Islamic Center protest in Middle Tennessee

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For the past month, Rutherford County Tennessee has been embroiled in brouhaha over the local Islamic community's plan to build a new Islamic Center. A huge backlash began immediately after the plan was approved by the county planning commission during a routine meeting. The local newspaper, the Daily News Journal, ran this headline on June 18:

<<Mosque's Approval Draws Resident's Ire
By Scott Broden, [e-mail], June 18, 2010
Hundreds Pack County Commission Meeting

Hundreds of residents packed Thursday's Rutherford County Commission meeting where more than 20 voiced opposition to a planned Islamic center on Veals Road off Bradyville Pike.

"I would submit to you that we have a duty here at home to understand thoroughly the nature, the intent, the funding of any group that is being invited into our community under that general banner (of Islam)," said Allen Jackson, the pastor of World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro.>>

read more: http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20106180313


On June 25, Republican candidate for Congress LouAnn Zelenik entered the fray:

<<Zelenik Denounces Plan to Build Mosque
By Travis Loller, Associated Press Writer, June 30, 2010

Sixth District candidate Lou Ann Zelenik said she stands with those who oppose building what she calls "an Islamic training center."

She says the center is not part of a religious movement, but a political one "designed to fracture the moral and political foundation of Middle Tennessee"

-snip-
"Until the American Muslim community find it in their hearts to separate themselves from their evil, radical counterparts, to condemn those who want to destroy our civilization and will fight against them, we are not obligated to open our society to any of them," Zelenik says in the statement.>>

read more: http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010306300039


At this point, the war of words is at a fever pitch. A large, organized opposition group is planning a march on July 14 to deliver a petition of some kind to the county commission. The county commission has so far voted down, by a small margin, efforts by opposition commissioners to pass motions to rescind the planning commission's approval, force the matter into court, and various other means to otherwise block the mosque. Many people in the community has spoken out in support of the Mosque and the right to worship peacefully. A group formed to hold a vigil for peace at the courthouse on the square. Bad weather kept turnout low, but there was very good press the following day.

A group of students at Middle Tennessee State University has formed a group called Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom and is planning a counter demonstration on the same day that the mosque opponents plan to deliver their petition to the county courthouse. The students are using a Facebook group as a quick way to organize support (the Facebook name is Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom). They had an open meeting at the university this evening and there was a very strong turnout. I think that a substantial number may turnout for the counter demonstration, but that is not certain and I'm concerned that the mosque opponents may be better organized.

Anyone wishing to come to Murfreesboro, TN to participate is invited to show up at the steps of the county courthouse on July 14 at 2:45pm.

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1. Letter sent to County Mayor Ernest Burgess

For my friend at Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom, here's the letter I sent to Mayor Burgess. And for my friends at DU, thank you for all that you do.



July 11, 2010

Ernest G. Burgess
Mayor Rutherford County


Dear Mr. Burgess,

I wish to express my deepest appreciation for your principled position regarding the right of all of our citizens and neighbors to assemble peacefully to worship in their own way. This is truly one of our most cherished American values.

I visited the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro's open house, along with my daughter, on June 26. The reception was as familiar as any reception at any other place of worship; ladies exchanging recipes, children playing, coffee and pleasant conversation. I met congregants there who were long-time members of our Rutherford County community; teachers, businessmen, mothers and fathers.

They deserve public officials who will defend and protect their right as American citizens to be free to worship in their own manner. The burden of invoking a public interest in religious matters is, and by rights must be, very high, else religious freedom could be rendered effectively meaningless. The burden must not be upon a religious group to prove that they are not harmful to the public interest, but rather the burden must upon the other, whether it be the state or another group, to prove that they are harmful to the public interest, in a clear and specific manner.

Your actions, I believe, have demonstrated that you are such a public official who will defend and protect the right to freedom of worship for all our county's citizens. And for that you have my deepest appreciation and continuing support.


Sincerely,

<...>

[knownothing]

2. What address

To send letters supporting Mr. Burgess to?

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4. Send email to Mayor Burgess at

Mayor Ernest G. Burgess

County Courthouse, Room 101
Murfreesboro TN
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]


Cheers!

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

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5. 5 minutes to resolve

you would think so, but the tactic is to find other ways to stop or delay the project. Like expressing concerns over traffic or noise. Or claiming some technicality over the way the planning commission meeting was advertised. All of these are tactics the opponents of the mosque have used, and are using.

Stormfront, what a bunch of tools!

[Glassunion]

6. True.

Both on the stall tactics and stormfront. I was reading some of the posts and I peed a little I was laughing so hard.

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7. Religious Freedom demonstartion was a smashing success!

It was great, wonderful, exhilarating! Our side probably had 400 people. The haters brought maybe 250 (I'm sure the news will spin it differently, but that's the facts!) I think everyone was so pleasantly surprised to see how many people showed up that the atmosphere was gay and festive. The student organizers did a wonderful job. Hey Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freed, YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!

[alp227]

8. Christian conservatives complain that Muslims plan on "taking away American liberties"

It's one thing to have concerns about water and soil if there is legitimate evidence. However, it's just idiotic for the Christians to target the Muslims as "anti-freedom". Because I wonder which religious faction of America instigated these elements of the culture war such as:
- Wanting to make homosexuality a crime and opposing state recognition of same-sex marriage
- Insisting that all sex education be "abstinence until marriage"
- Supporting teaching creationism in public schools
- Generally wanting to legitimize any damn psuedoscientific religious literalism out there real science be damned
- Censoring any media remotely non-sacred or that dares not obey the Bible

And yes I'm aware that Sharia law sometimes shares rules with fundamentalist Christianity. But hey: the "American patriarchy" supports only Christianity!