds is a tall order.

Unless the authorities are stupid enough to officially declare anti-Muslim bias as the reason for denial, an appeal brings in free exercise how?