Did anyone see the CNN special "Unwanted:Muslims in America" last night?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

It focused on opposition to a proposed mosque being built--no, not the one in NYC--in Murfeesboro, Tennessee. There was vandalism to the sign announcing the mosque, as well as to construction equipment at the site.

Opponents actually filed suit to enjoin construction of the mosque, with the key legal argument against the Mosque being--get this--that Islam is not actually a religion, and thus is not protected on freedom of religion grounds. The court ultimately rejected the argument.

One of the saddest things about the piece was that one of the main opponents of the mosque was an African American man. Now, you have to wonder if this was 40 years ago, and this same man had attempted to move into an all-white neighborhood, what the reaction might be? Probably similar to what he was attempting to impose on the Islamic community in this town. He'd probably find himself with a burning cross on his lawn.

[shraby]

1. There are some really mentally ill people in this country and

are being given the microphone and power to advance their causes no matter how sick they may be.

[dennis4868]

4. and if the liberals keep bashing Obama...

on a daily basis one of these mentally ill people may be in the WH.....

[cleanhippie]

2. Just goes to show, that no matter what, people will fight ANY "difference" from themselves.

Very sad.

[Mz Pip]

3. Ignorance has no

ethnic or racial boundaries. It comes in all colors and creeds. It's sad to think that after 10,000 years of civilization we still have to put up with this shit.

[whattheidonot]

5. Shira law

Strict Shira law is unconstitutional. Any mention of it occurring and proof would end a mosque. The government is not going to allow it. They can't.

[wysimdnwyg]

6. What?

Who mentioned Sharia law?

[doc03]

7. That was the one of the reasons for their opposition to the

Mosque the people think they will have Sharia law imposed on them.

[csziggy]

10. 1960 - "Catholics will Impose Papist rule!"

I am just old enough I remember seeing signs here in the South about that. Some Southern Baptists were seriously worried that when John Kennedy was elected, they would have to follow Roman Catholic restrictions.

Silly then, silly now. And somehow it is the same category of low information, religious cult inspired morons that push this hatred.

[doc03]

11. I remember those days the minister at our Presbyterian

church made a sermon about that. The church lost a lot of members over that my family included.

[csziggy]

16. The summer of 1960 when we went to visit my relatives in Alabama

The anti-Papist signs were all along the roads. The Baptists there were as paranoid about Catholics as they are about Muslims now.

I am picking on Baptists since those are my relatives. Most of my Alabama relatives are Baptist. Heck, one of my ancestors STARTED the Alabama Baptist Convention (I am working on the genealogy now), so I feel as though I can nail their prejudices to them.

Our Presbyterian Church did not take a stand on the "Catholic issue" though I remember my conservative father making comments about it.

Paranoid prejudice will always find some subgroup to accuse of wrong doing.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

17. It went back even farther than that....

Opposition to a religious building in New York on fears that it was an insidious attempt by outsiders to control the United States? Try St. Patrick's Cathedral in the 19th Century:

http://www.catholicherald.com/detail.html?sub_id=13693

"In the 19th century, angry mobs burned Catholic churches in major cities throughout the Northeast, including New York. People accused Catholics then of the same things they are saying about Muslims today: They said we were loyal to a foreign power (the pope). They said we were seeking to institute Catholicism as the official religion of the nation and establish our law. They said we were disruptive of the public peace.

In the 1830s and 1840s, the Know Nothing party spread vile rumors about Catholics, inciting mobs to burn Catholic churches and convents.

A state legislature commission responded, saying "that Catholics, acknowledging as they do, the supremacy of a foreign power, could not claim under our government the protection as citizens of the commonwealth."

In the 1850s, the New York papers editorialized against the building of St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. It offended their sensitivities."

[csziggy]

19. Part of the "Irish" threat, I expect.

There has to be something wrong in humans that we always look for someone/something to hate. Even when religious leaders, such as Buddha or Christ, teach a different way, followers will eventually find a way to twist those teachings and use them as justification for hatred.

If you put two individuals in a room and get them to really communicate, they will find that they are really more alike than different. That is what gives me hope despite so many that seem to desire hate and dissension.

[bullwinkle428]

27. The Know-Nothing Party was truly the Tea Party of the 19th century!

[sarge43]

20. Kennedy had to meet with some clique of S. Baps to convince

the jerks that, if elected, he wouldn't allow the Pope control of the US gov't.

[bear425]

21. +1

[H2O Man]

8. legalize lonnie anderson's hare

amendment 42 unexplicitly mentions this. it could end the controversial over slim whitman and sherry law.

[sabrina 1]

12. How is it unconstitutional? If people want to practice

their religion so long as it is not imposed on anyone else, it would be unconstitutional to forbid it.

[BlueIris]

9. I was horrified by it. Many of the comments from those Islamophobes were scary.

"They worship a different god than the one I worship..." "I've heard about a 'special' law they obey..."

Do they not have Internet in TN? Bookstores? How hard would it have been for these racist whackjobs to research Islam and its followers instead of wallowing in igorance?

[sabrina 1]

13. Fox News alumni! That network is totally responsible for the

ignorance that is so pervasive in this country, along with of course the 24/7 hate rightwing radio all over the country.

If anything should be forbidden, it is the hate speech spewing forth from hate radio every day.

[gkhouston]

18. FFS, some of them probably think there is a "Baptist" God and a "Catholic" God.

I shit you not.

[Dappleganger]

22. I know baptists who are convinced

that the catholic god is mary ("they worship mary so are idolators").

[BlueIris]

14. "Ten Things People Should Know About Islam."

I wish I could make the entire town of Murfeesboro read this.

http://english.islammessage.com/articledetails.aspx?articleId=761

[csziggy]

24. Excellent article - thank you for posting the link. n/t

[elleng]

15. 'Scopes' alive and well in Tennessee.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial

[spanone]

23. this began last june here in tennessee and shows the bigotry and racism of these haters

[Manifestor_of_Light]

25. The plaintiffs (against the mosque) did not call a single expert witness.

The show said they called citizens of Murfreesboro, presumably all non-Muslim. They could have called an expert in religion, but they didn't. They wanted to reinforce their prejudices.

I have seen this before with the anti-abortion crowd. They call no expert witnesses. Or they call somebody that they say is an expert witness and the judge cross-examines them about their credentials. The judge finds that they are not qualified as an expert. So they can't testify as an expert.

I thought of this before they said it on the show.

One old woman who was financing the suit had not spoken to any Muslims about the case. Soledad O'Brien asked her if she knew any Muslims and she said "Yes my sister lived in Saudi Arabia for years, I have known lots of them, blah de blah".

[and-justice-for-all]

26. "Unwanted:REPUBLICANS in America"

now I would watch that..

[Texasgal]

28. the attorney for opposition

was a real freak. He sacred me! I could not believe the crap that he was spewing....and he REALLY believed it. Scary...very.