I don't think folks will be able to hide behind "it was just an accident" or "someone set the fire to claim the property damage insurance" for much longer. The anti-Muslim/Islam hate isn't just confined to the NYC or Murfreesboro, TN ICC's anymore. Read this
article from YahooNews.com and you'll see why. To deny it and make any other claim is not only foolish, but absord!
This argument doesn't make any sense. "There are a few other isolated instances where people have done illegal or otherwise offensive **** in response to a proposed mosque. That means that it would be absurd to point out that any other incident could possibly be the product of anything other than hatred."
Well, sure there could be other motives behind these attacks, but none that are reasonable to warrant what's happening out there. We're not talking about someone getting upset 'cause they got cut-off in the parking lot or a proclaimed Christian got mad because some Muslim claimed that Christ was just another prophet or a Rabi. Those are issues thealogians are more equipped to address anyway.
No, the issue here is hatred with a big dose of fear! This linked
article (pulled from within the last article I posted (#47)) goes into further detail on just how out of hand these such incidents have gotten. No one is rightfully debating how American-Muslims feel or if any of them would like to see Sharia Law implimented in this country or if they even believe in it fully. Instead, what I'm starting to see is a push away from the sensativity issue that was originally the basis behind not wanting the ICC near Ground Zero to now being, "We don't want your kind here. Take your Sharia Law back to wherever where you come from." What kind of BS is that? The anger, fear, hatred is wrongfully being directed at American-Muslims - American citizens who have lived, worked, contributed, paid taxes, prayed, worship and been a part of their communities for years - long before 9/11, long before Obama became President.
I'm all for investing the matter where this arson attempt in TN is concerned and awaiting the facts of the matter, and if the responsible party is ever apprehended you persecute him to fullest extent of the law, but even you - as level headed as they come - can't deny the pattern of hatred brought on by unsubstantiated fear against American-Muslims that has begun to emerge.
A cab drive is attacked and for what? Because his passenger believed him to be some Muslim extremist/terrorist. Did he talk to the cab driver beforehand? Was the cabbie given a chance to express his views? Did his passenger know for sure that the cabbie was a Muslim WITH extremist views such as those many are now claiming to fear?
Thirty years of relative peace in the neighborhood and then suddenly someone just happens to set fire to construction equipment that happens to be on the very site where groundbreaking recently took place to build a ICC where residents recently protested against its construction. Coincidence? I don't think so. But we'll let the investigation continue and see what comes of it.
To think that these attacks are anything other than what they are - vile and filled with hatred toward a group of people who are feared based on their religious ideology is to ignore their basic human and constitutional right to live peacefully under the protection of the law and to worship as they please under the Constitution and in accordance with our county's values. To deny them these rights is criminal. And as we can see, that is exactly what's beginning to happen all across this country....criminal activity against the innocent. This is wrong, people!
If you're really concerned about what American-Muslims think, what they do, what their political views are, why not just ask them instead of attacking them.